Super Genius First Words is a matching card game that involves scanning cards with short vowel sound words and pictures in a format that can help students with quick word recognition, visual scanning and memory. The primary educational objective is to expose early readers to recognize closed syllable words by finding the picture cue. However, the five game varieties also will exercise a combination of working memory, processing speed, attention and visual discrimination skills. The game varieties make the cards appropriate for emerging readers to recognize words, and give later elementary students practice with automaticity and other cognitive skill development. However, adults will want to help students to choose the appropriate game for the specific students' skill levels and needs, and, when appropriate, coach the student by playing together. Older students in the given age range will be able to play the games independently once they have been over it with an adult, but they might find some of the memory games taxing or not sufficiently engaging. Most of the games involve racing an opponent, but one option is "cooperative" in which students work together to find matches to clear the board, which might be more appropriate practice for students with slower processing speed or weaker attention. Overall, with the appropriate support, these educational games could be a more fun way to build skills instead of rote practice.

• 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
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Adults would enjoy playing with a child
• For electronic games, gives positive or encouraging feedback
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Does not require excessive set-up time after first time use
• Can be fun as a single player game
• Multi-player game which fosters collaboration or cooperation
• Well-made for the cost
• For electronic games, can play without sound
• For electronic games, allows user to save work
• For electronic games, voice/sounds are appealing and pronounces words properly
• 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

• Attention
• Has auditory distractions that cannot be silenced (background music, players shout answers, etc.)
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Processing Speed
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• A player's success depends on speed
• Reading Basics
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Self-regulation
• Multi-player activity that requires cooperation or has potential for disagreements
• Multi-player activity with a clear 'winner' and 'loser'
• A player's success depends on speed
• Spatial Perception
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Verbal Memory
• Visual Discrimination
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Visual Memory
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Visual Motor Speed
• A player's success depends on speed
• Working Memory
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps

This reading, matching game focuses on closed syllable and short vowel words and helps prepare early readers for more complicated language skills to come. There is always a match between any two cards. Find the pair between a word and its image, two images or two words. Developed hand-in-hand with learning professionals, this Super Genius game was specifically created with early learners in mind.