Grammar

Welcome to the help section of Grammar. The purpose of this section is to provi
de you with information about all the major features of this CD-ROM.
The information is grouped into six sections. They are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Overview
Explanation Board
Logging In
Parent's Section
Test & Scores
Troubleshooting

The information within these sections is presented in the form of questions foll
owed by answers.

Overview
What is Grammar?
Grammar is an educational CD-ROM designed to enhance the teaching and learning o
f basic skills in grammar. Grammar uses a children's TV show format to present
students with lucid explanations of the main areas of grammar, interactive exerc
ises to monitor understanding and exciting games to enhance motivation. The dis
c also provides parents with powerful, but simple-to-use tools to diagnose, trac
k and report on student knowledge and progress.
Grammar has been designed to combine the best features of interactive CD-ROMs wi
th the structured courseware and reporting associated with managed learning syst
ems.
As such, Grammar combines a structured step-by-step set of tutorials on the basi
cs of punctuation with flexible access to any area on the CD-ROM.
The "flow" of the CD-ROM encourages the user to work through the explanations or
tutorials in a systematic way before moving on to another area. However, users
are provided with the freedom to explore any area of the CD-ROM they wish.
Who is it for?
Grammar is designed for students between the ages of 8 and 14, or indeed anyone
who is interested in mastering the basics of grammar.
What are the main features of the CD-ROM?
The main features of the CD-ROM are as follows:
* A children's TV show format, hosted by an enthusiastic and appealing cartoon c
haracter: Hamish McGee
* Lucid explanations of all the main areas of grammar, combining narration with
high quality animations to get across key points
* A pretesting system to facilitate differentiated instruction
* An extensive range of interactive exercises to test knowledge and consolidate

understanding
* Customised feedback in response to user choices and actions
* A Parent's Section with powerful, easy-to-use tools for diagnostic reporting,
progress tracking and Teacher-Student reviews
* Rich multimedia CD-ROM resource ideal for independent learning
* Extremely easy to set up and use
What areas of grammar does the CD-ROM cover?
The CD-ROM provides extensive coverage of the basics of grammar.
The areas covered on the CD-ROM are as follows:
Nouns
1. Common Nouns
2. Proper Nouns
3. Abstract Nouns
4. Plurals
Simple Verbs & Tenses
1. Verbs
2. Present Tense
3. Past Tense
4. Future Tense
5. Person & Agreement
Verb Forms
1. Infinitive & Imperative
2. Verbs & Objects
3. Active & Passive
Adjectives & Adverbs
1. Adjectives
2. Adverbs
3. Comparisons
Pronouns & Prepositions
1. Pronouns
2. Relative Pronouns
3. Prepositions
Sentences
1. Sentences
2. Phrases & Clauses
3. Simple & Complex
Standard English
1. Agreement
2. Negatives
3. Slang
4. Dialect
How do I access the explanations, exercises and other features of the disc?
All the content, features and functionality of the disc can be accessed by using
the Navigation Bar at the bottom of the screen. The Navigation Bar is always a
vailable. There are eight buttons on the Navigation Bar. They are:

1. Exit - allows the user to quit the CD-ROM at any point

2. Volume - allows the user to adjust the audio levels
3. Log In - allows the user to tell the system who he/she is, which in turn allo
ws the system to track his/her progress
4. Explanations - allows the user to gain direct access to all the explanations
on the CD-ROM
5. Test - where students can take tests which in turn form the basis of the soft
ware's progress tracking system
6. Scores - provides students with a straightforward visual representation of th
eir scores as they progress through the areas of grammar/grammar on the CD-ROM
What sort of computer do I need to be able to run the CD-ROM?
Grammar has been designed to run on computers with comparatively modest specific
ations. For example, the CD-ROM will run on any Windows PC with a 486/66 process
or and 8MB of system RAM. On the Macintosh platform, it will run on any Mac wit
h an '040 processor or better. However, the performance of the CD-ROM greatly i
mproves as the specification of the computer improves.

The Explanation Board

What is the Explanation Board?
The Explanation Board is the main instructional area of the CD-ROM. Hamish McGe
e provides lucid explanations of all the main areas of grammar from the Explanat
ion Board.
From the Main Menu you can select any area of grammar, and Hamish will lead you
through all the major points associated with that area.
Hamish's explanations are punctuated with interactive exercises, and Hamish cons
tantly provides customized feedback in response to user interaction.
What areas of grammar are covered?
Grammar covers the following areas:
Nouns
1. Common Nouns
2. Proper Nouns
3. Abstract Nouns
4. Plurals
Simple Verbs & Tenses
1. Verbs
2. Present Tense
3. Past Tense
4. Future Tense
5. Person & Agreement
Verb Forms
1. Infinitive & Imperative
2. Verbs & Objects
3. Active & Passive

Adjectives & Adverbs

1. Adjectives
2. Adverbs
3. Comparisons
Pronouns & Prepositions
1. Pronouns
2. Relative Pronouns
3. Prepositions
Sentences
1. Sentences
2. Phrases & Clauses
3. Simple & Complex
Standard English
1. Agreement
2. Negatives
3. Slang
4. Dialect
How do I access a topic?
Hamish McGee's explanations of the basics of grammar can be accessed in two ways
.
The first way is from the Main Menu of the Hamish's Explanation Board. Select t
he area you are interested in by clicking on the appropriate button on Hamish's
board. The second way is by clicking on the 'Explanations' button on the Naviga
tion Bar. This will bring up a pull-up menu that can be used to access any area
of grammar directly.
What happens when I select a topic from Hamish's Explanation Board?
Once you have selected a topic from Hamish's Explanation board, you will first o
f all be presented with a set of diagnostic pretests. These pretests are design
ed to establish what you already know about the area in question.
Once you have completed the pretest, the system will determine which areas you a
lready understand well and highlight the areas that you appear not to fully unde
rstand. You will then automatically be presented with an explanatory tutorial c
overing the first section that you do not appear to understand fully.
The explanatory tutorial
is designed to test your
he explanatory tutorial.
you if your answers are

is followed by an interactive exercise. This exercise

understanding of the section you have just covered in t
Once you have completed the exercise, Hamish will tell
right or wrong and he will explain why.

If you completed the exercise successfully you will automatically be taken to th

e next available section within the given area. But if you were not successful
in getting the interactive exercise correct, Hamish will present you with anothe
r interactive exercise which will again test your understanding of the points co
vered in the explanatory tutorial. If again you are unsuccessful Hamish will ex
plain why, but rather than dwell on the section he will move on. The computer,
however, will flag this as a topic that you do not appear to have understood ful
ly.

Do I have to do the pretests every time I want to go into an area?

No. If you access an area via the 'Explanations' pull-up menu on the Navigation
Bar you will be brought directly to the explanatory tutorial of your choice.
Can I jump around within an explanatory tutorial?
Yes. It is possible to skip over explanations by using the control panel button
s (Rewind, Pause, Forward) in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. Using
the control panel you can skip forward and backwards in Hamish's explanations.
You can also pause and replay what Hamish says at any point.
Can I access explanations quickly without having to go back to the Explanation B
oard menu?
Yes, absolutely. By using the 'Explanations' pull-up menu the user can access a
ny of the explanations on the CD-ROM directly.

Logging In
What is the purpose of logging in?
By logging in, the computer can track your selections and progress through the C
D-ROM. Once you have logged in, the program will track what you do at the compu
ter. If you choose to exit the program while you are in the middle of an explan
ation, for example, you will be asked if you wish to save your position in the p
rogram so that you can return immediately to the same place the next time you lo
g in.
Remember: you must log in at the start of each session at the computer. If you
do not, then there will no record of your selections and progress at the comput
er.
How do I log in?
To log in, simply click on the 'Log In' button on the Navigation Bar in the bott
om left-hand corner of the screen. The 'Log In' pop-up window will appear. If
this is your first time to use the software, click on the 'New Name' button. Th
en, type your name in the box provided and click on the 'Boy' or 'Girl' button,
as appropriate. Finally, click on the 'Log In' button.
If you have logged in before, simply select your name from the list of names and
then click on the 'Log In' button. If you chose to save your position on the l
ast occasion you left an explanation, you will be asked if you wish to resume at
this point.
Once you have logged in, your name will appear in the box in the top right-hand
corner of the screen.
Can groups log in as well as individuals?
Yes. If Grammar is going to be used by a group of students, then it is possible
to log in as a group. Click on the 'Log In' button on the Navigation Bar. Whe
n the 'Log In' pop-up window appears, click on the Group tab in the top right-ha
nd corner of the 'Log In' window.

If this is the group's first time to use the software, click on the 'New Group'
button. Then type in the name of the first group member and click on the 'Enter
Name' button. The person's name will appear in the Group Member's box. Repeat
the process for each group member. Then click on the 'Log In' button. The gro
up will be automatically allocated a group number for identification purposes.
This number will appear in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
If the group has logged in before, the members simply need to select the group n
umber from the list and then click on the 'Log In' button.
How do I know who is logged in?
It is always possible to know the name of the person or group currently logged i
n by looking at the display panel in the top right hand corner of the screen.
What if I have to stop in the middle of an explanatory tutorial? Can I save my
place?
Yes, absolutely. Once you have logged in, the program will track what you do at
the computer. If you choose to exit the program, for example, you will be aske
d if you wish to save your position in the program so that you can return immedi
ately to the same place the next time you log in.
Parent's Section
What is the Parent's Secton?
The Parent's Section is an area of the CD-ROM designed to provide parents with a
powerful, easy-to-use set of tools to diagnose, track and report on student kno
wledge and progress.
Access to the Parent's Section is password protected.
The Parent's section is made up of three areas:
* Diagnostics, which allows parents to diagnose student knowledge and identify a
reas of weakness
* Progress, which allows parents to track student progress against a baseline
* Teacher-Student Reviews, which allows teachers/parents to review the interacti
ve exercises on the disc in a one to one environment
How do I access the Parent's Section?
To access the Parent's Section, simply click on the 'Parents' button on the Navi
gation Bar at the bottom of the screen. This will bring up the Password box. T
ype the password into this box and click on the 'Submit' button.
What happens when I access the Parent's Section?
On accessing the Parent's Section the parent will be brought into the Diagnostic
s section, where the parent can view the scores of all the individual students w
ho have logged in to the system. The first thing the parent will see is a colum
nar chart, which provides an overview of student performance.
By clicking on the 'Group' tab the parent can access a similar looking chart of

all the groups who have logged in to the system.

Scores are presented, by default, as percentages, but the parent can view studen
t scores as fractions simply by clicking on the 'View as Fractions' button.
The Individual Overview and Group Overview screens are designed to provide paren
ts with an immediate overview of a whole class' scores.
If a student has not yet attempted an area of grammar, the space for the score w
ill be marked with an 'X'.
How do I move around the Parent's section?
The various features of the Parent's Section can be accessed by clicking on the
tab buttons at the top of the screen or by clicking on the various buttons that
are available.
What is the Diagnostics section?
The Diagnostics section is designed to enable parents to identify areas of stude
nt strength and weakness. Once individual students or groups of students have l
ogged on to the system, their performance through the disc's pretests and intera
ctive exercises is tracked, and their scores are displayed for the parent in the
form of a class chart. This chart lists all the students who have logged in to
the system and their scores in the different areas of grammar. If a student ha
s not attempted an area yet, it will be marked with an 'X'.
Scores are presented, by default, as percentages, but the parent can view studen
t scores as fractions simply by clicking on the 'View as Fractions' button.
The Individual and Group Overview screens are designed to provide parents with a
n immediate overview of a whole class' scores. However, more detailed informati
on on individual students is also available simply by selecting a student name a
nd then clicking on the 'Detailed Individual Report' button. This report explai
ns in plain English the basis of the students' scores and identifies areas of we
akness. The system will interpret a student to be weak if he/she gets both of t
he interactive exercises wrong in any given section.
Can I have a more detailed report on a particular student?
Yes. The Individual Overview chart provides a basic summary of student aptitude
. However, if you require more detailed information, this is available by selec
ting a student's name and then clicking on the 'Detailed Individual Report' butt
on in the bottom left-hand corner. The detailed individual report explains in p
lain English the basis of the students' scores. It also lists areas of weakness
. The system will interpret a student to be weak if he/she gets both of the int
eractive exercises wrong in any given section.
Can I print out a report or save it to disc?
Yes. An individual report can be printed out by clicking on the 'Print' button
in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Alternatively, the report can be
saved as a text file by clicking on the 'Save' button.
What is the Progress section?

The Progress section is an area of the Parent's Section that enables parents to
assess student progress over a period of time. This section is linked directly
to the Test section, where students take tests covering all of the main areas of
grammar. When a student takes a test in the Test section for the first time, t
his first test will automatically become the baseline against which progress is
measured. All subsequent tests will generate scores that are compared with the
baseline score to assess progress.
Can I change the baseline?
Yes. By clicking on the 'Set Last Test As New Baseline' button, you can allocat
e a new set of test scores as the baseline against which progress will subsequen
tly be measured. You can choose to do this for an individual student or for all
students that have logged in.
Can I get more detailed information on a student's progress?
Yes. The Progress screen provides a summary of a whole class' progress in the f
orm of a columnar chart. If you would prefer a plain English report on the prog
ress of a particular student, simply select the student by clicking on his/her n
ame and then click on the 'Detailed Individual Report' button. This report will
list the dates when the student took a test, the scores he/she received and the
percentage increase or decrease against the student's baseline test score.
Can I print out this information?
Yes. The report can be printed out by clicking on the 'Print' button in the bot
tom left-hand side of the screen.
What is the Teacher-Student Reviews section?
The Teacher-Student Review section is an area of the CD-ROM that allows teachers
/parents to sit down with students and review areas of grammar on a one-to-one b
asis. In this section teachers/parents can access all the interactive exercises
on the CD-ROM. However, it is also possible for teachers/parents to call up an
y area of grammar where a specific student encountered difficulties and then sit
down to review it with him/her.
Teachers/parents can select any student who has logged in to the system from the
'Student' pull-down menu. Then, in the 'Area' pull-down menu, teachers/parents
can view any area of grammar.
Areas where a student encountered difficulties will be highlighted in red.

Test & Scores

What is the Test section?
The Test section is an area of the CD-ROM where students can take tests. The Te
st section is linked directly to the Progress section in the Parent's Section, a
s test scores are used as the basis for measuring student progress.

How many questions are in each test?

The Test section consists of 20 random but representative sets of questions, cov
ering all of the main areas of grammar on the disc.
Do I get any feedback in the Test section?
No. The purpose of the Test section is not to teach but simply to test, so ther
e is no feedback. However, at the end of the test you are presented with a list
which identifies the questions you got right and the questions you got wrong.
How long does it take to work through a test?
Obviously this will depend on how long the student takes to answer the questions
, but usually a test should take no more than about ten minutes to complete.
What is the Scores section?
The Scores section provides students with a bar chart showing their scores in ea
ch of the areas of the CD-ROM. The Score Chart displays all of the areas on the
disc as well as the Test section.

Troubleshooting
Can I adjust the volume of the audio?
Yes. Click on the 'Volume' button on the Navigation Bar in the bottom left-hand
corner of the screen and select the level you require.
Sometimes when I start the disc the screen goes black. Why?
This can only happen if your computer is set to run in 256 colours (8bit) as opp
osed to thousands of colours (16bit). There are two reasons why this can happen
: (1) either because you have inadvertently launched the program twice, or (2)
you have inadvertently clicked somewhere on the desktop while the program is loa
ding. In both cases a colour clash is created between the Windows system palett
e and the more specialised palette used by the program.
To solve the problem you will need to exit the application and then launch it ag
ain. To exit the Windows version hold down the 'Control' and 'F4' keys at the s
ame time. To exit the Macintosh version hold down the 'Command' ('Apple') and '
Q' keys at the same time.
The system hasn't recorded one of my student's scores. Why?
This is probably because the student was not logged in when he/she worked throug
h an area of the disc.
Should I always get my students to log in?

Yes, absolutely. This is the only way to ensure that the students' activities a
t the computer are recorded. It is probably a good idea to encourage students t
o get into the habit of logging in each time they go to the computer.
Can I change the password?
Yes. The password can be changed in the Parent's Section. Please refer to the
User's Guide for more details.