[{"TitleName":"Junior Education","Publisher":"Calpac Computer Software","Author":"J.J. Warren","YearOfRelease":"1982","ZxDbId":"0009186","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 4, Dec 1982","Price":"£1.75","ReleaseDate":"1982-11-26","Editor":"Tim Hartnell","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"ZX Computing\r\nVol. One\r\nNumber Three\r\nOct/Nov 1982\r\n\r\nEditor: Tim Hartnell\r\nEditorial Assistant: Helen Bruff\r\nAdvertising Manager: Neil Johnstone\r\nManaging Editor: Ron Harris\r\nManaging Director: T J Connell\r\n\r\nOrigination and design by MM Design & Print, [redacted]\r\nPublished by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nZX Computing is published bi-monthly on the fourth Friday of the month. Distributed by: Argus Press Sales & Distribution Ltd. [redacted]. Printed by: Henry Garnett Ltd., Rotherham.\r\n\r\nThe contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Limited. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Limited and any reproduction requires the prior written consent of the Argus Specialist Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©1982 Argus Specialist Publications Limited."},"MainText":"JAMES WALSH, OUR PINT-SIZED EDUCATION REVIEWER, THE TERROR OF HIS SCHOOL IN LOUGHTON, TAKES A LOOK IN THIS iSSUE AT THREE EDUCATIONAL PACKAGES, FOR THE ZX81 AND SPECTRUM.\r\n\r\nIn this edition I have been asked to look at three educational packages for the ZX81 and the Spectrum, The first one that I'll look at is CALPACs new Spectrum \"JUNIOR EDUCATION\" cassette which (I quote) \"contains eight attractive, easy-to-use programs for the 7 to 11 age group, including Maths, English, Junior Science and History. Colour graphics and sounds are used extensively\".\r\n\r\nThe other two packages are both for the ZX81 and are produced by ROSE CASSETTES. I use the word package intentionally, as both cassettes contain no less than 6 full length programs. The two packages that I will look at shortly are: JUNIOR ENGLISH 1 and G.C.E. \"O\" level FRENCH.\r\n\r\nAs I said earlier (if you were listening), I would first like to look at CALPAC's JUNIOR EDUCATIONAL cassette or the ZX Spectrum, so here goes:...\r\n\r\nThe cassette itself comes well packaged with a specially prepared leaflet of teachers notes. Though they are brief, they do give the teacher, parent or pupil for that matter, a reasonably good idea of what each program aims to do and hence whether they fit their requirements. My only suggestion is that some hints on loading could be included for the uninitiated user.\r\n\r\nDRAWING PICTURES\r\n\r\nThe first program is called DRAW. The idea is simply that you can guide a dot around the screen and draw pretty pictures with it. It is reasonably advanced as it allows you to control a number of functions listed below: iNK, PAPER, FLASH, BRIGHT, OVER, INVERSE, INVISIBLE, ON, OFF, SLOW, FAST, COPY and ENOUGH. Though this program holds very little educational value as such, it is a very good way for a newcomer to find his or her way around the keyboard, and generally feel that they are in control.\r\n\r\nThe second program is called \"HOMEOPHONES\", or in other words, words that sound the same but mean different things. You are given a sentence with a blank space and two or three alternative answers. You then type in the answer that you think is right. If you are correct then a graphically represented plant will grow and if you get to the end it will flower. If however you are wrong it makes a raspberry noise and goes onto the next question. Though the idea and application is good there is no variety, and I feel that most kids of the prospective age-group would get bored with the same questions and only one special drawing at the end. Next on the tape is \"SUB\", which is a basic subtraction program. It deals with the subtraction of larger numbers from smaller numbers in a very understandable way. If you get a question right then you get a pleasant tone and the bridge gets a little longer. If you get it wrong then the program will carefully take you through the right way of doing it. At the end a tank will drive across the bridge and stop if it cannot get to the other side. A very thoughtful addition is the facility to choose how the answer should be explained, depending upon the way in which the pupil has been taught so far. This is a reasonably good program, but it gets rather boring after a while.\r\n\r\nNATURE STUDIES\r\n\r\n\"FLOWER\" is by far the best program on the cassette so far. It first draws an accurate diagram of a typical flower and all its parts. It then goes on to tell you what they all do and how. It also tells you where they all are and test you on their location. This program is ideal for 2nd year science/biology pre-'O' Level course candidates, as this is a major subject.\r\n\r\nWe now flip the cassette over and start looking at the second four programs.\r\n\r\nTABLES\r\n\r\nThe first program on side two is called, quite aptly, TABLES. You are allowed to specify a particular table from 2 to 12, or if you prefer then a variety up to a specified table, (3 to 12). It will then ask you 20 questions. If you get a question right then a bit more of your graphic train is drawn. If you get one wrong you hear another raspberry tone and the offending table is displayed. When you have finished your score is displayed and your train is shown driving through the countryside. This program is very good, ideal for Junior school and lower secondary school pupils.\r\n\r\nNext we come to \"COMP\" - an English comprehension program. A sentence is given with a blank and you have to choose one of four words to fit m that space. The special value of this program is that it allows you to enter your own words and phrases. Again, if you get the answer right a bit more of the plant is drawn, and if you get it wrong it... you guessed it, makes a raspberry noise.\r\n\r\nCHARIOTS\r\n\r\n\"ROMANS\" is a simple question and answer program on Roman history. If you get enough questions right the horse will gallop away with its chariot. Personally I found that this was reasonably advanced for a Junior school and so would be useful in Secondary school as well.\r\n\r\nThe final program on this cassette is called \"SPELL\", which is quite naturally a spelling program. The difference being that you type in the words and clues so that pupils can be tested. This way a large library of words can be built-up.\r\n\r\nIn all this is a good cassette. There may be certain programs that you will decide not to use, but this is mainly due to the incredible variety on this one cassette. I agree with the maximum age of 11 for the programs, except for FLOWERS and ROMANS, which may be useful in secondary schools.\r\n\r\nThis cassette can be obtained for £5.50 from the address below: CALPAC Computer Software, [redacted].\r\n\r\nThis is definitely a worthwhile cassette for any junior school teaching using a SPECTRUM in class.\r\n\r\nJUNIOR ENGLISH 1\r\n\r\nJunior English is one of many educational packages from Rose Cassettes. These cassettes come quite well packaged, with loading hints on the inside of the cassette insert, but with very little information about the programs themselves. In computer circles it is not always necessary to include documentation, but for the product which is not only aimed at the computer owner but also at the school environment, I do feel that some introductory notes are helpful. CALPAC have done this simply by including an A4 size sheet folded into an A5 leaflet with a couple of sentences on each program. One small touch which I did like about the Rose Cassettes loading hints, was that they included approximate loading times for each program. This gives the user some idea of how many cups of coffee he or she has got time to drink before starting work!\r\n\r\nJunior English is made up of six full 7K to 12K programs all of which are recorded once on the cassette. It may seem a better bet to record them twice, but reliability is almost 100%.\r\n\r\nMEANINGS\r\n\r\nThe first two programs are called MEANINGS 1 and 2 respectively. The idea is that a phrase or word is displayed at the top of the screen, and underneath are three possible meanings. Your job is to decide which is the correct meaning and then type 1, 2 or 3. The program holds a large stock of questions and answers so that you don't get the same questions on each RUN. The only difference between 1 and 2 is that 2 is slightly harder than 1.\r\n\r\nThe next program is called PARTS OF SPEECH. The idea is that you fill in the blank with one of three words displayed.\r\n\r\nThe first program on side two is called PROVERBS. It holds 35 well-known proverbs, such as: \"A stitch in time saves nine\". It displays one at a time but with a word missing so that you have to complete the proverb. I particularly liked this program because it gave a little variety in a subject which even with the best teacher in the World, most people find tedious after a while.\r\n\r\nLEARNING ENGLISH\r\n\r\nWe now come to \"SIMILES\", an aspect of English which is more popular (if that is the right word) than most. This time the program holds 40 well known similes. The program itself follows a very similar format to the rest, in that you have to fill the blank with one of the three possible answers.\r\n\r\nThe final program is called \"ANAGRAMS\". What you have to do is unscramble one of 50 six-letter words. If you cannot get the answer simply type 'Help' and the computer will display the first letter of the unscrambled word.\r\n\r\nOne particularly nice part of each program is the 'Jackpot' game which is played every time you answer a question. Though they are very basic, there is a different one on each program. A very important point when using a program in class is its 'uncrashability', if you would pardon the expression. In other words, it is important that the computer checks every INPUT before it tries to digest it. This is very well done, as it is almost impossible to crash without hitting the 'BREAK' key.\r\n\r\nOverall, this is a very well thought out program and well worth the expenditure of £4.50 (for those studying English at Junior School).\r\n\r\nThis and various other educational packages are available from: ROSE CASSETTES, [redacted].\r\n\r\nROSE CASSETTES: SUMMING IT UP\r\n\r\nIan Marshall of Bramhope, Leeds, sent us this program, with the following comments: \"Most of the teaching programs for simple maths seem to be of the type 13 + 14 = 27, where the calculation must be done mentally, (or with pencil and paper), and the answer entered in the sequence 'tens' followed by 'units'.\r\n\r\n\"In general, this is not the way a child is taught to add, and the facility to add the 'units' and then the 'tens' and enter the answer in sequence would be desirable.\r\n\r\n\"The following program is very simple, but it follows what I believe is the desirable format and offers more sophisticated possibilities.\"","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"61,62","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"James Walsh","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"The headmistress of the Carlton and Netherfield Infants' and Nursery school in Nottingham, says she believes it is important for her pupils to familiarise themselves with technological developments at an early age, so she's taken her ZX81 along to school. Miss Johnson, shown in the photograph with Ian Preston at work on the computer, says the children use it for multiplication and division, and for spelling games.\n\n\"The children play number and spelling games, and see their names printed on the screen. It is important that they know there is more to computers than playing games.\" (Photo courtesy of the Nottingham Evening Post)."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Quality","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]