This program is Shareware. If you wish to continue using it after the 30 day trial period you must register. When you register you also get access to many more words and crosswords as well as all the modification facilities in the program. The shareware fee is USD 15. See the registration section for further details.
About this document: Because of the big pictures this document behaves a bit jerky. A good advice is to scroll the page by clicking in the scrooling list and not on the scrolling arrows. This will make the document scroll page by page instead of row by row.
SpellRight is a spelling-program aimed at children at age 6 and above. The built-in words are primarily suitable for preschool and 1-3 grade children, while some of the crosswords are difficult enough to be challenging for much older children. In the registered program you also have the possibility to add words yourself to customize the level of difficulty suited for your children.
The program consists of three main parts:
• Spelling Game: The child should spell a word that is illustrated with a picture and possibly a sound.
• Hangman: The classic hangman game where the child should guess the word.
• Crossword Game: The child is solving crosswords.
In the unregistered version, you only get access to 10 words in each of the three levels, as well as 3 crosswords. When the program is registered, you get access to all the words (>200) and the crosswords (>20). You also get access to the following functions:
• Import Words: You may use external word-files instead of the built-in words.
• Create Crossword: Create your own crosswords that is added to the existing ones.
• Modify Crosswords: Make changes (Rename, modify or erase) to already existing crosswords.
• New Word: Add a new word with picture and possibly a sound to the built-in words or to the words in an external file.
•Change Word: Make changes to existing words. Change the word and/or the picture and/or the sound for a built-in word or a word in an external file.
• Create New Word-file: Create a new word-file that you later can fill with your own words, pictures and sound.
• Replace Sound Effects: Replace the sound effects in the program.
• Change Color: Change color on certain parts of the program.
In the initial window (the one with the dancing alphabet) you see three symbols. By clicking in one of them, or by using the menu "Games", you will come to the three games: Spelling-, hangman- and crossword-game.
Spelling Game: Click on a letter or write with the keyboard until all the bars have letters on top of them. If the spelling is correct, your points will increase and a new word appear. If the spelling wasn't correct, your Mac will help you with a letter and you may try again. Choose level of difficulty and small/BIG letters by clicking in the symbols above the window or by using the menus. If you want to record your own sounds to the word,click on the microphone. To turn sound on/off click on the loudspeaker. If you have speech installed and want to hear your Mac reading the words, click on the speech-symbol (the mouth).
Hangman: Click on a letter or write with the keyboard until all the bars have letters on top of them or you are "hanged" (here it is rather a question of being crushed:). Choose level of difficulty and small/BIG letters by clicking on the symbols on top of the window or by using the menus.
Crossword Game: Click with the mouse or use the arrow-keys to move the yellow active square to the square where you wish to enter a character. Then click on a letter in the alphabet or write the letter with the keyboard. When you have entered a letter in every empty square, your Mac will tell you if the crossword is correctly solved or not. If correct, you may save the crossword before continuing. If not correct, the program will erase all incorrect characters, and you may try again. Save the crossword whenever you like by using the File-menu.
There is a guide called SpellRight Guide that you may use to get further instructions during game-playing. You'll find the guide in the ordinary Apple Guide menu when the program is running (if you have Apple Guide installed).
You'll come to the spelling game by clicking in the left symbol in the initial window, or by using the Games-menu. The spelling window will appear:
and you may possibly hear the word being read. (The word will only be read if you have sound on, there is a sound for this word, or if you have speech on).
Window description: In the top left corner, you see the picture for the word, and to the right of it you see the letter-bars telling you how many letters the word has. In the lower part of the window, you see the alphabet. Just below the top of the window you see an electromagnetic crane that can be used to get and remove letters. It is started/shut off with the lever in the top right corner. Below the window you see the spelling points (unless you have used the command "Hide Points")
In the menubar to the left of the window you'll find:
Microphone: Record your own sound to the current word. (Of course, you'll need a microphone to do this).
Loudspeaker Turn sound on/off.
Mouth: Turn speech on/off. If you have speech (Speech manager) installed you may choose to have your Mac reading the words for you.
In the menubar on top of the window you'll find:
Computer/Nina: Here you may choose between doing the spelling yourself or watching the computer doing it for you. If you click on the computer, the program will enter one letter every second second until you stop it by clicking on Nina (my daughter). You will not get any points while the computer is doing the spelling.
Spelling/Hangman/Crossword: Here you can switch games.
BIG/small letters: Choose between using small or BIG letters.
Stop: Leave the spelling game and go to the initial window.
Level of difficulty: Click here to increase the level of difficulty one unit. After the third level, you'll start on one again.
Instructions: In the spelling game you click in the alphabet or write with the keyboard the letter you wish to enter in the next available place in the word. If the crane is on, it will move the letter for you. Otherwise the letter will immediately appear in the word. If you change your mind, you may erase a chosen letter by clicking on it or by using the del-key. You can only erase the letter entered last. When you've entered all the letters you either hear the good-sound or the bad-sound. If you spelled the word correctly, another word will appear and you may go on. If you didn't spell it correctly, the computer erases the word and helps you with one letter. (it'll help you with one additional letter each time you fail)
You'll come to the hangman game by clicking on the questionmark symbol in the initial window, or by using the Games-menu. The hangman window will appear:
Window description: In the upper part of the window you see the letter-bars that tell you how many letter the current word has. In the lower part, you see the alphabet. Just below the ceiling, you see an elctromagnetic crane that can be used to pick up the letters. It is started/shut off with the lever in the top right corner. Below the window you see the hangman-points (unless you have used the command "Hide Points")
In the menubar to the left of the window you find:
Loudspeaker Turn sound on/off.
Mouth: Turn speech on/off. If you have speech (Speech manager) installed you may choose to have your Mac reading the words for you.
In the menubar on top of the window you'll find:
Spelling/Hangman/Crossword: Here you can switch games.
BIG/small letters: Choose between using small or BIG letters.
Stop: Leave the spelling game and go to the initial window..
Level of difficulty: Click here to increase the level of difficulty one unit. After the third level, you'll start on one again.
Instructions: In the hangman game you click in the alphabet or write with the keyboard the letter you guess should be in the word. If your guess is correct, the letter will appear in the word (picked up by the crane if it's on) and the chosen letter will get a circle around it in the alphabet. If your guess isn't correct, a cross will appear on the chosen letter in the alphabet, and more and more details will be added to the picture in the upper left corner. Here you can never undo a choice. You continue until you have guessed all the letters in the word or until you get hanged (crushed) which will happen after 13 incorrect guesses.
You'll come to the crossword game by clicking in the crossword symbol in the initial window, or by using the Games-menu. You'll see the following window:
Window description: In the lower part you see the alphabet where you pick letters. Above the alphabet you see the crossword which contains three different types of squares: Picture Clues: A picture illustrates a clue. Click on the picture to see a bigger view. Word Clues: Clues are given in words. Click on the square to see the entire clue. Letter Squares: Here is where you enter the letters.
In the menubar to the left of the window you'll find:
Loudspeaker Turn sound on/off.
Mouth: Turn speech on/off. If you have speech (Speech manager) installed you may choose to have your Mac reading the words for you.
In the menubar on top of the window you'll find:
Spelling/Hangman/Crossword: Here you can switch games. Click on the crossword symbol if you wish to try with a different crossword.
BIG/small letters: Choose between using small or BIG letters.
Stop: Leave the spelling game and go to the initial window..
Instructions: The yellow letter square is the currently active square. It is where the entered letter will appear. To move the active square, click in the crossword or use the arrow-keys. Click on a letter in the alphabet or type it with the keyboard. If you want to see the clues better, click on them. When you have entered letters in all letter squares, the program will check if you have solved the crossword correctly. If it is correct, you'll get the chance to save it before continuing. If not correct, the wrong letters will be erased and you may try again. You can save the crossword whenever you wish with the command "Save Crossword". To continue solving a saved crossword, you open it with "Open Crossword".
