Transparent Language Kidspeak 6-in-1

This fun language learning package, aimed at children aged five years and up, is based on the principle that the fastest way to learn a second language is through total immersion in it.

There are six languages to choose from, each with its own zone and a native-speaking cartoon guide to take you through a series of simple educational games and exercises.

You'll find the French, Spanish and German on the first disc of this two-part set, with the Italian, Hebrew and Japanese on the second. All the programs run from the CD-ROM, which means there is no installation required in order to get stuck in.

The games and puzzles cover basic vocabulary, the alphabet, numbers, telling the time, simple sentences and greetings. They all feature three levels of difficulty to cater for a range of abilities.

As immersion is the name of the game, you are thrown right in at the deep end with all the games and navigational prompts in the foreign language. If you do get stuck, however, there is a help button for explanations in English. This does complicate matters in the Japanese and Hebrew zones, where you're not only dealing with a new language but also a completely new alphabet.

While there is a 'look-up' tool that will tell you how to pronounce and write each character, younger children are likely to find this a little daunting, if not frustrating. It's also a shame that the animated songs in each zone don't feature karaoke-style lyrics that you can sing along to.

Contact: Interactive Ideas 020 8805 1000
www.learning-a-language.co.uk