Widgit Software (01223 425558), 40
First Keys 2 links keyboard awareness to literacy, through structured keyboard-based skills. The program was originally designed to support early literacy, including matching, spelling and word blends, but soon found a niche in the primary keyboard skills market.
The program is still geared to literacy. It has six levels of activity - initial letter, match the text, build the text, fill the gaps, copy spell and spell from picture - and introduces graded literacy and spelling skills.
Not all these, of course, are suitable for the early years. However, the first two levels would provide useful initial letter and word-matching activities for some nursery children. The keyboard skills element of this software is a real bonus for a nursery school. In the first two levels, on-screen picture and letter cues encourage children to find initial letters (level 1) or all the letters (level 2) for a word.
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