New computer games promote school readiness

Oct. 12, 2011

Students in Watervliet’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten program this year have been using a new play-based computer system designed to increase school readiness skills. Although students use the computer independently, teachers can log on at anytime to monitor student progress.

This year, the UPK program purchased a mobile Hatch iStartSmart computer. The new touch-screen system, which can be wheeled from classroom to classroom, is loaded with educational games designed to promote phonological awareness, numeric skills, language development, alphabet knowledge and logic and reasoning. The computer also features art and nutrition games and even allows students access to e-books.

Teachers can view detailed performance results and then use that data to refocus individual, small group or class-wide instruction.
 
The district’s three UPK classes are sharing the computer now, but the program is looking forward to getting a machine for each of the classrooms in the near future.