MyNorthStarLab 3
[Pearson Longman (914) 287-8000]

         MyNorthStarLab 3, winner of the EDDIES High School ESL Website award, is a standout example of the seamless fusion of Internet technology and best classroom practices.
         With five levels and two strands - Reading and Writing, Listening and Speaking - the NorthStar textbook combines effectively with MyNorthStarLab, the online learning and assessment component, and provides a holistic approach for the classroom ESL instructor, reaching all levels of ELL students.
         This third edition of NorthStar is unique in that it includes a concern for the academic needs of students as well as their personal language goals, emphasizing the quality of classroom relationships in order to foster those goals.  Taken with the content (genres from literature to lectures, authentic reading and listening selections, purposeful integration of academic and critical thinking skills, test-taking strategies, and oral practice),  NorthStar covers all the bases - and beautifully.
         Extremely well thought out, mature, and humanitarian, NorthStar and MyNorthStarLab deserve to be in every secondary and post-secondary language classroom.


Stars Suite (Content And Delivery System - Grades 6-12)
[Educational Options (703) 243-7460]

         Stars Suite is a well-designed, comprehensive online delivery system for middle and high school learners. The product, using adaptive technology and a rigorous curriculum aligned to standards of all 50 states, helps students achieve their academic goals.
         The Suite is comprised of four educational software products: (1) Novel, a web-based curriculum consisting of 47 courses in subcategories of Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science, Languages and Electives. Each course, available in 'standard' or 'pre-assessment' mode, is comprised of a series of lessons, homework submissions, a midterm and final exam, and may include off-line activities, labs and projects. Of note is the addition of African American Studies in 2010, a semester-long course that traces the history, politics and culture of Africans in the Americas from 1500 to the present. (2) TestPak, an online assessment and remediation system that prepares students to take or re-take a state high-stakes exit exam. Upon completion of a diagnostic test, TestPak creates a prescriptive course of study unique to each student based on demonstrated mastery of specific subjects. (3) High School Prep, an assessment and remediation tool which pinpoints a student's needs, and individualizes lessons to promote success in high school and on standardized state assessments. (4) GED Duo, an online GED preparation course.
         Students will find the program motivating and easy to use, with lots of exercises and quizzes to reinforce learning. Objectives are well stated; an introduction explains the course structure; and the Key Features section identifies the main topics. High quality images, maps, diagrams and graphs are an important component of the lessons, some of which contain audio and video links.
         Teachers and administrators are provided with easy access to management tools, including reports that include today's activity, averages, statistics, seat time, and historical data for each student.   
         Stars Suite received an award in the 2008 EDDIE Awards, and this year is winner in the Multi-Level Multi-Subject Website category.