Now that you've had a chance to use Brainware Safari

[April in NC]

What are your reviews of it? Last year was when HSBC first started offering it to co-op members, and when I first heard it mentioned. At the time, only a few people here had had a chance to use it, although several people were contemplating buying it.

 

Those of you who have used it now, what do you think?

 

My twin daughters are likely at least mildly dyslexic. They've just recently begun to be able to read halfway fluently at the age of 9. They still tend to skip words or guess at them, reverse a few letters and numbers, and can spell only on a first grade level. They need lots and lots of repetition and "marinating time" for facts and procedures to sink in.

 

I'm wondering if Brainware Safari would be a good purchase for us. I hear that it is difficult/challenging, and anytime either of my children encounter snags/challenges the wheels come off. This could be something that would be helpful for them in learning to deal with challenges, or it could be something that gets them so mentally overwrought that it diminishes what we'll be able to get done in other areas each day.

 

Hearing some reviews of how using it has played out in your families would be lovely, and very helpful!

[Amber in AUS]

Bump

[Mom0012]

My daughter started using it this last summer and she kept getting very upset and frustrated with it, so I stopped having her do it. This is a child who loves computer games and is very bright with no lds. Now, she was on the young side for it (she turned 8 this month) and is used to picking things up easily, so she does get frustrated very quickly whenever something really challenges her. I didn't feel it was worth the aggravation to continue though.

 

I really bought the program to use with my son who does have lds, but when I saw how frustrated my daughter got, I really wasn't sure I wanted to use it with him. I may give it a try again this summer though.

 

Lisa

[lisabees]

My daughter started using it this last summer and she kept getting very upset and frustrated with it, so I stopped having her do it. This is a child who loves computer games and is very bright with no lds. Now, she was on the young side for it (she turned 8 this month) and is used to picking things up easily, so she does get frustrated very quickly whenever something really challenges her. I didn't feel it was worth the aggravation to continue though.

 

I really bought the program to use with my son who does have lds, but when I saw how frustrated my daughter got, I really wasn't sure I wanted to use it with him. I may give it a try again this summer though.

 

Lisa

 

I'm in the same boat. I got it for my ds13 who is dyslexic and has a terrible working memory. It was extremely frustrating for him and we stopped after a few weeks of daily use. I should probably try again, eh?

[3andme]

I have been using Brainware for about a month with my 8 yo son. I was hoping it would improve his attentiveness and persistence since he is very distractible and also tends to give up if he doesn't get something immediately.

 

So far, I am very impressed with the software itself. It provides a wide variety of exercises targeting different skills and is very challenging even for an adult.

 

I found that I need to actually sit next to my son and actively coach and encourage him to make this successful. I usually use the practice mode to preview the task and then talk to him about the instructions and objectives sometimes suggesting an alternative approach if he's struggling.

 

When he's getting exasperated, I encourage him to do a few more and then take a break. By observing him, I can usually gauge whether he's getting close to succeeding and if it's worth persisting or if we should just move on. If he's been really struggling with a particular activity, I try to move him to one that's been easier for him and retry the challenging one another day. Anyway, this is not at all something I see him doing independently at least at his age (8) and especially since he never wants to read the instructions :glare:.

 

I have not been doing the program as regularly as suggested (4 - 5 x week) but instead only 1-2 x week. My son has completed about a quarter of the levels and seems to enjoy it when he's progressing but needs a little persuasion to use it. He gets very excited and motivated by getting his animal to the next level.

 

I do think it has had some beneficial effect. He has been using a math software called First in Math for school and his speed and accuracy seems to have surged compared to this summer when he used it previously.

 

Unless you have a very quiet environment, I would also recommend getting the headphones suggested. Several of the tasks require clicking to a beep or listening to something and this proved very difficult in a noisy situation.

[Renai]

Anyway, this is not at all something I see him doing independently at least at his age (8) and especially since he never wants to read the instructions :glare:.

 

The program will read the instructions aloud when you push the speaker button on the side. Sometimes my daughter (10) would skip the instructions, and when she had problems with the level I had her go back and listen to the instructions. She would say she knew the instructions, but inevitably they had changed from level to the next.