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Gag Gifts, Occasion Gifts - SpongeBob Squarepants Typing Win/Mac
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List Price: $9.99
Our Price: $8.49
Your Save: $ 1.50 ( 15% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Encore Software
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Batteries Included: 0
Binding: CD-ROM
Brand: Encore
EAN: 0825247046501
ESRB Age Rating: Everyone
Feature: Kid-friendly typing tutorial provides a skill-building adventure
Format: CD-ROM
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: Encore Software
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
Manufacturer: Encore Software
Model: 10531
Platform: Mac OS X
Publisher: Encore Software
Release Date: 2006-02-14
Studio: Encore Software
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Features
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Kid-friendly typing tutorial provides a skill-building adventure
Combination of tutorials, drills, activities, and quizzes
3 challenge levels; Game mode or Freestyle mode
Progress tracking for speed and accuracy; correct finger placement
Plus, oceans of activities and nautical nonsense
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Editorial Reviews:
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The keyboard is replacing the pen. Connected to a computer, the keyboard may be mightier than the pen. Teach your children how to use a keyboard, an essential tool that they'll be using throughout their lives. With the help of SpongeBob Sauarepants and friends, learning how to type is lots of fun. Your kids will become more productive and work more comfortably, learning SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs and the entire cast of SpongeBob Squarepants! Tracking and progress reports help you learn and improve your skills
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: My 12 year old likes it
Comment: It is hard for an educational program to compete with the likes of Mario.
That said, my 12 year old likes this program and has been using it without groans. That is saying a good bit! He likes the SpongeBob TV show, but I was a bit concerned that this program would be too 'young' for him. For the price though, I thought I'd give it a try and pass it on to a younger niece if it didn't work out for us. That was a needless worry, because he took to it right off. It is challenging enough for the preteens and is basically the same 'style' of typing tutor as the adult programs. In fact, I think if I could not type, I'd use this one - I've watched a lot of it, and I think that if you like the cartoon, age doesn't matter. The games are a fun, but reinforcing, break from the drills. SpongeBob is a lot more encouraging than the program I used years ago! His funny comments are very positive.
Home-schoolers may be interested to know that at each level of accomplishment, a certificate is available to be printed. I like to have those to stick in my files - that is a nice feature. I had to make sure my son knew to look at the hands on the bottom of the screen, and show him how to use the little raised bumps on the F&J key to keep his proper position- that will help minimize the kids from looking down - then he was flying!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Glad I bought it; will use it for all my, and other people's, children
Comment: I bought SpongeBob Typing because my autistic eight-year-old son has severe graphomotor delays, and can't keep up with his classmates when writing in the classroom. So his teachers and I have incorporated the use of a school-provided laptop in his IEP for his class writing so he won't fall behind. But that means he needs to learn to type--a year or two earlier than his peers will. Just because he thinks it's fun, my six-year-old son is playing with the tutorial too, and learning to type. When they're ready, I'll let their little sisters join them.
This typing tutorial isn't perfect, but it addresses the needs of the student well. SpongeBob's presence and humor, and the memorable games keep my sons interested. We also bought another tutorial, Typing Instructor for Kids II, which had very high reviews, because I was concerned about this game after reading the one review above mine. And because I struggled to believe SpongeBob was compatible with education. But Typing Instructor is so desperately boring that neither of my sons could stay with it. I ran it myself to find out what their whining was about, because at first I thought my sons were just being difficult, but no, it really is awful. The characters are undynamic and so uninteresting, and the games were unengaging as well. Look for a used copy of Typing Instructor II from me for sell soon ;) .
You can't just pop in the CD and walk away, though, expecting your child to be able to type in a month. Some shortcomings of the game are that there's minimal initial direction; as a parent you must listen to the instructions, the lengthy instructions, to find where the lessons are so you can avoid the games section that your children are not ready for. Admittedly, I prefer to be a part of my child's learning anyway rather than let entertainment and someone else's education parent my children, but I was surprised at how much I was needed to help my sons get started. However, once they are started and familiar with the game layout, they do pretty well on their own. Both of my sons get excited to see their words-per-minute scores rise steadily. It's also easy to see, by a "map", where your children are in their progress.
It would be nice if SpongeBob had more variety to what he says -- there are a good number of different comments to add interest while the children are practicing home row, but every once in a while I would hear one of my sons sigh and tell SpongBob to shut up. My oldest has figured out that SpongeBob sympathetically says "Yeah, I used to make that mistake too." even if Andrew doesn't make any error. While that can be annoying, the boys still laugh uncontrollably every obnoxious time SpongeBob yells "Are you ready to rock the keyboard!" While I'm convinced I've heard it enough, my children can't get enough of it, and so are typing. I do need to check on them every once in a while to be sure they're still using good posture and position, but they're making progress.
I do recommend this tutorial, but encourage parents to at least be a part of the beginning of the lessons, if you can't be there more than that, to help guide your little keyboarder.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great product
Comment: I think this product is great. It was easy to load. My son was typing, using the right keys, within two weeks. He really enjoyed it because he loves Spongebob. Any other software would have been boring for him.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I am pleased with Product
Comment: This product was worth what I paid for it, all of my children enjoy the software. I would recommend it to any parent who wants thier child to learn how to type without them loosing interest.This product delivers, Not only are the games fun but they are learning while having fun and I think that is what we all want as parents, we want our children to enjoy learning and I feel that is what this product offers; Fun Learning.
Customer Rating:
Summary: more practice
Comment: We tried Typer Island (9yo kid) and being deserted on a island with a lousy typing game is child abuse. I read the reviews for SpongeBob and bought it! It was much better, but still a bit of a struggle. It advanced my child too fast during the lessons stating she had mastered keys at 100% accuracy but she was achieving only 8-10wpm (words per minute). The drills should be built into the lessons and associate mastering with specific levels of adjusted (accounts for errors) wpm. VERY IMPORTANT! Your child needs to "play" regularly, 4-5/week. Have your child review the previous lesson games while they move on to more lessons. The picture of the kyeboard during the lessons really help with the touch typing and keeping the eyes off the hands.
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