Painter Bear's Language Bridge: English/Deutsch

PC version requires:
Windows 95/98/2000/ME

Mac version requires:
OS 6.0+

Description:

Painter Bear's Language Bridge from Ohio Distinctive Software presents learning another language in the form of a game for children ages 4-8. Like the Spanish and French versions, the German edition provides a variety of words and phrases grouped into categories such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, food, animals, people, travel phrases, etc. The player attempts to choose the correct translation of a word or phrase from a multiple choice list of four options. In addition to the printed text, each of the choices is spoken aloud in turn. Each time a question is answered correctly, Painter Bear applies some paint to the canvass (actually he sort of slops it up there with his hand) and a portion of the bridge picture below is revealed. After ten correct answers, the entire bridge has been painted and is added to the player's "gallery." Each time you complete a bridge, you are given the option of playing a driving game across the bridge in which you steer around obstacles and jump over ramps to accumulate points. There is also a "word palette" that allows you to type in a word or phrase to look up the translation.

Features:

• Over 1000 words and phrases
• Words and phrases are grouped into useful categories
• Text as well as spoken word
• Translate from English to German or vice versa

Technical Aspects:

The graphics are not state of the art, but they are very colorful and certainly appropriate to both the program's function and its target age group of 4-8. Children over 8 and even adults can benefit from this software, but the cute drawings and Painter Bear himself (herself?) are geared toward younger children and will likely not appeal as much to older players.

The audio in Painter Bear's Language Bridge is perhaps one of it's best and most important features. Each choice is spoken for you initially. You can hear a choice again by clicking on the mouth icon next to it. This is extremely beneficial in order to hear and imitate the proper pronunciation of the words and phrases.

Report and Conclusions: