The program is interactive. Throughout each lesson, the computer evaluates every keystroke by the student and will not accept any response that is incorrect. A single beep and a red flash on the screen notifies the learner that a keystroke has gone astray. Another attempt must be made.
If the student gets "stuck" and needs help, a Help Button can be clicked. The computer will then reveal the right answer. However, the learner must still type it in, and the computer will show all the wrong or "help needed" responses at the end of each lesson test.
The computer speaks with a human voice throughout each lesson. If the student wants the computer to repeat what it has said, a Repeat Button can be clicked.
The learner begins the BookSoft lesson by bringing the book to the computer and calling up the accompanying software.
The following Main Menu screen then appears:
THE STAR MAIDENLesson One is the first page of the book.
[1] Hearing Words
[2] Finding Words That Rhyme
[3] Questions About the Story
[4] Spelling
[5] TEST
The student may visit the menu categories in any order and for as many times as may be desired.
In most cases, the learner will begin by looking at the lesson page in the book to see whether there are any words that he or she cannot read. If so, then the [1] Hearing Words screen would be chosen.
That screen has a blank line upon which the student can type words for the computer to pronounce. Any word on the lesson page in the book can be typed and heard so that the student can learn it. The student can return to the Main Menu screen by typing a period and pressing Return.
Whenever the [2] Finding Words That Rhyme option is chosen, the computer will ask the student to find on the lesson page in the book certain words that rhyme with other words.
The [3] Questions About The Story option poses various fill-in-the-blank statements for the student to complete.
The [4] Spelling option requires the student to spell words dictated by the computer.
NOTE: For all four of the above options - including Spelling - the student is free to use an "open book" procedure. This is to be expected. It is the learning part of the lesson. The student may repeat each option as often as may be desired.
NOTE: The [5] TEST option covers all of the others. It should be chosen only when the student believes it can be mastered with the book closed. It is okay for the student to re-take the test until it is mastered. Perhaps more "open book" work with the other options is needed. That's fine. Final "closed book" mastery of the test is what counts.
NOTE: As the final step in the lesson, the student should demonstrate his or her ability to read aloud the entire lesson page in the book. Ordinarily, the student should not go on to the next lesson until this has been done.
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