The World environment in WILD is built upon the concept of a picture dictionary and provides a wide array of different settings with labeled items, but unlike picture dictionaries found in print, WILD allows the child to navigate deeper and deeper within the settings, and, at the same time, gives effortless access to greater information on any particular word of interest as the child explores.
In the World, children can view items as they appear in either natural or urban environments. A child may choose to explore in Nature, seeing what plants and animals exist in a variety of surroundings, such as the Desert, the Seashore, or the Forest; or he or she may explore in the City, looking at what objects and types of people can be found in different settings such as the School, the Restaurant, the Hospital, or the Grocery Store.
In any setting, there are opportunities to explore on different levels. Once in the Seashore setting, for example, a child can navigate into the Tide Pool or into the Ocean and see what creatures and plants might exist there. Or, once in the Farm setting, a child can zoom in to look at what’s growing or hopping about in the garden, or navigate into the barn and see what’s inside.
English labels for items in World settings can be easily turned on or off. In addition, labels in other languages can be viewed or hidden. The English pronunciation of each item can be heard by clicking its audio icon, and child-friendly dictionary definitions, example sentences, photos, and other information about a word can be accessed by clicking on an item’s dictionary entry icon or by clicking on the item itself. (Audio and dictionary entry icons will appear when the child mouses over a picture in a setting.)
The WILD World gives a child multiple ways to learn about words, make associations among words, and learn about things in the real world. But perhaps equally important—it’s so much fun to explore!
See other WILD visual environments: