Strengthen word recognition, vocabulary, and writing. Develop math skills with virtual math manipulatives.
Kidspiration is a cross-curricular software piece for primary teachers that allows users to combine pictures, numbers, and spoken words to develop vocabulary recognition, reading for comprehension, writing, and critical thinking skills. The text to speech option of the software especially appeals to visual and auditory learners as they can both see and hear numbers, words, and concepts. In “Picture View” mode, users can generate ideas and organize information for a story plot. Using “Math View” colored shapes are displayed to visually represent math problems. “Writing View” incorporates an analogy-like presentation of relationships between terms or characters.
The software is engaging with a talking feature that allows users to hear a word by highlighting an icon or image, has an easy interface, and addresses critical thinking skills which makes it ideal for teachers of the primary grades. Because it is open-ended, students of varying abilities can use it for different purposes and experience success.
While the software is pricey ($39.95 for single computer use), installing the program on even just a couple of computers in a lab or classroom setting would greatly lend itself to differentiated learning opportunities, a school improvement goal at most institutions. The software contains curriculum content teacher tools and standards-aligned lesson plans as well.