A Critique of the Site StarFall.com Design and Content Research Paper

A Critique of the Site StarFall.com Design and Content - Research Paper Example Parents find Starfall useful as it prepares their children for school, and supports them even after they join the school. The content of the website focuses on that method of learning that emphasizes the relationship between letter and sound, skills for recognizing words, and strategies for reading and comprehension. It does this with the help of activities like animated stories, movies and games. The site consists of four major units.The "Get Ready to Read" section is about the alphabet and the alphabets are pronounced in a child’s voice. The "Learn to Read" section which is for early readers and for those who are just beginning to read has fifteen different modules consisting of games, stories and movies that teach the child various letter sounds and skills. The third section, "Its Fun to Read,† designed for intermediate readers consist of activities related to art and music. The last section, â€Å"I’m Reading† is for advanced readers and has online storybooks that include well-known folktales and myths. The website also has an active bulletin board that can be used for dis cussion by parents. When students complete a program they can obtain a feedback of their performance and also give a feedback. The reading level of the text and stories is according to the grade levels it was designed for. The content of Starfall.com helps the learner to go beyond basics into a higher level of thinking. It enhances a student’s curiosity Starfall.com is well designed and the animation used compliments and enhances the process of learning. Starfall.com uses a variety of media that includes texts, graphics, video and audio narration. The main aim of a web profile is that it must be most attractive, says Stephanie Ruth (2009). In Starfall.com the colorful graphics and easy-to-read text make it attractive for children. Cartoon characters are also used in interactive stories and activities. The graphics on this website are appropriate to the goals of this program.