Education & Kids: Computers in English

The English language is one thing all of us share at school, and a confident grasp of it strengthens other areas of study. Fortunately, there are some excellent applications to help children along.

Play and Learn: Reading and Counting is designed to encourage and entertain children from three to five. With a friendly interface, it's packed with fun activities, animated games, colours, shapes and sounds that help develop literacy and numeracy.

Moving on a stage, Bear & Penguin's Big Reading Adventure is aimed at kids five to seven. It teaches basic reading skills through easy-to-play activities, including spelling patterns, sentence construction and most importantly, reading for pleasure.

The same age group will enjoy the Maths and English with Rayman series, which establishes an enjoyable synergy between number and word study. The series covers such things as counting skills, comparisons, place values, word recognition, spelling and vocabulary. If you want to check how your child is doing against the Standard Assessment Tests (SATs), look at 10/10 SATs KS1 Test Your Child.

Key Stage 2 ReviseWise English is anchored firmly to National Curriculum demands with a step-by-step guide to key topics. SATS National Tests English Key Stage 2 is another package designed to encourage parents and children to work together at home, tackling more than 400 random questions. Letts Key Stage 2 SATs Tests Triple Pack (English, Maths, and Science) offers a budget approach. The English section covers all main KS2 topics.

Times Education Series English Key Stage 2 takes a fun approach to literacy. An intruder has entered the home of Lord and Lady Uppercase. Can you catch the criminal? You must attempt the word-based activities in each room, collecting clues as you go. As ever, you can't escape standard assessment entirely, and there are SAT-style tests included.

Perhaps the most useful program for English practice on your PC is one that you may already have. Microsoft Word won't help with handwriting practice but for spelling and grammar it can work wonders. If you dislike the automated spell corrector, you can customise the utility. Go to Options under the Tools menu and this lets you choose between casual and formal English, for example.

Even if you don't agree with all the suggested corrections, it will make you review clumsy constructions. If you find you are using the same words again and again, try using the Thesaurus. Use the Track Changes option under Tools to show the original text next to the amended piece and allow kids to accept or question the changes.

Software details

Play and Learn: Reading and Counting, £10
www.gsp.cc, 01480 496666

Bear & Penguin's Big Reading Adventure, £18
www.gsp.cc, 01480 496666

Maths and English with Rayman, £10 (per volume)
www.focusmm.co.uk, 01889 579977

10/10 SATS KS1 Test Your Child Triple Pack, £10
www.guildhallleisure.com, 01302 314000

SATs National Tests English Key Stage 2, £10
www.focusmm.co.uk, 01889 579977

Key Stage 2 ReviseWise English, £9
www.bbcmultimedia.com, 01795 414715

Letts Key Stage 2 SATs Tests Triple Pack, £15
www.lettsed.co.uk, 0161 827 2927

Times Education Series English Key Stage 2, £9
www.guildhallleisure.com, 01302 31 4000

Literacy
The National Literacy Strategy sets teaching objectives for taking children from Reception (age four) through to Year 6, at which stage they should be fully literate. At its simplest, literacy unites reading and writing, but it also involves speaking and - crucially - listening.

A literate pupil should be able to read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, and use a range of reading cues to monitor their reading and correct their own mistakes. They should also have fluent and legible handwriting, an interest in words and their meanings, and a growing vocabulary.

They should know, understand and be able to write in a range of genres in fiction and poetry. They should be familiar with some of the ways in which narratives are structured; understand, use and be able to write a range of non-fiction texts; plan, draft, revise and edit their own work.

Ideally, they'll also be interested in books, read with enjoyment and evaluate and justify their preferences; develop their powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical awareness.

Web resources
www.nc.uk.net
Go to the National Curriculum home page, then click English/National Literacy Strategy for an outline of how schools should be using class teaching, homework and the Literacy Hour to achieve the English targets.

www.edufind.com/english/grammar
One of the big criticisms of modern children (not to mention their parents) is their poor grammar. Yet grammar is important. Understanding the way the English language works will improve a child's ability to communicate clearly and effectively. A poor grasp of grammar may hold them back in life. This is an excellent reference tool and tutor.

www.learndirect.co.uk
If you're an adult with concerns about your own literacy (maybe it's hampering your job prospects or you're finding it difficult to help the kids with their homework) contact Learndirect, a government initiative with some excellent adult literacy programmes.

www.churchillhouse.com
Teachers will find an abundance of English language games and lesson plans, available for free download in PDF format.