Early Essentials

/www.logo.com/cat/view/early-essentials.html

KS1 (Years 1 - 2)

Cross-curricular

Description

Early Essentials by Logotron consists of five easy-to-use applications, all linked together through one interface which can be launched from the desktop or Start menu. The applications are designed to introduce Early Years children to the creative use of ICT. The applications are 'Write', 'Paint', 'Graph', 'Turtle' and 'Chart'. [See the 'Extent' section for a full description of these applications.]

The program comes complete with audiovisual demonstration files of each application. The instructions are clear and concise. This software gives a lot of support for the non-specialist classroom teacher, both written and in the demonstration files. It is also supported by the Logotron website and a booklet which accompanies the CD-ROM. The website contains PDF files, available as downloads providing details of how the applications can be used within a clasroom environment with children of various ages.

This is a very good piece of software, especially for teachers who may be unsure of their use of ICT in the classroom. The templates are well designed and simple to use. Teachers are also given the option of making their own templates. This is fully explained on the website.

Supporting Documentation

The software comes with a well-illustrated 36-page A4 booklet giving full instructions on how to use the program. Extra PDF files can be downloaded from the Logotron website giving details of the activities; the years for which it is suitable; the skill levels required; the skill to be developed in the activities; and the preparation needed by teacher and support staff. A table then lists the screens to use and provides suggestions for teaching opportunities, tasks, skills and expected outcomes.

Technical Support

Early Years Essentials offers technical support to registered users by phone, post, fax, web and email. There is also an unconditional 30-day guarantee.

Purpose of the Program

Early Essentials helps support the coverage of ICT in the Early Years. It helps to cover the areas of finding things out; developing ideas and making things happen; exchanging and sharing information; and reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses. This software is cross-curricular, with opportunities for work in Science, Numeracy, Literacy, Art and Humanities.

Curriculum Relevance

The templates for all five applications have been designed with Early Years children clearly in mind. Popular Early Years topics have been included. This is a cross-curricular resource.

Early Years Essentials allows children to make charts, graphs, paint and control – all with the touch of a mouse. An example of the type of Curriculum material covered is the Write application, which makes good use of templates such as address an envelope; label (their own) artwork; pictures and labels; write a postcard; posters; reports (which provides a series of structures for factual text and story writing which delineates beginning, middle and end).

This software can be used to assist many areas of the Curriculum.

Extent

The children can communicate information, label and classify, control a turtle, represent information graphically and use a word bank using this program. It would also be useful for whole-class teaching through the use of a projector and whiteboard. Each section of the program contains its own appropriate activities.

Write offers a variety of templates for early writing, from simple stories to postcards and envelopes. Any story written by a child can be read back by the computer. Each template has an illustration area with colour selection in the form of a 19-colour tray, pencil, rubber, spray can and colour fill facility. The template can be printed or saved easily using the icons shown when the cartoon character at the bottom of the page is clicked.

Paint offers a variety of painting activities, 'dot to dot', 'fill and complete' and creative art. One template offers a cut-out box which can be coloured or patterned before printing.

Chart allows simple classroom surveys to be represented as different types of pictograms. Popular Early Years topics included in this are 'School Dinners', 'This Week's Weather' and 'Our Pets'.

Graph offers a flexible Early Years Numeracy tool to represent collected quantities as an introduction to pie and bar charts. The charts offered include line and block graphs.

Turtle uses screen-based activity templates on three levels. It uses clear symbols to represent varying distances and angles before finally moving on to a list of stored instructions at the top level. The templates are interesting, covering topics such as 'Castle Treasure Hunt', 'The Three Bears' and 'Treasure Island'. Preliminary work can be done in class by printing off the templates and getting children to plot their route before going onto the computer.

I especially like the publisher's offer to put the best selections of children's work on their website.

Appropriateness

The five applications which make up Early Essentials are a very good way for Early Years teachers to introduce their children to the creative use of ICT. The suite of applications and its use of templates makes it easy for the non-specialist to become confident in accessing the Curriculum through ICT. The templates cover many of the areas dealt with in Early Years, ranging from a weekly weather report to a survey on favourite crisps flavours. The extensive use of speech throughout the program enhances access for beginners and non-readers. The voices used include children's voices and this gives a feeling of peer help to the children using the applications.

Quality

The software is of high quality and very well designed. There is good use of graphics, templates, word banks, audio and visual prompts. There is a common look to each of the applications in the suite and this will quickly allow children to become familiar with the operating aspects of the program.

The applications have speech and sound to enable early readers or non-readers to access the software. In Write, font and colour can be selected. The applications can be differentiated by outcome.

Early Essentials supports ICT in the Early Years. It helps to access the areas of finding things out; developing ideas and making things happen; exchanging and sharing information; and reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses. This software is cross-curricular, with opportunities for work in Science, Numeracy, Literacy, Art and Humanities. It consists of five applications: Write, Turtle, Count, Paint and Graph, all of which help children to creatively use ICT. The software options can easily be configured by the teacher or the default options can be used. There is extensive use of speech to enhance the access for beginners and non-readers. The program is complimented by a comprehensive booklet, audiovisual demonstrations and website support. This program will be a useful addition to any school's Early Years software.

Read KS1 Classroom evaluation...

Product Overview

This product is distributed by Logotron (Tel: 01223 425558 Free Support Helpline)