The Reading
Matrix
Vol. 2, No. 2, June 2002
Zurk's Alaskan Trek
Reviewed by Rhoda Rageh
Title: |
Zurk's Alaskan Trek |
Publisher: |
Distributor:
Soleil Software
Contact Information: Soleil
Software Inc.
3853 Gove Court
Palo Alto, CA 94303
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Platform: |
Windows
95/98 or Mac OS 8.5 and above, Netscape 4.0 and above
or Internet Explorer 4.0 and above
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Minimum
hardware requirements: for PC |
Windows
CD-ROM (2x speed), 640x480 res, 256 colors, mouse
8MB RAM, Windows 95 or 3.1, 486, sound card (8-bit Windows
compatible) Mac & PowerMac
Native
CD-ROM (2x speed), 640x480 res, 256 colors, mouse
8MB RAM, (10MB recommended), System 7 or later
Sound Blaster card or 100% compatible;
stereo speakers or headphones
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Price |
Price:
$124.95 |
Teaching language in its proper context is
a delightful way of not only allowing students to explore
freely by improving independent learning but also by making
teachers' preparations easy. Zurk's Alaskan Trek organizes
a whole curriculum around a single theme. Adult learners are
usually inhibited by their self-consciousness about their
mistakes. My students have never been more enthusiastic about
the equal partnership of successful learning. Animal theatre
offers free exploration of ideas that no longer comes from
instructor to students but that creates free interaction among
students themselves and most importantly from students to
the instructor. It is wonderful to note how students explore
and ask questions without being overly conscious of their
mistakes. Thus, Zurk's Alaskan Trek breaks conceptual barriers.
Zurk's Alaskan Trek focuses on one central theme of the
Alaskan ecosystem but is not reduced to a single discipline.
It instructs brilliantly through much-needed integrative
learning. For my ESL students, Zurk's Alaskan Trek is thoughtfully
designed to develop their learning strategies especially
in the problematic areas of reading, writing and listening.
Its various but interactive aspects have pulled my students
out of their inertia and into a fascinating world of relevant
contextualized and meaningful world. An imaginary trip to
Alaska has certainly enhanced their awareness of the world
around them. The field trip has been valuable. Students
were captivated by the powerful storytelling style of learning
about plants and animals. Now they know one world so far
away brought home vividly in its natural setting.
The visual quality is excellent. Carefully selected colors
pleasing to the eye make exploration relaxing and draws
students to concentrate better. Salient icons organized
into a beautiful map entice students' fancy and transport
them easily from one place to the next.
The software includes a Portfolio (i.e.,
a notebook for students to store ideas and create stories),
an Animal Theatre where students can write simple and compound
sentences and also hear synchronized sounds of what they
have just written. The two together allow the student to
expand vocabulary and ideas about writing while grammar
concepts still so intricately intertwined can be practiced
in the process. An easy on-line Manual takes frustration
out of using the software. From installation to running
the program, instructions are clear and simple.
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Rhoda Rageh is an ESL teacher in the United Arab Emirates.
She teaches UAE nationals who are also employees of
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and its affiliates
in a process of changing 80% of the Emirate work force
from foreigners to UAE nationals by the year 2004.
Her students are adult language learners.
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