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| From: UBI Soft
Category: Video Games
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $9.10
You Save: $10.89 (54%)
New (28) Used (5) from $9.10
Avg. Customer Rating:  83 reviews
Sales Rank: 393
Platform: Nintendo Ds
ESRB: Everyone
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Age: 5 - 20 years
Operating System: Nintendo DS
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 0.1 x 0.1 x 0
MPN: 16342
UPC: 008888163428
EAN: 0008888163428
ASIN: B000ME25P2
Release Date: November 6, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 21-25 of 25 | | « PREV | | |
Expanding your vocabulary, one minigame at a time... March 20, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"My Word Coach" was made for those who of us who love words -- spelling them, learning their definitions, and -- in the end -- having the ability to sound like a walking, talking dictionary in front of our friends!
Through a series of minigames, you'll become more familiar with words in the English language. There's a nice variety of activities; over the course of seven days, at least seven new games or game levels were unlocked for me. Some are fun; "Pasta Letters" is one of my favorites. In this minigame, you try to unscramble a word whose letters appear in an alphabet soup. If you wait too long, they'll begin to sink under the surface of the soup; to retrieve them, you may have to blow into the DS's microphone. In "Word Shuffle," you have to match vocabulary words to the appropriate definition on an index card. In "Split Decision" you must rapidly choose the correct definition of a word from two choices, all the while trying to beat your previous time record.
I am impressed by the variety of activities that have appeared so far. However, I do not like all of the minigames. "Safecracker" is difficult for me. "Missing Letter" sometimes doesn't recognize the letter you've written; like, I'll write an "O" and it'll recognize it as an "R." You are allowed to fix your mistakes within a certain amount of time, but I think the recognition software could be a little better. Furthermore, I don't like how some of the games time you and penalize you if you don't complete it quickly enough. No matter how quickly I play "Block Letters," or how many times I try, I can't finish within the suggested time. The good news is, you get to choose which games you want to play each day, so if there's one you loathe, you can avoid it.
Other fun features in this game include an extensive glossary and a place where you can monitor your progress on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Thanks to this game, I've not only learned some new words, but I've had a few epiphanies, ala "Hey, I've always wondered what that word meant, but I've been too lazy to pick up my 15-pound Webster's dictionary! But now I know!"
"My Word Coach" puts a fun spin on expanding your vocabulary. Recommended for word lovers ages 8 and up.
 Fail. March 17, 2008
7 out of 13 found this review helpful
[...] While it might be useful to a foreign learner of English, with such "useful" advice as, "A verb is an action word in a sentence!", it has some deficiencies that limit it for both native and foreign speakers. Many of the games require you to know the meaning of a word in advance, otherwise you'll simply be playing "guess which meaning is the right one". That is not a good way to learn new words. It can be a good way to reinforce what one already knows, but that goes against the entire point. As a linguist myself, I seriously question this product.
In addition, the process by which your abilities are rated is entirely artificial. Even scoring perfectly on many of the games (I already have an extensive vocabulary), I was rated as basically a simpleton in order to preserve the illusion that I am "improving".
Not recommended. Language learning software has tremendous potential, but it isn't even hinted at here. In fact, it's made to look laughable.
[...]
 Great learning game.... March 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This game is a great learning tool!! While it's not the first game my nephew will reach for for his Nintendo DS when he is visiting, when I tell him it is time to do something constructive, he will reach for My Word Coach. He thinks it's fun, and it challenges him. And it makes him curious, because it introduces him to new vocabulary...so it's a great thing as far as I'm concerned. While it'll never be the Star Wars game, lol...as long as it's fun enough to keep him occupied, it's got my approval!!
Nice way to spend 10 minutes or so.... March 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've played several of the "thinking" games out there, including 'Brain Age' and 'Big Brain Academy'. The Word Coach can hold its own against those games -- it's fun, interesting, and contains a decent number of games, most of which I liked.
I found myself wishing, though, that you could switch into another mode, where you play word games (such as crossword puzzles, or a boggle type game, etc...) instead of just do training activities. One of the games I mentioned above has a Sudoku mode, which I loved working on when I didn't feel like "training."
I also wish you could choose your level, rather than have to work your way up to it. I was pretty bored with the words I had, but apparently the only way to get words I don't know is to work my way up through the levels.
This game has a lot of potential for certain demographics - like a game for elementary school kids to work on vocabulary and spelling. My kids wanted to play this game but got pretty frustrated since it was above their level. Or how about a game loaded with SAT words to help kids get ready for the SATs?
Anyway, overall it's a good addition to your collection of DS games.
Keep your wits about you! February 23, 2008
This is a great piece of software! I really enjoy expanding my vocabulary and this makes this activity fun. I bought this copy for my sister. I received this game for Christmas and it is my favorite. I highly recommend it for all. There is a activity in the beginning of use to ascertain your vocabulary level and will build up from there. This will also force your to build your spelling ability as well. Word Coach is a great buy.
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