Christina Kitson
C&T 770
Software Evaluation
 Title: TextTwist (trademarked)
 Author: Copyright 2007 Yahoo! Inc., Free games online
http://games.yahoo.com/games/texttwist.html
 Subject Category(s): English: Spelling: Analytical thinking skills: Current English
Terminology.
 Grade level(s): Advanced ESL students. The students would have to have knowledge
of vocabulary and spelling principles prior to the activity.
 Equipment Needs: Need a computer for each student (or you could have them share
and work in pairs if you didn’t have enough to meet the needs of your student
population), an internet connection either on all and do the game online or enough to
download the game to the computers for offline use (so it would have to be a fairly fast
and stable internet connection). Sound is used in the game but is not strictly necessary,
so either sound cards and earphones for each student or go without sound all together.
 Library: Any public computer or a computer in the classroom or a lab would work
(School of Ed computer lab, Des Moines Area Community College computer lab, etc…)
 Describe: the software is primarily useful for helping students see word connections
and work on their spelling, but it also helps develop a current vocabulary and works their
analytical skills at the same time.
1. The content covered is limited to spelling, current terminology (as archaic forms
of words are not accepted by the game), recognizing word relationships with
prefixes, suffixes root words, etc…
2. The stated implied objectives are to develop spelling skills as well as analytical
thinking skills.
3. The instructional style is a game; its goal is to make spelling fun and a thinking
process.
4. The directions are well thought out, but they are only available in English which
could be a deficit in the ESL classroom that this is going to be used in. The
directions explain not only how to play the game but also how to pick words (like
how archaic words like “thou” are not included in the game design).
5. The approximate amount of time required could vary a great deal depending on
the class that you want to use it in. It could take as little time as it takes for the
student to finish the game or as long as the time runs. It could be designated to a
specific frame of time like the last 20 minutes of class, or the first 20 minutes of
class. Or you could let them do it for just 5 minutes at the beginning of class and
see how far they get.
6. The game is intended for individual use but could certainly be adapted for group
use. It could also play a role in a competition, so have groups of students trying
to achieve the highest score.
7. The game would be best used to augment instruction as it teaches no lessons on
its own.
8. The graphics of the game are very simple. It is a drag-and-drop activity and you
can press the “twist” button and make the letters scramble. There is sound but it
is not necessary for the game itself mostly just indicating when an incorrect word
is entered, when the time is up for the game, or when the player wins that game.
9. The only feedback comes from the sounds really. They indicate when a non-word
is entered and when the time is up for the game or when the person wins the
game.
10. No additional resources are supplied or required to do this game, it would all
depend on the teacher and how they are implementing it into the classroom.
11. There are no other evaluation strategies in the game itself but the teacher could
use the scoring and individual results in the class as a competition or by setting a
score that each student must achieve.
12. This software is limited to spelling help it is not intended to stand alone in the
class as the only lesson. It requires the students to actively participate, to think
rapidly (it is a timed activity) as well as analytically, and ultimately spell the
words right. It also can help students see relationships with words and learn how
to create “new” words that way by adding prefixes or suffixes. It is very limited
in scope and might not work in all environments. If the students are too low of a
level they will struggle horribly with this activity so they do need to be somewhat
advanced as was stated earlier. They also might struggle with the computer skills
for the activity since it is a drag and drop. In order to pull the words back off you
actually have to pull the letters back to the main box and that could be a bit
confusing as well.
 Teaching Tips: This could be integrated into a lesson by having the students compete
against each other either individually or in groups. Use the same level of the game and
see who can create the most words or achieve the highest score. By really using the game
as a fun activity to lighten an otherwise boring lesson on spelling, or prefixes and
suffixes, or root words and word relations the teacher can make these activities more
interesting. Some examples of possible class activities include the following:
1. As a group compete for the highest score in the game.
2. Have the students complete a TextTwist competition to win first, second, and
third place for top scores.
3. Complete one game and then look at how prefixes and suffixes worked in the
game. Develop a lesson about this to teach before and after they work on the
game.
4. Look at how words relate to each other. Look at the root words that were in the
game and see how many connected words were also there. Then look at those
same words and think of other related words as well.
5. Ask the students to identify words that they found particularly difficult and find
out what they mean and how to use them in a sentence.