Wednesday, December 30, 2009

my Virtual Tutor makes the Nintendo DS Learning Fun!


In a world of video games it's exciting to find a game that teaches children to read in an interactive, and exciting new way! My Virtual Tutor, developed by 1st Playable Productions and Mentor Interactive, combines a young child's new found love of the Nintendo DS system with educational games parents desire and the fun of play kids appreciate.

My Virtual Tutor - Reading has been tested with over 1200 students and was determined on average to increase reading scores 50% over those not using this software. my virtual tutor concentrates on five reading skill areas--Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Comprehension, Fluency, and Vocabulary--and includes four modes of play--Read to Me {including 6-8 interactive books}, I Can Read {featuring word-based activities}, Interactive {clickable animation, and quizzes}, and Paint {creativity and illustration}. The different modes and exercises advance along with the player creating an individualized literacy program perfect for the user. My Virtual Tutor also provides a parent mode to make it easier for parents to track their child's progress!

It is Mentor Interactive's goal "to provide a digital solution to children's literacy around the globe." Sound boring? It's not! My 5 year old daughter Bronwynn played this new game for days on the DS excited by her progress and thoroughly enjoying the vocabulary and word based activities. It's funny how just using the right format can add a new dimension of enthusiasm to learning! my virtual tutor games matches curriculum for Pre-Kindergarten to second grade-- the most influential time in a child's life for reading development. Bronwynn received the my virtual tutor for Kindergarten to first grade which focuses on sound blends, rhyme, patterns, and vowel recognition. Bronwynn's favourite activity was unscrambling letters to form words.

I am a parent but I am also an educator and I believe the educational programming of my virtual tutor, a teaching system developed at the University of Colorado Boulder Center for Spoken Language Research, is excellent and effective but the aspect of my virtual tutor I found most impressive was the encouraging and supportive nature of the virtual tutor instructor! Guided through the games by an animated tutor a child receives encouraging words, and repeated information when needed. Unlike some learning games which seem too critical causing frustration to bubble up inside a child, my virtual tutor's supportive tone and positive reinforcement provides a relaxed, safe, and "warm and fuzzy", on-the-go learning environment while providing substantial reading results!

My Virtual Tutor - Reading was recently the recipient of the honoured "Dr. Toy's Best Picks" award ! Dr. Toy is a Child Development Specialist and toy industry professional who focuses of high quality, creative, educational products which are safe, socially responsible, priced affordably and first and foremost designed with the needs of children in mind. My Virtual Tutor meets this criteria to the letter! It is the perfect addition to your child's DS library and a fabulous gift idea. Give the gift of reading fun to a special child in your life!

You can purchase my virtual tutor - Reading at game retailers throughout North America for the suggested retail price of $29.99. One Northern Mama reader can also win a my virtual tutor game here!
To Enter:
  • Visit My Virtual Tutor and tell me your favourite feature and which My Virtual Tutor level you would choose if you won {Required}
  • non-bloggers please leave your email address with your comment

Extra Entries:

  • Follow Northern Mama {via Goggle Friends Connect
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  • Subscribe via Email
  • Follow on Twitter @Northernmama35 and tweet about this giveaway
  • Grab my button
  • Blog about this giveaway with a link back here {please leave me a link to your post}
Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents. Giveaway closes January 14th, 2010 10:00pm CT. Please read Giveaway Rules for further details.



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66 comments:

  1. I love these types of learning tools/games for kids and I love how it can track your child's progress!!

    I would chose the Pre-K – Kindergarten level.

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am a fan on Facebook

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  3. I subscribe through e-mail!!

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  4. I follow you - @tannieschatter

    I Tweeted:

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7207196288

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  5. My favorite feature would be the phonics. I would choose the 1st-2nd grade level for my son.

    aitkens_e @ yahoo.ca

    ReplyDelete
  6. I subscribe via email.

    aitkens_e @ yahoo.ca

    ReplyDelete
  7. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7242595951

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would choose the 1st Grade – 2nd Grade

    charmtime at gmail dot com

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  9. My favorite feature from the virtual tutor is that they give the child quizzes to test reading & comprehension. I would chose the Pre-K – Kindergarten level. This would be great for my 4 yr old son who just got a DS for Christmas and is starting to read! Thanks for the chance!

    hether78(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I follow you with google friend connect!

    hether78(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am a NM facebook fan!

    hether78(at)gmail(dot)com

    fb name: Heather R. Garland

    ReplyDelete
  12. I subscribe by email!

    hether78(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I follow you on twitter (I'm hgarland) and tweeted: http://twitter.com/hgarland/status/7271568358

    hether78(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. This would be great for Matthew, I would choose K-grade 1.

    My favourite feature is Parent Mode tracks child’s progress

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  15. I love that there is a Paint mode! My son would loooove that part. : ) I think I would choose the Kindergarten - 1st grade level, even though my little guy's only 3. The Pre-K one sounds like he'd get bored with it too fast!
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm a Google Friend follower
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  17. Facebook fan
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  18. Email subscriber
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  19. Twitter follower & tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7278535940
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  20. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7288878257

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  21. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7305087558

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  22. Tweet for today:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7337232346
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  23. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7376984386

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  24. Tweet tweet! http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7382021110
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  25. I like that the game advances with the player. I would choose the pre-K to Kindergarden level.

    ReplyDelete
  26. My favorite feature is the creative play feature.

    The level I would choose is the 1st grade to second grade.


    ssummmer(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am a facebook fan (Summer P.)

    ssummmer(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7407792341

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  29. Today's tweet:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7411170061
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  30. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7445996553

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  31. Tweet tweet!
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7463507054
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  32. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7483755847

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  33. Tweet for today:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7487550812
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  34. I would choose the pre k to kindergarten level

    ReplyDelete
  35. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  36. follow and tweeted http://twitter.com/cushytushyshop/status/7492518227

    ReplyDelete
  37. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7524215691

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  38. Today's tweet:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7524347351
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  39. tweet http://twitter.com/cushytushyshop/status/7529629586

    ReplyDelete
  40. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7562285218

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  41. http://twitter.com/cushytushyshop/status/7566457225
    Daily tweet

    ReplyDelete
  42. Tweet for today:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7567980327
    Thanks!!
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  43. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7598951741

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  44. Today's tweet:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7602362706
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  45. I like that it focuses on this:
    Fluency
    I would choose:
    1st-2nd Grade

    ReplyDelete
  46. Follow & tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/gordy93/status/7613481582

    ReplyDelete
  47. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7634349314

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  48. Daily tweet:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7640383564
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  49. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7674710513

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  50. Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7679703872
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  51. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/tannieschatter/status/7711154697

    tanandjosh@telus.net

    ReplyDelete
  52. Today's tweet:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7718483387
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  53. Tweeted again today:
    http://twitter.com/SaywardBC/status/7760551478
    melaniesands[at]yahoo[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  54. I love that they have 4 different play modes as well as a Parent Mode to track progress.

    torontoteachermom@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  55. I'm a follower via Google Friend Connect

    ReplyDelete
  56. http://twitter.com/teachermomoftwo/status/7767284796

    ReplyDelete