The comic book theme may make this site appealing to otherwise uninterested grammar students, but as an educational tool it has many flaws. The website includes brief grammar lessons based on 17 different comic series ranging from Archie to Harry Potter to Justin Bieber, but the main feature are the 16 comics featuring the Grammarman superhero and his alien sidekicks Alpha-bot and Syntax. The first six have optional audio and the rest can be downloaded but need to be read independently. The audio uses significant intonation to make following along more interesting. Each comic focuses on a different grammar lesson, but there is no way to know the topic until the end of the comic and the website does little in the way of formal instruction of grammar rules. Students will first read an entire comic before being given instruction or a hint at the lesson. They will then need to go back and find the answers and then can easily hover to see if they were correct. Students who have difficulty following directions or making adjustments may be confused, as might students with weaker grammar skills who may be uncertain if and why they are reading mistakes. While this colorful site could engage reluctant students, it may not be a good choice because the instruction is limited and the requirement to read incorrect grammar without advance notice could make students question their own knowledge.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
• Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Has a free or trial version
• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
• Multiple users can save a profile
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can play without sound and not distract others
• Students can save work between sessions
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Requires registration before using the first time
• Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
• Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
• Overall - Easy to use

• Abstract Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Flexible Thinking
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• General Information
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Organization
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Reading Basics
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Reading Comprehension
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Verbal Memory
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Verbal Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
• Visual Discrimination
• Shows advertisements
• Words used during activity can be too small or difficult to read
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Vocabulary
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options