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Jun. 13, 2009
SpellQuizzer, A review
Well I was asked to review a product for you all. And I have tried it out and I have really given it a run for it's money. :) I have even tried it against one other product that is out on the market and some free ones. So I can honestly say that I will do my best to give a thorough and unbiased review.
This product is called SpellQuizzer (www.spellquizzer.com) It is used to help with the daily spelling practice for children who may need the extra help. It can also be used to simply test your child while you are unavailable.
This is a really easy to use program, it is simple in it's UI (user interface) which means it's very simple to use-not only for the parent, but also your children. I have used many program hopeing to find one that is not only easy for dear old mom to use (I like to think I'm computer savvy, but well, some of these new things they are coming out with is simply beyond me!!) but I want them simple enough I can tell my DD to go do unit 3 and fully expect her to have no problems practicing by herself while I help with the younger kiddos. We are talking simple click, click, click.
There are a few wonderful features. The first and the one I love the most is that the database is expandable. you can add any word--with any spelling/tense--that you need. I have come up against some that you have to use their words, and most of those you couldn't use past tense for verbs. So the fact that you can add any word that you would like to add in-this is truly amazing. This also means that this is useable for any LANGUAGE! You can even use this for foreign languge study or if you speak other languages besides AMERICANIZED English.
Another thing about this program is that you have 3 options on how to use this. First is the "intended" way. Which is a verbal cue. You use a microphone to record the spelling word to create your lists. Then your child hears the spelling word and types it in. The second option is To have a verbal cue AND a typed "hint" such as a definition. (For Foreign langages you could use the English term). the third option would be to ONLY have the typed hint. This would be for those without access to a microphone. The three options make this a very versatile program. You do need to speak clearly in the microphone. BUT I have found that it is really easy to adjust the microphone sensitivty. Which with the other programs I tried using I was unable to do.
The last feature that I would like to spotlight is the import/export feature. I have fallen in love with this. Listed on the Spelling Programs site you will find that they have free downloadable spelling lists. Now this is WONDERFUL, because this will cut down on your work load. I highly suggest that you download ALL of them. even if you don't think you will need them. I use A reason For spelling for my girls and when I first started creating the lists I was going through and entering each word one by one. This is NOT a long process, as it goes REALLY FAST, but if you are going to enter many units at once like I did (to get ahead of my children!) then it will take some time to do this. So by importing all the spelling lists available you will be able to use the words imported to create your own spelling lists. I did this and I only had to add about 1/2 of their words. SO WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL THOSE LISTS?? you delete them! Seriously. Once you add a word to a spelling list--it is entered into the data base! No extra buttons to push! And so when you get done with the list--simply removing it out of your way will maintain the words in the database, but won't clutter up your spelling list log. So next time you need the word, you have it!
Now this feature also lets you export your created spelling lists. So if you and a friend are using the same spelling programs--only one of you needs to create them. This is easy to share. The creaters of SpellQuizzer has tried to create a yahoo group for ease of sharing, but the problem is that while one unit's worth of spelling words may only be a couple of MBs. A full years worth would easily add up to 100MB, which is the limit to yahoo and googles group capacity for file storage. I would suggest creating a group on NEXO to create a group to share your files. They have a much larger file capacity than yahoo groups. Also, another reason for exporting that list before you delete it?? Younger children! This way if you are planning on using the same program with younger siblings then you just file it away and when you need it again, it's waiting for you, but you have only to click, click, click and it's back again!
Now this program in not perfect. WHAT?? No it's not. I have found one thing that I was really sad to find lacking. there is no way for your child to review the words prior to the "test". You can't even print out the list. NOR can you copy/paste the list into word. I have tried! BUT I have also found that I don't really need it as she has a book that lists the words. And if I have her do her book work, prior to doing the computer work, it's much smoother. So I did not find that this small flaw was a deal breaker. This program is still a fabulour gem!
So does it work?? I have found that for my DD, who is struggling with phonics the ability to hear the words every time she works on her spelling gives her a better chance at getting them right. DD9 just did a reading assessment. Her phonics were way below average, but her reading level was at a 6th grade (and she's 3rd grade) comprehension level. So her problem isn't reading, but truly hearing the sounds clearly. So using this will help her associate the sounds with the letters more clearly than reading them and saying them to herself--as she says them wrong 1/2 the time. (Which brings me to my next suggestion!) You can actually use this with a phonics prgram!!! Simply use the microphone to record the phonetic sounds and have your child type in the answer--MMMMM is m---this will give them lots of practice as well!! (I have a 5 year old and I need all the help I can get!!)
So the question is . . . WIll I continue to use it now that I have reviewed it? And would I purchase it given what I know??
YES to both questions. The fact that it does so much, and has so many options and so versatile makes it a wonderful find. It's such a simple program, which makes it so much better.
How does it stack up??
One of the paid programs I checked it against had so many more "bells and whistles" that I thought for sure it would be the better product, I was shocked that It was so limited. you couldn't even add a simple word to it. Words like "ought" or "looked" were not an option. You could add online resources to it, but if the word wasn't already in the database--you still couldn't access it. So no bells and whistles were not the answer. And the learning curve to using it--YIKES!
The free one I checked it against was harder to use, you had to find the file each time you wanted to use it--which meant either MOM was going in every time, not always conveinent--or DD9 was messing in the files which could mean lost files or currupted files if she wasn't really careful. Neither option was good-free or not. The recording ability on the free one was very hard to regulate. And when I had it recorded--it was fine, but the play back during the quizzing was so low we had to turn the volume all the way up and it distored the true sounds so you couldn't understand it.
So My vote goes to SpellQuizzer! |
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Posted by Sarah 
Jun. 15, 2009 - Spelling program
Thanks for offering this to us!
Wanita
wanita@odfamily.com