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Teach Your Children 2.0

(C)1994, 1995 Q&D Software Development

The Main Menu (shown below) will be the first screen you see upon loading 'Teach Your Children'.  From the Main Menu you can access all of the features of the program, either by menu selection or by clicking a toolbar button.

Contents:

   Math Criteria Window

   Math Selection Window

   Math Workbook Window

   Pointers

   Quiz Mode

   Reading Criteria Window

   Reading Selection Window

   Recognition Workbook Window

   Scores Window

   Sound

   Spelling Workbook Window

   Toolbar

Menu System:

   File

   Options

Registration Benefits:

The registered version of Teach Your Children differs from the shareware version in several ways.  The registered version includes a much more extensive icon library in the Reading sections, allowing your child to expand his or her vocabulary.  The registered version also allows your child to enter his or her name in the 'license plate' portion of the toolbar, providing a personal connection that will make learning more enjoyable for him or her.

In addition to receiving added features, registered users are entitled to FREE UPGRADES to this program as they occur.  (Shipping and handling charges may occur in some cases.)

Registered users of software products by Q&D Software Development have come to expect high quality customer service, whether by telephone or e-mail.  We encourage suggestions from our registered users.  If you have any questions or suggestions about any of our products, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Ordering Information:

The registered version of Teach Your Children is available for $19.95, plus $3.95 shipping and handling.  (Shipping and handling charges of $4.95 apply for orders outside the U.S.)

To order Teach Your Children via credit card, call the Public (Software) Library at 1-800-242-4775 (1-800-2424-PSL), or 1-713-524-6394.  These numbers are for CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY.  We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.  Specify PsL Product Number 11793.

To order on-line via CompuServe, GO SWREG and register ID# 3164.

Tech Support:

For free technical support, registered users may call us at (201)635-1824, or leave e-mail at Compuserve ID# 76336,3271.  Unregistered users must rely on this help file for support.

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File

The File sub-menu can be accessed from the Main Menu.  The File sub-menu contains two items; 'Math' (which will bring you to the Math Selection Window ), and 'Reading' (which will bring you to the Reading Selection Window.

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Options

The Options sub-menu is accessed from the Main Menu.

Sound On/Off

Begin/End Quiz

Quiz Scores

Pointers On/Off

Personalize

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Math Selection Window

The Math Selection Window can be accessed either by clicking on the Math button in the Toolbar or by clicking File | Math from the Main Menu.

The Math Selection Window is where your child can select which Operation and Level he or she wishes to practice.  These are chosen by clicking on the appropriate buttons.  Once an Operation and a Level has been chosen, your child can click the OK button (with the green traffic signal) to continue on to the Math Workbook Window.  If your child makes a mistake in choosing his or her Operation and/or Level, he or she can click the Cancel button (with the red traffic signal) to begin again.

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Math Workbook Window

The Math Workbook Window is accessed by clicking the OK button in the Math Selection Window.

The Math Workbook Window is the area where your child practices and learns addition, subtraction, and multiplication.  When your child clicks on the Ready  button, a mathematical problem is displayed for him or her to solve.  The degree of difficulty will depend on the Level chosen previously in the Math Selection Window.

The problem can be answered either by clicking on the numbered buttons on the left of the screen, or by typing the answer using the keyboard.  Digits will be displayed from right to left, just as they would be were your child solving the problem with pencil and paper.  Once your child has entered his or her answer, he or she can click the 'GO' button (with the green traffic signal) to submit the answer.  If the answer is correct, Teach Your Children responds with one of several sound effects designed to provide positive reinforcement, and a happy face is displayed.  If the answer given is incorrect, Teach Your Children responds with a sad face and a negative sound effect.

If practicing Multiplication at one of the higher levels, it is likely that Teach Your Children will display a problem containing a double digit multiplier and a double digit multiplicand.  This requires a multi-line answer.  In these cases, Teach Your Children displays three small lights to the right of each line to be answered.  When first displayed, these three lights are yellow.  To provide his or her answer, your child must click on the light next to the line that he or she is attempting to enter.  Once your child submits his or her answer by clicking the 'GO' button, the three small lights will change color.  If the answer is entirely correct, the lights will turn green.  If the answer is incorrect, each line containing an incorrect response will have a red light next to it, while each line containing a correct response will have a green light next to it.  In this way, Teach Your Children can focus your child's attention on the exact location of his or her mistake.  Your child will then be able to correct the error and move forward by clicking on the Ready button.

The Peek  button allows your child to take a quick peek at the answer, just in case he or she needs a little help.

To erase an answer, your child can click the 'STOP' button (with the red traffic light) and then try again.  In a multi-line problem, your child can click on the light next to the line he or she wants to erase, then click the 'STOP' button to erase that particular line.

Note:  In Quiz Mode, the Ready button and the Peek button are both disabled and the child will not have an opportunity to change the incorrect answer.  Once the answer is submitted by the child, the system will react accordingly with either positive or negative visual and audio effects in order to provide feedback to the child.  However Quiz Mode causes the next problem to be fed automatically.  In this way, Quiz Mode can provide you with a more accurate assessment.

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Reading Selection Window

 	The Reading Selection Window can be accessed either by clicking on the Reading button in the Toolbar or by clicking File | Reading from the Main Menu.

The Reading Selection Window is where your child can select which Operations  and Levels  he or she wishes to practice.  These are chosen by clicking on the appropriate buttons.  Once an Operation and a Level has been chosen, your child can click the OK button (with the green traffic signal) to continue on to the Recognition Workbook Window or the Spelling Workbook Window.  If your child makes a mistake in choosing his or her Operation and/or Level, he or she can click the Cancel button (with the red traffic signal) to begin again.

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Spelling Workbook Window

    	The Spelling Workbook Window is accessed by choosing Spelling in the Reading Selection Window and clicking the OK button.

The Spelling Workbook Window is the area where your child practices and learns to spell different words.  When your child clicks on the Ready  button, a new picture button is displayed above a text box.  Your child is asked to spell the word represented by the picture appearing in the picture button.  The degree of difficulty will depend on the Level chosen previously in the Reading Selection Window.

Once your child has entered his or her answer, he or she can click the 'GO' button (with the green traffic signal) to submit the answer.  If the answer is correct, Teach Your Children responds with one of several sound effects designed to provide positive reinforcement, and a happy face is displayed.  If the answer given is incorrect, Teach Your Children responds with a sad face and a negative sound effect.  To continue on to the next problem, your child can click the Ready button.  (Teach Your Children is case-insensitive, meaning that it's irrelevant whether your child enters upper case or lower case letters.)

Should your child wish to change his or her answer prior to submitting it, he or she can click the 'STOP' button (with the red traffic signal) to clear the textbox and start spelling the word over again.

The Peek  button provides an added measure of assistance for your child, allowing him or her to momentarily view tha correct answer.

Note: In Quiz Mode, the Ready button and the Peek button are both disabled.  Once the answer is submitted by the child, the system will react accordingly with either positive or negative visual and audio effects in order to provide feedback to the child.  However, Quiz Mode causes the next problem to be fed automatically.  In this way, Quiz Mode can provide you with a more accurate assessment of your childs abilities.

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Recognition Workbook Window

   	The Recognition Workbook Window is accessed by choosing Recognition in the Reading Selection Window and clicking the OK button.

The Recognition Workbook Window is the area where your child practices and learns to recognize different words.  When your child clicks on the Ready  button, an option box is displayed containing ten different words.  A picture button is also displayed in the lower left portion of the window.  Your child is asked to choose the word in the box that best describes the picture in the button.  The degree of difficulty will depend on the Level chosen previously in the Reading Selection Window.

Once your child has entered his or her answer, he or she can click the 'GO' button (with the green traffic signal) to submit the answer.  If the answer is correct, Teach Your Children responds with one of several sound effects designed to provide positive reinforcement, and a happy face is displayed.  If the answer given is incorrect, Teach Your Children responds with a sad face and a negative sound effect.  To continue on to the next problem, your child can click the Ready button.

Note:  In Quiz Mode, the Ready button is disabled.  Once the answer is submitted by the child, the system will react accordingly with either positive or negative visual and audio effects in order to provide feedback to the child.  However, Quiz Mode causes the next problem to be fed automatically.  In this way, Quiz Mode can provide you with a more accurate assessment of your child's abilities.

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Math Criteria Window

The Math Criteria Window is accessed by clicking Options | Math Scores from the Main Menu.

                   The Math Criteria Window, combined with the Quiz feature, can help you to make an accurate assessment of your child's strong areas, as well as any areas in which your child might need extra assistance.  You can easily create a report showing your child's performance in specific Operations  and/or Levels .  By inserting a date range in the criteria, you can see how your child progresses over time.

To use this feature, simply click on the desired operations and levels, fill in a date range, and click the OK button.  This will cause the Scores Window to be opened, showing a detailed record of your child's progress.

Note: The Scores Window can only show results based on the answers your child gave during Quiz Mode.  Teach Your Children does not record activity while Quiz Mode is turned off.

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Reading Criteria Window

The Reading Criteria Window is accessed by clicking Options | Reading Scores from the Main Menu.

                   The Reading Criteria Window, combined with the Quiz feature, can help you to make an accurate assessment of your child's strong areas, as well as any areas in which your child might need extra assistance.  You can easily create a report showing your child's performance in specific Operations  and/or Levels .  By inserting a date range in the criteria, you can see how your child progresses over time.

To use this feature, simply click on the desired levels, fill in a date range, and click the OK button.  This will cause the Scores Window to be opened, showing a detailed record of your child's progress.

Note: The Scores Window can only show results based on the answers your child gave during Quiz Mode.  Teach Your Children does not record activity while Quiz Mode is turned off.

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Scores Window

The Scores Window is accessed by clicking OK from either the Math Criteria Window or the Reading Criteria Window.

The Scores Window allows you to view and print your child's results.  The results shown are based upon the criteria you selected previously in either the Math Criteria Window or the Reading Criteria Window.  In addition to the details of your child's results, the Scores Window also displays the date range, Levels , and Operations  you chose from the respective Criteria Window for your convenience.  It also calculates your child's score (based on a percentage of correct answers vs. total answers) in the upper right corner of the Window.

The Scores Window can be scanned using the scroll bar to the right of the Window.  In the event that the information displayed takes up more than one page, the Scores Window can be navigated as follows:

  Move First

  Move Previous

  Move Next

  Move Last

It is also possible to print your child's scores to your printer.  To do this, simply click the Print button.

To exit the Scores Window, just click the Stop button.

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Toolbar

The Toolbar allows quick access to many of the features of Teach Your Children without having to navigate the Menu System.  The Toolbar consists of the following items:

  The Math button brings you directly to the Math Selection Window.

  The Reading button brings you directly to the Reading Selection Window.

  The License Plate is where your child can have his or her name displayed for that 'personalized touch'.

  The Pointers button can be clicked to easily toggle Pointers on and off.

  The Sound button can be clicked to toggle Sound on and off.

  The Quiz button can be used to toggle Quiz Mode on and off.

  The Help button can be clicked from any window in Teach Your Children.  It will automatically bring you to the appropriate help topic depending on the window you are currently in.  This is known as context-sensitive help.

 The Exit button can be clicked from anywhere in the system to close Teach Your Children and return you back to Windows.

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Pointers

Pointers are like a mini-Help System.  If Pointers are turned on, within each Window will be displayed a caption box containing handy tips and reminders about how that Window is used.

Pointers can be turned on and off either by clicking Options | Pointers On/Off from the Main Menu, or by clicking the Pointers button in the Toolbar.

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Sound

Sound is used in Teach Your Children to provide feedback to your child.  When your child submits his or her answer, Teach Your Children responds with familiar sound effects your child will enjoy, designed to encourage correct responses while making learning fun.

You can turn the sound on and off either by clicking Options | Sound On/Off from the Main Menu, or by clicking the Sound button in the toolbar.

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Quiz Mode

Quiz Mode is a unique feature of Teach Your Children.  During Quiz Mode, Teach Your Children unobtrusively records all of your child's responses to both Math and Reading problems.

Quiz Mode can be turned on and off either by clicking Options | Begin/End Quiz from the Main Menu, or by clicking the Quiz button in the toolbar.

Quiz Mode is an invaluable tool for identifying your child's strengths as well as areas where added assistance may be needed.  You can create reports which pinpoint specific areas by using the Math Criteria Window and the Reading Criteria Window.  Results can be viewed (and printed) from the Scores Window.

Note: When Quiz Mode is on, all Ready  buttons and Peek  buttons are disabled.  This prohibits the user from changing his or her answer.  In this way, Teach Your Children attempts to provide you with a more accurate assessment of your child's performance.

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License Plate

The License Plate is that area of the toolbar in which your child can enter his or her name (or any other text string up to approximately 25 characters in length) for a personalized touch.

To have your child's name displayed in the License Plate, click Options | Personalize from the Main Menu.  An Input Box will then be displayed into which you can enter the name as you would like it displayed.

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Glossary

L

Levels

M

Move First

Move Last

Move Next

Move Previous

O

Operations

P

Peek

R

Ready


Operations

In Math functions, Operations refers to Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication.  In the Reading functions, Operations refers to either Spelling or Recognition.


Levels

There are four levels in the Math section; level one being the easiest and level four being the most difficult.  The Reading sections (Spelling and Recognition) have two levels each.


Ready

Ready buttons appear in all Workbook Windows.  Clicking the Ready button causes Teach Your Children to display the next problem.  Ready buttons are disabled during Quiz Mode.


Peek

Peek buttons are present in most Workbook Windows.  The Peek button provides your child with a little assistance by momentarily displaying the correct answer to the given problem.  All Peek buttons are disabled during Quiz Mode.


Move First

Clicking the Move First button in the Scores Window causes the first page of your child's results to be displayed.


Move Previous

Clicking the Move Previous button in the Scores Window causes the page of your child's results immediately preceeding the current page to be displayed.


Move Next

Clicking the Move Next button in the Scores Window causes the page of your child's results immediately following the current page to be displayed.


Move Last

Clicking the Move Last button in the Scores Window causes the last page of your child's results to be displayed.