helianlingzi

1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION

-Name of Software
Imagine Learning English

-Description of what the program or resource is and what it is designed to do.
This program is a computer-delivered curriculum, which is designed for beginning to early-intermediate English learners ages 4 to 7. With the exciting engaging activities, it develops vocabulary, listening and speaking, phonemic awareness, emergent literacy, and school readiness. It intends to narrow the gap between higher achieving students and English learners. It makes the leaning became a funny progress for children by combining best educational content, technology, art and music.

-Language proficiency level(s) targeted
Beginning to early-intermediate English learners

-Age range targeted
4 to 7 years old children

-Description of activities
In the vocabulary development section, word-picture matching, personal wordbook making, personal scenes creating, song-described words playing, personal connection to the words making provide opportunities to see, hear, speak, manipulate vocabulary words by the technology such as matching, painting and organize pictures. The program can also assess students’ progress, highlight and reteach the words they are struggling.
In the listening and speaking section, students can record and compare their speech to that of models by practicing phrases along with the videos; students can learn conversational phrases by watching clips and matching it with the correct context; students can listen and sing songs along with the video; students can check their understanding after watching a story.
In the emergent awareness section, students can make a word by putting sounds together; can click letters after listening the songs and letter names; can build letter automaticity through a adaptive click game; can be tested their ability to identify letters of alphabet through engaging assessment such as click alphabet under the orders.

2. EVALUATION

-Technological Features
Speed of program operation: This program should be loaded in computers, and the speed is suitable for children.
Reliability of operation: According to the showing in the video, this software operates smoothly. But because this is only some samples, whether amount of videos will bring crashes and stalls is doubted.
Screen management: The screen is esthetic, navigational, colorful, and simply to identify operation button.
Exploitation of computer potential: The software makes full use of sound, graphics, video, speech recognition, game playing, intelligent response handling, student record keeping, and adaptability based on user ability. Besides this, it can record students’ progress, which helps teachers and learners manage speed of learning.

-Activities
This program is mainly composed of instructional and collaborative activities. Along with the models and the songs, students learn letters, words, and provocation. Students can also improve ability of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and build phonemic awareness through games, simulations, and tests. Facilitative activity can also be seen is this program. For example, personal wordbook making can help students highlight the words they are struggling with in the whole word lists; they can also find words in a word category. Almost every activity includes at least two language skills and one kind of technology. It provides overwhelming opportunities to practice listening and speaking and improve lexis, spelling, and pronunciation.

-Teacher Fit
According to the program designer declaration, “the Imagine Learning English curriculum is founded on scientifically based research and state standards”. In my opinion, it embodies some theories of learning, second language acquisition, and classroom methodology. For example, the usage of lovely animations, graphic, songs attract meet the interests of children; adaptive games consider the learners difference; bilingual instruction helps students adapt to new language; and through manager, teachers can access progress reports and student information. The grammar, authenticity and typos are suitable for children. If I am a teacher, I would like use this software because it combines the elements (content, context, teachers, and students) of curriculum well, and it helps improve student’s phonemic awareness and school readiness. For example, students can learn when and how to use certain phoneme; they learn using computers, colors, and learning following directions. However, in using this program, teacher should help students choose activities because some activities are too simple for relative older children and others are difficult for relative younger children.

-Learner Fit
The program is designed particularly according to the characteristics of children ages 4 to 7. Individualized instruction can be realized in the one-on-one activities. According to some commentaries from some teachers, rapid English acquisition, greater confidence, and improved speech were seen among the students after conducting this program. Over one thousand of words are taught through repetition and graphic support. The interactive game can adapt to the learners differences such as native language, abilities, learning styles and interests. By recognition, recall, comprehension, construction learned words, students are highly engaged in a independent learning and visual-graphic or visual-textual learning. Although it is indicated that parents can also be involved in the activities, I did not see the sample in the demo.

3. SUMMARY
Overall, I prefer to add this program into my classroom because it provides safe learning environment, understandable and adaptive activities, and strategic use of first language. The most important things is that it combines the teaching and learning content with the exciting elements such as music, art, and technology.

4. PRODUCER DETAILS
- Link to information about the program
http://www.imaginelearning.com/
-The website reviewed
http://www.articlewarehouse.com/?p=485813
http://www.articlepros.com/business/advertising/article-421250.html