A: Sorry to take so long to reply to your question, Barnaby. I wholly agree with you that people of your age can benefit from educational programs, but unfortunately I’m not sent very many programs of the type you mention, and of those I do see, there are few I would really recommend. The vast majority of the software I am sent for review is for young children, and sadly, many software houses don’t seem very keen to produce the sort of programs that older children, say from ten to sixteen, find interesting and worthwhile. The only CSE/O Level type program that stands out in my mind among those I’ve looked at, is Softlee Systems French Listening Comprehension (reviewed in July’s Crash Course), which includes an aural element.

Unfortunately, some programs like this that I’ve been enthusiastic about, are not to be found in the shops because distributors are reluctant to take on products from smaller software houses — even though they often have much better ideas than the giants. You can often only buy these programs through mail order, but this of course means that sales are often very limited and some small companies no doubt find it hard to make a living.

A: Read on! The review below of Turtle’s Jack in Crazyland might give you some ideas. The trilogy — Jack in Magicland, Jack in Crazyland and Jack and the Pirates (under production) — has been written by Mr P Rogers, a primary school teacher, and each are ideal for use in schools, particularly as the basis for project work.

A: As I’m sure you realise, most of the software for pre-school children is aimed at the individual child for use in the home. However, Softlee Systems have now produced a Nursery Rhymes program which would be ideal for your needs. I’ll be reviewing this in detail next month, but briefly, the idea is that the tape is played through stereo equipment so that the children can hear the nursery rhymes being read very slowly and at the same time see the words being highlighted on the screen.