Show Me Math
by Gerry Kennedy
Show Me Math Bundle
from Attainment Software
For Macintosh computers
The Show Me Math Bundle can be purchased as a complete package for maths tuition. It includes Show Me Addition/Subtraction, Show me Multiplication and Show Me Division. Packaged on one CD-ROM, the series contains assessment and instruction modules. It is available for Apple Macintosh computers only.
Maths problems appear onscreen as if written on a large “chalkboard”. From an initial Welcome Screen, the user clicks on a circular shaped coloured Math Button from the bottom of the screen, or can go straight to Quiz mode. If you choose an operation, a screen appears, announced in a female voice. A maths problem is displayed as if written in white chalk on a black board, with answers scrolling vertically after the “equals” sign. The scrolled numbers can be made to move fast or slow. Students need only press the space bar to choose the number revealed in the target area (with a yellow box drawn around it) or click with mouse or touch with a Touch Window. If the number is incorrect, a low “beep” is heard. The number is removed from the scrolled list. Eventually, the child will answer correctly after five attempts. Answers are greeted with “Good job”, or “Good work” displayed in a speech bubble onscreen as well as spoken.
If students need support, students can click on Show Me. A visual representation of the problem is shown where numbers appear as objects. They are manipulated onscreen in an animated “lesson”, with voiced feedback. This is a great feature. Problems will continually appear until you go back to the menu screen.
The Quiz option gives you problems, with ten(10) displayed. The Show Me feature is not available. This is where you test the student. You only get one chance to answer correctly. There is no visual or auditory feedback either. At the end of the ten problems, you are given the number correctly answered out of ten and a percentage score. Show Quiz Scores can be selected at any time to reveal progress scores for all operations attempted in a session. You can turn on and off the speech, sound effects, music and cover screen. If you wish, you can hide the menu bar (e.g. to avoid young users going to the file menu and quitting the program).
In Show Me Options, you can select from 10, 25 or 50 problem mode. Problems can be displayed vertically or horizontally. In the animated movie section, you can select ants, beans or sheep graphics as the “counters”. Numbers can be shown as words or digits, with extra pauses added in between problems. Problem types can be either “Fill in the blank” or “Multiple choice”.
Show Me Math caters to children who require practise and repetition with the four operations. It is so simple to use for teachers, parents and children.
Incorporating a number of useful features, clearly articulated voice and pleasant graphics (especially in the tutorial section), it motivates young students to achieve and help build their basic maths skills, knowledge and competency.