Spelling Made Easy Reviews

• What's with the Accent?

  
  By A1W6WBVI9DIUEF on 2007-11-03
  I can't truthfully say if it is a decent product or not because it keeps crashing my computer operating on XP and I can't figure out why. I have to say that this is not the first time this has happened with DK software. I had the same problem with a math title a while back. I don't seem to have that problem with any other of edu software I get for my kid.
  
  But what is preventing me from trying harder to solve that problem, however, is the fact that the tutor/narrator has a strong British accent. This would be ok for most US kids who have English as their first language, but it is not ok for kids who are learning English. (And I want to use this program with a mixed group of kids.) I tried to overlook it except when he asked me to spell the word "bought" and instead of the broad vowel sound like "baaawt" it came out all clipped like the guy's mouth was hardly opened. I didn't get to see if there was any British spelling because in my trials in between crashes, I didn't come across any words that would have had differences between British and American spelling. But funny how the description wouldn't mention the Brit-speak!
  
  
  

• Would be great if it was the American version

  
  By ACZHFU30TC7B2 on 2008-03-03
  I thought I found the perfect spelling program for my 10-year-old son. He doesn't understand spelling rules and wants to spell everything just like it sounds. This program was going really well and was helping him to understand the rules. The only problem is, it only gives the British spelling. Nowhere on this cd does it say UK version. I emailed the company, and they said they make an American version of this. I am not spending another $20 unless I can make sure it is the right one.
  I have nothing against the British spelling, but I don't want to confuse him.
  
  

• boring

  
  By A37G03KT1O2QV8 on 2008-07-25
  My child found the program boring -- too much lecturing & not enough practice. I also was disappointed in the unimaginative games they created to reinforce learning. Will buy something else instead & wish I could return the darn thing.
  
  

• Keep looking

  
  By A3DCNKCYRYR0BP on 2008-10-13
  The program has a nasty habit of crashing in Windows XP. It also uses British spelling, which was not mentioned in the product description. The program does not do a very good job of keeping kids engaged, as there seems to be more lecturing than actual spelling practice. I do not recommend this program.
  
  

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