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Friday, April 17, 2015

Star Toaster- Orphs of the Woodlands Review

Star Toaster Review


      Star Toaster is offering a really unique chance for a interactive online reading adventure called Orphs of the Woodlands.  The book that we got to review was called The Treasure of Hightower .  There are a few options for gaining access to the book...you can try it out using their FREE TRIAL  which lets you explore the 1st one hundred pages, you can PURCHASE the online reading adventure for a great price of $19.99 ( this gives you a sixty day subscription for up to three children).  Once you make the original purchase you can then get a 30 DAY EXTENSION for up to three children for only $6.99.  This product is a great way to improve vocabulary and other English skills.  We plan on continuing to use it over the Summer for my thirteen year old.  He will be entering high school next year but he is an avid reader and struggles in others of Language so this product is a great way to warm him up for his high school English class.  Orphs of the Woodlands uses a three step approach to help the children learn with this program.... Step One- Reading Adventure, Step Two- An Academic Treasure, Step Three- A Rewarding Game.
Star Toaster Review
     We used this in two different ways at my house.  The first was my 13 year old...he could obviously read it on his own and go through at his own pace.  He liked the book, he did have a few issues with the gaming part of it.  He said it was sort of hard to understand what the goal was and how to accomplish it at each point.  The exercises it has use you do to earn the starts and very self- explanatory so he had no issues with that part of it.  From a parent's standpoint one of the biggest benefits I have seen him get from this program is the improved vocabulary.  He really struggles when writing with using appropriate words (for his skill level).  The vocabulary words in the book are great!!  It helps him spell them and also allows you to scroll over the words and get definitions for a new word you aren't familiar with.  This is wonderful.  The second way we used it was with the younger kiddos. They could not read the entire thing by themselves ( they are below the suggested age range for this product) but I still wanted them to participate.  I read some to them out loud and then helped them complete the jobs and tasks as we came to them.  One of the younger boys absolutely loved it and we are going to continue to work on it, one wasn't a big fan but he is not a big fan of anything involving reading so that had way more to do with him then the product itself.   Once again one of my favorite things is the awesome vocabulary that they get while reading this.  When the kids and I would get to a word they weren't familiar with they loved being able to scroll over the word and then have me read the definition.
     I think this product is a great way to improve Language and Reading skills.  Be sure and follow Star Toaster on Facebook and Twitter, they are coming out with a new book soon!!!!


Star Toaster Review
Star Toaster Review
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