Reading for Critical Thinking, Level A

Reviewed by Sara Hartman
Published by GAMCO Educational Software

Age Group: Age 8 and Up
Type: Language Arts
Price: $70

PC version requires:
Windows 95/98/2000, 486 processor, CD drive, hard drive, 256 colors

Mac version requires:
OS 7, CD drive, hard drive, 13" monitor, 16 colors, Sound Manager 3.0

Description:

Reading for Critical Thinking, Level A has a self-explanatory title, Level A being a designation for grades four through seven. Students read a paragraph covering a theme randomly selected from a wide range of topics, then answer a series of questions covering vocabulary, comprehension, summary and inference. Each correct response earns an opportunity to crack a four-digit code in an activity reminiscent of the board game Master Mind.

Features:

  • 80 reading passages covering a wide variety of topics
  • Progression based on student success
  • Teacher's management tool
  • Motivational Code Cracker program

Technical Aspects:

Installation was easy. The title has low system requirements, so it is not surprising that it ran flawlessly on a 240MHz G3 Macintosh. There is not much in the way of graphics; a topic and a question are presented on the left two-thirds of the screen, while the Code Cracker program occupies the rest. The text is sharp and easy to read. The program is wholly presented in text, and is completely accessible by hearing-impaired students. There is audio, consisting of game show type music, but I found it very annoying and turned it off.

There was a minor glitch in the Macintosh version. When I opened the program using the "CC Product Launcher," I got an error message, something about sending incorrect data to the Program Manager. Clicking "OK" took me right to the program, however, and it worked perfectly. Launching the program directly through the Program Manager accomplished the same thing, but without an error message.

Report and Conclusions:

Reading for Critical Thinking, Level A is a solid no-frills educational title. The topics are interesting and varied, and the questions challenging. The Code Cracker logic game was fun for a while, but I did not find it particularly motivating. After cracking several codes I grew tired of the activity and wished to focus just on the reading comprehension, but there is no way to disable or bypass the game.

The accompanying Program Manager is a very useful tool. It may be used to enroll and monitor students, assign passwords, and customize programs. Teachers may also edit or develop content, thus allowing the opportunity to include passages related to a specific curriculum. The Program Manager allows teachers to decide whether or not to include crossword puzzles as part of the questions; it would be nice if the Code Cracker activity could be toggled on and off as well.

This title would be excellent practice for the reading comprehension portion of standardized achievement tests. Unfortunately the price may put it out of reach for home or homeschool use.




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