Your Name: Jennifer Wisner

User Name: lun1185

Day of Class and Meeting Time:  Monday 3:30pm

Title of Software: Grammatica Grammar Checker

Author or Publisher: Philippe Aubert, Jean-Pierre Brulé, Scott Carpenter, Laurent Debrauwer

WEB Address of Information Site: http://www.grammatica.biz/downloadUS/mac/download.html

Date produced, copyrighted or last modified: 1995-2003

Cost of full program: $29.95 USD

Amount of intended class time usage: Two hours/week

Subject Area: French

Your intended audience: French students of all levels. (This version could also be used by French speakers studying English.)

Brief description: This software provides translations, conjugations, spell check, language analyzation, plural formation, and many other useful composition features for students of French/English (as a foreign language).

Objectives: For lower level students, this will provide a translations, conjugations, and will explain the use of the language in the composition. For upper level students, it will provide language analyzation.

Prior Knowledge Required: None

Rate the following 10 Criteria: (high, medium or low) and give reasons as to why you rated this way.

1. Matches with intended curriculum: High - This provides an excellent companion to students learning vocabulary and grammar basics, as well as those beginning to write compositions.

2. Ease of download: High - With one click from the web site, the file is downloaded, and then simply double clicked to open and use.

3. Clear and concise language: High - The analyzer provides simple, comprehensible explanations for all analyzations given.

4. Maintain student's interest: Medium - If students are interested in learning vocab, grammar, and correct composition skills, it will keep students interested. It does not have anything more exciting than 

5. Learner participation: Low - The software provides all corrections for the students, instead of having them check/correct their mistakes on their own.

6. Evidence of effectiveness: Medium - It provides a wealth of information, but doesn't force the students to learn it for themselves; they can just depend on the program.

7. Objectionable bias: Low - The software was authored by both French and English speakers, providing accurate corrections, as well as explanations, in both languages.

8. Documentation: High - There was plenty of information available on the web site about the program.

9. Clarity of directions: High - Works like most other word processors/composition software, and has helpful help files.

10. Stimulates creativity: Low - Simply provides corrections, conjugations, etc...

Strong Points: It is a foreign language dictionary, thesaurus, grammar text, and editor all in one program. The student can sit down to compose or find conjugations, vocab, etc., and never have to use any other resources.

Weak Points: It does the work for the students. Instead of them having to search for words, conjugations, or grammatical structures, it simply corrects the mistakes and provides the answers for the student.

Recommended action: Would be well worth the cost because it is useful for students of all levels. Full classroom set purchase recommended.