Literacy and Numeracy Software

Educational Software (Last update 20/04/09 )

These are mostly programs which I used with students and which some or (occasionally) all of them liked using. Click here and then on the program name for details. The shareware programs are widely available on the Web. Prices change so do check with the author/s for the current price. Software suppliers here.

For a more detailed look at software, visit TEEM (Teachers Evaluating Multimedia). This site provides very structured case studies and evaluation of educational software. Also, look at the Curriculum Software Project Reports on the Becta site. Or, look at the annual Software Best Practice Surveys from the Fischer Family Trust to see what other schools are using. This is a secondary school survey and does not have a separate special needs category. Also of interest are Education Week's Technology Counts reports (you may need to register to view them) Technology Counts 2001: The New Divides, Technology Counts 2002: E-defining education, Technology Counts 2004 : Global Links and Technology Counts: A Digital Decade.

And if you want to read a quick potted history of educational software, have a look at this wonderful 1999 piece from Marshal Anderson.

Please note these are my personal opinions only and, as the site is only updated sporadically now, then these reviews should perhaps be treated as an ageing archive. Always check the software publisher's website for latest versions and prices.

Featured Software:

Wordshark 4 Updated and even more of a "must have" for secondary as well as primary schools.
Picture Data Granny's Garden from 4Mation - Granny continues . . . . . .
Discloze from Mike Matson / MAPE / NAACE
Picture Arithmetic: From Chosen Hill School, Gloucester. Download a copy.
Tell the Time : From Chosen Hill School, Gloucester. Download a copy.
Numbershark 4 Excellent must have program for schools from Reception to GCSE!
Story Teller Marvellous software from Marshall Anderson marketed by Topologika

Literacy

Developing Tray

Discloze from Mike Matson and MAPE Literacy hour "must have"

Electronic Library 250

Gamz Jigsaw

Gamz Speaktext

Gamz Player CD

and buy the original and really good Gamz card games here.

Superspell Assessment Disk

Successmaker

Text Thing from Topologika

WordMania from Topologika

Wordshark 4 Must-have literacy software

Numeracy

Animated Clock

Kids, Tables and Time

Math Brain Builder

Maths Explorer II : Shape and Space

Math Mania Review updated.

Numbershark 4 A must-have.

Number Works

Penny Penguin's Maths Bingo

The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis

What to do when you can't learn your times tables.

Science

ScienceMania from Topologika

Adventures

Granny's Garden

The Map Detectives

Guardians of the Greenwood

Dinosaur Discovery

Santa's Secret Valley

Amazon Trail 3rd Ed.

The Anywhere Machine

Web-based resources

ICTOPUS

Ictopus (ICT online primary user support) is an excellent and free support service for primary education which builds on the Becta Direct2U service and also the legacy of MAPE (Micros and Primary Education).

Naace Primary (Formerly MAPE)

Jumbo - A Mike Matson update of an 80s BBC Micro program.

Count On
activities and resources for teachers of maths

Starfall
On-line, interactive, multimedia books and word games.

BBC Schools games
On-line literacy & numeracy games.

Digger and the Gang
(interactive adventures from the DfES and BBC online.)

Spark Island (Learning adventures online, driven by learning objectives Recommended!)

Star Tower

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