3d Animation and Learning to Read – the Shrek Effect and Other Reasons to be Optimistic

Why Choose Phonics?motivation and emotional engagement to promote
Although here at FruitPhonics, we do not endorse anyretention (memory) and assimilation - information
particular product or subscribe to any specific 'schoolcommitted to memory and transformed into
of thought', we believe that modern phonics basedknowledge as a platform to higher level thinking skills.
literacy tuition, sometimes called synthetic phonics, hasTo achieve these objectives, high quality animation is a
consistently been shown to be by far the mostpowerful tool, interactive 3D animation is even better.
effective route to early literacy for the majority ofAnimation alone is insufficient, the content requires
children.energy and music. It must work on an entertainment
In the case of slower learners and the sociallylevel. We are creating characters that are, essentially
disadvantaged, these methodologies have beentutors and friends with whom learners can engage and
shown to virtually eliminate intervention teaching. This is'escape'. Fortunately 3D animation is well proven in this
a particularly salient point for international children,regard, especially when combined with effective sound
learning English as a foreign language, who do notdesign, particularly music, and occasional visual
have the advantage of an English Language basedmayhem.
cultural experience.The use of 3D animation to engage and educate
Why 3D animation?young minds has great appeal to young children,
What role can 3D animation have in educating youngpotentially enhancing levels of motivation and so
children? Why do we consider it to be so potentiallyprogression. The key is to devise narratives that work
powerful? Why should parents consider it to be anwithin the limits of teaching needs. They can be used
attractive option?simply as learning reinforcing entertainment narratives
Over the past decade, 3D animation has emerged asor integrated into effective learning activities.
a powerful entertainment medium for children andPhonics learning schemes can benefit from both
adults alike because it works on multiple levels. 3Dmodes of use. A bonus of the integration approach is
animation has remarkable powers of emotionalthat it is possible to combine entertaining 3D animation
engagement. It's the Shrek effect, or Monsters Inc, orwith interactive activities that reinforce phonics learning
Toy Story or any of the hugely popular 3D franchisesin ways that are well known to the parents of the
that have emerged in recent years; and not justgames generation. This interactive mode of control is
among children. They suspend disbelief and immersecalled kinesthetic learning forms, together with visual
themselves in the richness of the 3D worlds, theand auditory learning, the three dominant learning styles.
emotional depth of the characters and their narrative.High quality 3D character animation integrated into
The range of emotional expression made possible byphonics activities would motivate and engage children
3D technology is remarkable and when fused with thewhile being naturally adaptive to their preferred learning
visual spectacle and animation anarchy so familiarstyle. It is a combination that could be very effective
from the 2D form of the art, it is not so surprising thatindeed, an effect that even make an ogre like Shrek,
the result is so spectacularly engaging.or Mikey and Sulley, and all of the other denizens of
Our primary objective is to educate. This requiresthe 3D universe, very proud.