Starspell

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Program evaluation

I say:

I showed Starspell 2001, being used by a thirteen-year-old, to a colleague. She said, "Hey. That's good, isn't it?" As she is a teacher with much experience in the field of teaching students with SpLD, I valued this unsolicited opinion.

And Starspell is like that. It is a program you do say about, "That's good."

Why?

It has a sound theoretical background, and even more, there is an accompanying 76-page booklet which details this background and how Starspell links with it. If you have to justify the purchase of Starspell to a line manager, this might just help.

The panel opposite details some of Starspell's features, but one feature I found useful was "Find your level". This presents a table of boxes which contain samples of sets of words at different levels. If you know your student you can chose a box which then brings up the first of a set of lists which allow you to progressively refine your choice of level.

Students can also choose their own level - they often have a fair idea of which words they can spell already.

Once a level is established and a word list chosen to work on, Starspell will suggest the next list once the initial list is completed successfully. This progression is useful if a student is being supervised by an adult who hasn't the confidence yet to select the learning pathway for the student.

The records which Starspell keeps help with diagnosing spelling weaknesses and thus with planning and developing future strategies. They also provide evidence of the successful development of the pupil's spelling skills which is great for self-esteem - with the added benefit I suppose (if you are a UK teacher) of providing evidence which could be used as part of  your Government-imposed performance review!

Until now, the secondary school I currently work in has used the spelling module of the Successmaker ILS (Integrated Learning System), but now I feel that Starspell 2001, with its greater relevance to the UK education scene, would provide a more suitable solution.

I feel Starspell 2001 is appropriate in a wide variety of situations from Key Stage 1 through to adult.

For another viewpoint, look at the review by Literacy and Learning magazine April / May 1999.

Program Details

Fisher-Marriott say:

"Starspell 2001 is a computer program to help learn spelling. It uses the Look-Say-Cover-Write-Check approach. It has a progressive approach to English spelling, and many lists of key words for subject areas. Every word is spoken, and has an accompanying sentence. Adding your own lists is easy. Specially designed games and worksheets reinforce learning. For Windows™ 3.1 & 3.11, 95, 98 & NT.

Plus, there are "extensive word-lists for each term of the literacy hour framework".

In addition there are National Curriculum word lists as well as Onset and Rime lists, extra games, enhanced list editing and record-keeping

Fisher-Marriott have made these word-lists available on their web site.

Richard Marriott notes (Sept.2000) that, 

"Over 13,000 schools have bought Starspell 2001 by now, and we have introduced a student voucher scheme. Where a school uses Starspell 2001 itself, and recommends the product for a pupil, that pupil can purchase a copy of the product for home use for £35.00 inclusive of VAT and all charges. That is effectively half price, but it is tied into the pupil's school learning, which we reckon to be important when it comes to spelling schemes."

Prices

There are now three varieties of Starspell.

Starspell 2001 at £59.00
single user or £35.00 for home use (see panel opposite)

Speaking Starspell for Acorn only at £42.50
single user

Starspell Disc at £27.50
single user

Check current prices at:- http://www.fishermarriott.com/purchasi.htm 

Fisher-Marriott's student voucher scheme (mentioned above) is a neat idea, allowing parents to link closely with the work of the school. This is very relevant now that building better links between home and school is an emphasized feature of the new UK Code of Practice which (coincidentally?) comes into force in Sept. 2001.