TitleLanguage Adventure I (Spanish)
Overall Rating:  A
Source:  (Demo, Downloaded From Internet)    http://www.worldlanguage.com/
1)  First click on Free Downloads in the upper left hand corner.  2)  After the screen loads, click on the 4th link down(Language Adventure I) to download this software.
Playing Time:  This adventure unfolds through a series of animated lessons, which are constructed from over a thousand
interactive exercises.  There are 4 exercises in each lesson.  Each lesson takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.
Software Release Date:  Instinct Corporation:  1998
Cost:  $49.95    http://www.worldlanguage.com/  
1)  First, click on free downloads.  2)  After the screen loads, go to the 4th link down(Language Adventure I).  3)  Click to the right of the link that reads [More Details].  It will bring you to where you can price and or buy the product.  
http://store.yahoo.com/langquest/gadget.html
1)  You can order and or price this product at the bottom of the page.
Operating System:  Windows 95/98, Windows NT, CD-ROM
Number of Players:  1 player at a time
Special Equipment/Facilities Needed:  For Windows 95/98/NT4 PC's (NOT 3.1) with:  1) CPU Pentium 90 MHz or higher,  2) Memory 16 MB, 32 recommended, 3) 60 MB of HD storage per student, 4) 4X CD-ROM Drive, 5) 16 bit sound card, and 6) Microphone and Speakers or Headphones.
Subject Area:  The product is multilingual and is designed for ages 6 to 12 and teaches English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish all on the same CD.  (My focus is on the SPANISH language)!
Objectives:  The product is multilingual and is designed for ages 6 to 12.  This software is a revolutionary way for students to learn foreign language/skills on the computer.  Students will speak and understand a new language quickly and have a lot of fun while learning.  Students will learn more than just words.  They will learn sentences and how to communicate in a different language.  Conversation is the main focus.  Its approach is in accordance with the communicative based teaching recommended by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.  "The goal of Language Adventure 1 is to get a student to speak and understand a foreign language as quickly and enjoyably as possible."  It does this by instantly capturing the attention and motivation of children as they get engrossed in a thrilling, animated story.
Brief Description:  "Your student enters a wonderful world of adventure in which Pico, a Cyberdog, and his life-long companions, Una and Om, travel through an odyssey of time and space in pursuit of adventure. With animated graphics, CD-quality sound, animation and music, your student will not only learn a new language, but also will become part of the story!"  There are over a thousand interactive exercises that are incorporated into animated lessons that will teach words and phrases to the students.  There are four categories in each lesson: Narration, Quiz, Author and Discover exercises.
    "A narration exercise teaches pronunciation and vocabulary."  In this narration exercise the students are required to repeat and record the words or phrases that they heard.  After recording, students will hear their own voice recording and the model narration which will allow students to make comparisons.  Then the students can re-record or continue on to the next exercise.
    "A quiz exercise teaches comprehension."  The student is asked by a character to click on something in view.  The animation will continue as soon as the correct object is clicked.  Quiz exercises reinforce what has just been taught in the lesson.
    "In the Author exercise students try out the new language for themselves - here students create their own narrated animated movie!"  This movie scene is an important part of the adventure.  The author exercise is where students "put it all together" and get creative..
    "The Discover exercise reinforces and expands the student's command of the language in a fun, sometimes hilarious way." They consist many clickables throughout the lessons.  When clicking on hundreds of clickables, a relevant word or phrase will pop up and be followed by a short animation.
Entry Capabilities Required:  This product is designed for ages 6-12, but, "There are 3 levels of difficulty that can be chosen for each child at sign-in -- Pre-Reader, Beginner, and Advanced.  Additionally, there is an observer mode that can be enjoyed by younger children, and that does not require input."  Therefore, students must be interested and be willing to try to learn a new language.  Therefore a beginning Spanish student can benefit from this software as well as a more advanced student.

Rating: (1-5)

Strong Points:  The strongest points of this product is that it is a quick and effective way to learn a new language.  The animations and story line will capture the student's attention and interest.  This program allows students to learn a  foreign language and incorporates oral expression and comprehension into this learning process.  One of the strongest aspects of this program is that students get to hear their own voices(in the foreign language), played back, when the animations are replayed. The great 3 level range of difficulty levels makes this product appropriate for students of many different skill levels and of different grades.
Weak Points:  It does take a few minutes to completely figure out how to play this game.  It may look a bit complicated at first, but as soon as students become familiar with the directions it is much easier.  It does take a few tries for one to figure out exactly how to work the microphone and when to record.
Reviewer: Pamela Bice
Position: Student in Education 410
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2000
Computer System Reviewed on: IBM Compaq Presario, 5020, G7 300, 64mb ram.