Accessible Literacy Learning (ALL) App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on December 17, 2024

Empowering Nonverbal Learners with Phonics and Reading Skills

Are you curious about other literacy apps that may be a good match for your child? Check out additional expert reviews at phonics.org. 

Continue reading to learn more about the Accessible Literacy Learning (ALL) app. 

What is Accessible Literacy Learning (ALL)?

The ALL (Accessible Literacy Learning) program is designed to help nonverbal students, particularly those who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), develop foundational reading skills. Priced at $79.99 USD, it offers an evidence-based approach that allows learners to engage with the material using touch, eye gaze, or scanning instead of verbal prompts. 

The ALL app covers six key reading skills:

  • Sound-blending
  • Phoneme segmentation
  • Letter-sound correspondence
  • Single word decoding
  • Sight word recognition
  • Shared reading 

The ALL app progresses through these skills in various degrees of difficulty moving from easy to more difficult. 

Is the ALL App Easy to Use?

The following factors impact the usability of the ALL app. 

Getting Started With ALL

Getting started with the ALL program is straightforward and relatively simple. A short introductory video provides a clear and quick guide to help users begin, while additional system tutorial videos in the Teacher Mode offer further support. Setting up student profiles is simple and requires minimal information, with the flexibility for multiple children to use the same license.

Teacher Mode also includes convenient features like individual student reports, tracking session frequency, duration, and performance data from student sessions. Switching between Teacher and Student Modes is easy, and both modes are designed to be highly navigable, ensuring a smooth experience for both educators and learners.

Getting started with the ALL app is simple and straightforward.

Modes of Play

The ALL program features three modes of play: 

  1. Independent Mode– student independently completes activities and records data (default mode)
  2. Practice Mode – student completes activities independently or with a facilitator (data not recorded)
  3. Teacher-Assisted Mode– teacher provides some instruction while student completes activities

There is also an option to access a library of books in addition to progressing through the lessons. While the game instructions are clear and concise, they are not repeatable, which could pose a challenge for some learners needing to review the instructions.

Advanced Settings

The ALL app offers customizable settings, including advanced options to adjust the text-to-speech rate and response delay. It is advisable to adjust two important advanced settings:

  1. Text-to-speech rate controls how quickly the instructor speaks 
  2. Response delay sets how much time a student has to answer before the app provides a response

It is highly recommended to tailor these settings to meet the specific needs of each learner. Slowing down the response time could significantly improve the learning experience for many students, making it more effective and accessible.

Adjusting the advanced settings is important in the ALL app

Engagement in the ALL App

The following factors influence user engagement in the ALL app. 

Rewards

The ALL program uses positive reinforcement to motivate students, providing encouraging messages like “You’re right!” along with a rewarding sound and a short and simple animation. There are no distracting reward systems, which helps maintain focus on learning and emphasizes intrinsic motivation. Additionally, students can earn “Skill Acquisition Badges” for successfully mastering specific skills, further rewarding their progress in a meaningful way without taking away from valuable learning time. 

Progression and Pace

The ALL program includes an animation at the top of the screen that shows how many questions have been answered and how many remain in the activity set. This feature helps students predict the duration of the task, offering a sense of progression. 

However, the timing for answering questions can be frustrating. There is a narrow window to tap on the correct answer—if tapped too early, nothing happens; if tapped too late, the app provides the answer and quickly moves on. Requiring a delicate and specific time to answer questions could be frustrating and unmotivating for some young learners. 

Literacy Learning With the ALL App

The following factors influence the quality of literacy instruction in the ALL app. 

Direct and Sequential Phonics Instruction

The ALL app follows a direct and sequential learning approach to literacy learning. This is recommended by literacy experts for building skills from simple to more complex concepts, ensuring mastery at each step. The scope and sequence of the program are clearly outlined and publicly available in the online manual, even without purchasing the app—this is a great feature for transparency and connection to classroom or at-home practice. 

The ALL app uses synthetic phonics, which focuses on blending and segmenting individual letter sounds. This is an efficient method of learning to read and spell words. The letter sounds are clearly and accurately represented, which is another great feature. 

Students are considered to have mastered a skill once they achieve 80% accuracy or higher in two consecutive sessions on that skill. For instructors who prefer more flexibility, there is an option to override this process by using the “Set As Acquired” button on the Skill Overview screen, allowing them to mark a skill as mastered immediately.

Phonemic Awareness

The Phonemic Awareness section of the ALL app provides a solid foundation for learners, especially when it comes to critical skills like blending and segmenting sounds, which are key to reading and spelling. The app begins by showing four real photographs, with the corresponding vocabulary spoken aloud, which also builds vocabulary skills. Repetition of the pictures further reinforces learning.

The app effectively models phonemic awareness skills and encourages learners to apply these skills to answer questions. One standout feature is the app’s use of continuous blending, which is an excellent way to help students learn to read words. In continuous blending, sounds are pronounced without stopping or pausing between them – for example, when reading “am,” the “a” sound is held continuously and flows directly into the “m” sound, rather than breaking it up into separate sounds. While it’s rarely featured in other literacy apps, ALL’s implementation of continuous blending is a valuable addition to its teaching toolkit.

However, while the app introduces phoneme segmentation tasks, these are more aligned with phoneme isolation. Instead of having learners break words into their individual sounds, they are asked to identify the first sound in a word. Though both tasks are valuable, the labeling of these activities as segmentation is slightly misleading.

Learners are asked to choose a picture that starts with the highlighted letter sound.

Shared Reading

The Shared Reading feature in the ALL app is designed to support nonverbal learners by allowing them to interact with sentences read aloud by the app. The learner is prompted to complete a sentence by tapping on a corresponding picture. 

However, the app’s computer-generated voice reads the sentences in a fast and monotone manner. It is not the same clear voice used in other parts of the app. The voice lacks expression or fluency, making it sound robotic and abrupt, which makes it difficult to understand. 

Players are expected to tap a picture that represents the highlighted word in the sentence.

Is the ALL App Good for Learning to Read?

The Accessible Literacy Learning (ALL) app is a valuable tool for helping nonverbal students, particularly those who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), build foundational literacy skills. It offers an evidence-based, systematic approach to teaching phonemic awareness, blending, and sight word recognition. The app provides customizable settings, modes of play, and positive reinforcement techniques to keep students engaged. However, while it has strong features, there are areas in need of improvement.

The phonemic awareness section is particularly strong, especially with the inclusion of continuous blending, a feature not commonly found in other literacy apps. However, the app’s shared reading function falls short, largely due to the poor quality of the computer-generated voice, which undermines the fluency and expression essential for effective learning. 

Despite these issues, the ALL app offers a structured and accessible approach to literacy learning for nonverbal students. Educators and caregivers should consider the app’s strengths in phonemic awareness and phonics instruction but should also be aware of its limitations, especially in shared reading. With some refinement, the ALL app has the potential to be a more effective and engaging tool for literacy development.

ALL (Accessible Literacy Learning): Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3.5 / 5

Usability:  4.5 / 5

Engagement: 3 / 5

Sound Beginnings App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on November 29, 2024

A Simple Approach to Phoneme Isolation

Check out the other articles at phonics.org to see how other literacy apps measure up. 

Continue reading this article to learn more about the Sound Beginnings app. 

What is Sound Beginnings?

Sound Beginnings is an app created by Preschool University, designed for children ages 4 and up. Its primary goal is to help young learners practice phoneme isolation—identifying and isolating individual sounds in words and matching them to their corresponding letters. This is an early literacy skill. The app offers a free trial, and users can unlock full access with a small one-time fee.

There are four practice games for children in the app. All four games help children identify individual sounds in words:

  • Game 1: Images to Letters – Match images with the given letter sound
  • Game 2: Letters to Images – Fill in missing letters in a given
  • Game 3: Which One Doesn’t Belong – Find the image that doesn’t fit the sound pattern
  • Game 4: Double Match – Match image pairs that fit the given letters 
Four game options on the landing page of the Sound Beginnings App

Is the Sound Beginnings App Easy to Use?

The following factors influence how easy it is to use Sound Beginnings. 

Getting Started and Navigation

Sound Beginnings is easy to get started with—simply download and begin playing. No sign-up or account creation is required. The main landing page presents four games to choose from, along with settings and instructions. Navigation is straightforward, and it’s easy to access all sections. 

Instructions  

The instructions section of the app is lengthy and detailed, but it is written exclusively for adults, not children. There are no verbal instructions within the games themselves, which means children will need an adult to guide them through each game (at least initially). This reliance on adult assistance can be inconvenient and limits the app’s overall usability, particularly for young users who may need more in-app support and reminders. Also, even adults may have difficulty figuring out how to play the game at first. A simple, repeatable oral direction for each game would be a beneficial upgrade. 

Game instructions are only available for literate grown-ups

Engagement in Sound Beginnings

The following factors influence a child’s engagement in the Sound Beginnings app. 

Positive Reinforcement

One of the standout features of Sound Beginnings is its approach to positive reinforcement. The app avoids an elaborate external reward system, which ensures that the focus remains on learning rather than on distracting rewards. This minimalist approach supports the educational goals of the game without overwhelming young users. 

The grid of 12 bears that fills in with each correct answer is a subtle yet effective motivator. Additionally, it provides children with a clear sense of progress by showing how many questions are left, helping them understand how much longer the game will last. The absence of flashy “bells and whistles” is intentional, ensuring that the learning experience stays front and center without unnecessary distractions.

Visual Appearance

The visual appearance of Sound Beginnings feels somewhat outdated, which may not appeal to all users. However, the app’s use of real images is a notable strength. These images are generally clear, and there’s the added benefit that they can be clicked on to hear their names, eliminating any ambiguity about what the pictures represent. This feature is particularly useful for vocabulary building, as it helps reinforce word-object associations in a straightforward and engaging way. Despite its dated design, the app’s image-based approach effectively supports early learning.

The visual design and some images in Sound Beginnings are outdated

Literacy Learning With the Sound Beginnings App

The following factors impact the quality of literacy instruction in the Sound Beginning app. 

Direct and Sequential Instruction

Sound Beginnings focuses primarily on practicing the identification of individual sounds in words, but it doesn’t provide direct instruction on sound-letter associations. The app assumes that children already have a basic understanding of all letter sounds, as it is designed specifically for practicing this skill rather than teaching it from scratch.

While there isn’t a clearly outlined scope and sequence or phonics plan, the game follows a logical progression by starting with beginning sounds, moving to ending sounds, and then focusing on middle sounds. This sequence aligns with how children typically develop their phonemic awareness, making it a sensible approach for reinforcing sound identification.

Letter Sound Correspondences

Sound Beginnings does a decent job of reinforcing phoneme-grapheme (letter to sound) correspondences. It presents letter sounds clearly and accurately with an American English accent which is important for children who are learning to read and spell. 

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is the ability to manipulate spoken sounds in a language and is an essential skill for new readers to develop. Phoneme isolation is one key component of phonemic awareness and is the simplest and most basic skill for new readers to learn. However, it is important not to linger on this skill for too long. Moving on to blending and segmenting phonemes to read and spell is more important for developing reading and spelling proficiency. Choose a different app to move on to these other essential phonemic awareness skills. 

Is Sound Beginnings a Good Literacy App?

Sound Beginnings offers a focused approach to practicing letter-sound associations and building one specific phonemic awareness skill: phoneme identification. The Sound Beginnings is easy to get started and navigate. It offers real images and subtle positive reinforcement to engage new readers. The letter sounds in this app are accurate and it does reinforce an important phonemic awareness skill. 

However, its limitations include a lack of direct instruction and a reliance on adult guidance for young users. Each of the four games would be easier to play and understand if simple, repeatable, oral directions were an option. Additionally, the absence of additional phonemic awareness skills such as blending and segmenting means it should not be the only tool for developing a child’s literacy skills. 

Overall, Sound Beginnings is a solid choice for practicing foundational phonemic awareness, but parents and educators should consider using additional resources to support further phonics development. 

Check out Phonics.org for more phonics app reviews, instruction tips, and learning resources as you teach your child to read!

Sound Beginnings: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3 / 5

Usability:  2.5 / 5

Engagement: 3 / 5

Read With Phonics Games – App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on November 22, 2024

A Simple and Playful Phonics Experience

There are tons of phonics reviews at phonics.org! Check them out to become more informed about educational options for your student or child. 

Continue reading to learn more about Read With Phonics Games app.

What is Read With Phonics Games?

Read With Phonics – Games is an educational literacy app designed for children ages 4 and up. The app features an engaging alien character named Albee who guides young learners through various phonics activities with a British English accent. Read With Phonics has no advertisements and is free to trial. However, to access full learning content there are some optional one-time, in-app purchases.

Is the Read With Phonics App Easy to Use?

The following factors influence the usability of Read With Phonics app.  

Set-Up & Navigation

Read with Phonics is user-friendly, allowing users to simply download the app and get started. The main interface is a map with four distinct categories, each targeting different phonics concepts: 

  • Water World – Common consonant sounds and short vowels
  • Forest World – Less common consonant sounds, digraphs, and long vowels
  • Lava Land – Digraphs, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs
  • Jelly City – Long vowels (CVe), diphthongs
The main page is divided into four levels of phonics games

The four sections are arranged in a logical and sequential order for children to follow. Players can skip ahead to any section based on their individual needs. The parent area is easily accessible, offering a few options for managing the app. One downside is that there isn’t an option to adjust the sound effects, which could be annoying for some users, especially with the frequent giggling of the alien character.

Instructions and Gameplay

The instructions in Read With Phonics Games are short, simple, and clear. The app as a whole is delivered in a British English accent which may be a downside or limitation for students with different accents. One great feature is the ability to replay the instructions as many times as necessary, thanks to a clearly marked audio button. This ensures that children can follow along at their own pace without confusion. The games are designed to be easy to play and intuitive, allowing kids to engage with the content independently while building their phonics skills.

Engagement in Read With Phonics App

The following components influence player engagement in the Read With Phonics – Games app. 

Positive Reinforcement

The app encourages player engagement primarily through positive feedback and progress tracking. The app allows children to easily see how far they’ve come by showing progress on a map, with each map level indicating how much further is left to complete. A progress bar helps kids understand their advancement and motivates them to keep going. There are also completion badges to collect which may visually enhance progress in the game. 

One of the app’s strengths is its avoidance of distracting external rewards. Rather than bombarding players with flashy incentives, it keeps the focus on learning and steady progress, which helps children stay engaged without losing sight of the educational goals.

Mistakes

In Read With Phonics Games, when a player makes three mistakes in any activity, they are immediately booted out of the map level and must start over. While this may encourage persistence, it could be discouraging for some children, especially if they struggle with a particular skill or concept. 

The current approach relies heavily on a “guess and check” method, which might not be the most effective way to support learning. It could be more beneficial to introduce a mechanism that helps teach or reinforce the specific phonics skills a child is struggling with, rather than forcing them to restart. This could reduce frustration and provide a more supportive learning experience.

Literacy Learning With the Read With Phonics App

The following components impact the quality of the literacy instruction in the Read With Phonics Games app.  

Direct and Explicit Instruction

This app does not provide direct and explicit phonics instruction, which is typically recommended by reading experts for building foundational literacy skills. Instead, the app functions more as a practice tool rather than a “learn to read” game. The setup encourages children to learn new concepts by providing clear positive or negative feedback based on their answers. 

While this feedback system can help reinforce learning, it does not offer the in-depth instruction or skill-building that some children might need to master phonics concepts. For example, players will learn how to read ‘-ll’ at the end of words but now why or how the FLOSS rule is relevant. This approach places more emphasis on practice and self-correction, rather than providing explicit teaching of phonics rules.

Read With Phonics does not explain why this word ends in a double ‘ll’

Sequential Learning

Sequential learning, which is recommended by reading experts, is an important principle in phonics instruction. It ensures that phonics concepts are introduced in a logical order, starting with the simplest concepts and gradually progressing to more complex ones. In Read With Phonics Games, the intended sequence is designed to follow this principle. 

Sequence of lessons in one segment of the Read With Phonics app

However, there are some inconsistencies in how the game handles this approach. For example, the second activity in the entire game involves placing the correct vowel sound in the word “ham,” even though the sounds /h/ and /m/ haven’t been taught or practiced yet. This can disrupt the flow of learning, as it doesn’t always adhere to the progression from easier to more difficult concepts. 

Learning to Read Words

In the app, the letter sounds are usually clearly pronounced and accurately represented with a British English accent. This clarity helps young learners focus on the precise sounds needed for reading. 

The app also uses synthetic phonics, where individual letter sounds are blended together to form words and segmented to spell words. Research shows that synthetic phonics is one of the most effective methods for both reading and spelling, making this approach a strong educational choice. 

The app does a good job of modeling how to blend sounds together to read. As part of the gameplay, kids are asked to match words with pictures, which encourages them to sound out and read words. This method of associating words with images is good for children with strong vocabularies. However, children who aren’t certain of the initial meaning of the word or do not know what the picture is may have more difficulties completing this activity. 

Matching words to pictures in Read With Phonics

Is Read With Phonics a Good Literacy App?

This app offers a user-friendly interface with four distinct levels that cover various sequential phonics concepts. The app is easy to use and fairly engaging. It provides positive reinforcement through progress tracking and badges. The app also uses systematic synthetic phonics to teach children how to read words. This approach is backed by reading experts.  

However, the app doesn’t offer direct and explicit phonics instruction. Instead of providing an in-depth explanation of phonics rules, such as why certain spelling patterns are used, the app focuses on practice and feedback. It also occasionally strays from the ideal sequence of learning, with some concepts introduced out of order. 

Overall, Read With Phonics is a good app that would work well alongside a full literacy program. While the app is a good tool for reinforcing phonics skills, it may not fully support children who need more explicit instruction or guidance. Check out more phonics reviews at Phonics.org to find the best app for your child!

Read With Phonics Games: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3 / 5

Usability:  4 / 5

Engagement:  4 / 5

GraphoGame: Learn To Read App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on November 16, 2024

Does The ‘World’s Most Researched Game’ Meet Current Standards? 

Are you curious about how other literacy apps measure up? Check out the other detailed literacy app reviews on phonics.org. 

Continue reading to learn more about the GraphoGame: Learn to Read app.

What is GraphoGame: Learn to Read?

GraphoGame: Learn to Read is an educational app designed for children aged 3 and up. The app aims to make the learning to read process engaging and accessible. Initially developed in Finland, it was created in collaboration with the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Neuroscience in Education. With support for nine different languages and usage in over 20 countries, GraphoGame has a significant reach.

The app makes bold claims about its effectiveness, stating that it can help young children learn to read in just days. It also touts itself as “the most researched game in the world.” This review will take a critical look at the GraphoGame: Learn to Read app and the feasibility of these grand claims. This review focuses on the American English version of the GraphoGame app. 

Is the GraphoGame: Learn to Read App Easy To Play?

The following factors impact the usability of the GraphoGame app. 

Getting Started With GraphoGame: Learn to Read 

Getting started with GraphoGame requires a sign-up process that begins with selecting the child’s gender. It is unclear why this information is relevant. Users must then create a username and a 4-digit pin code, which combines pictures and letters—an approach that feels overly complicated for young children.

Once set up, the app offers two distinct modes:

  1. The Adventure Map – designed for independent play
  2. The Stars Mode – more suitable for older children and educational settings

Additionally, there doesn’t appear to be an easily accessible method of changing the starting point in the game to match the literacy skills of the player. While the app claims to be adaptive, providing the option for a grown-up to choose a starting point would be an advantageous feature. Finally, the navigation in the Adventure Map can be clunky and awkward, especially for young players. 

The Adventure Map in GraphoGame can be awkward to navigate

Instructions and Settings

GraphoGame includes helpful features for guiding young players through the app. Instructions and sound cues can be repeated as needed, and they will automatically repeat if too much time passes, which is a great support for children who may need extra reminders. 

Data Collection

GraphoGame offers detailed data collection regarding student performance and achievement at each level, providing valuable insights for parents and educators. This feedback is instrumental in helping adults understand how well a child is progressing, identifying areas where they may need additional support. By highlighting specific strengths and weaknesses, the app enables parents and teachers to guide their children more effectively in their literacy journey. 

GraphoGame offers detailed data and feedback on individual student progress

Engagement In GraphoGame: Learn to Read

The following factors impact how potentially engaging young players may find the GraphoGame: Learn to Read app. 

Rewards

In GraphoGame: Learn to Read, engagement is driven by a variety of reward systems that young players may find appealing. Players earn stars, track their correct answer percentages, and collect coins. These coins can be spent in an occasional in-game store for items like garments and accessories for their avatars. The gameplay follows a cycle of 10 minutes of tasks followed by 2 minutes of reward opportunities. While these rewards can enhance engagement, they also risk diverting attention from the educational goals of the app.

Potential purchaser rewards in the GraphoGame app

Visual Appearance

The visual appearance of GraphoGame: Learn to Read features an individualized avatar, which adds an engaging personal touch for young players. However, the animations feel somewhat clunky and dated, suggesting that there is room for improvement in the overall visual design of the app.

Literacy Learning With GraphoGame: Learn to Read

The following factors influence the quality of literacy instruction in the GraphoGame: Learn to Read app. 

Research Claims

GraphoGame: Learn to Read positions itself as “the most researched game in the world.” A few studies on the app found a positive correlation between students playing the games and improved literacy outcomes. However, this evaluation found that the GraphoGame app had “no impact on pupils’ reading attainment compared to a business-as-usual control” (p. 5). Additionally, the students were receiving school-based literacy support in addition to time spent with the app, confounding the results further. 

Type of Phonics

GraphoGame: Learn to Read primarily employs an Onset-Rime phonics approach, teaching children initial consonant sounds followed by vowel/consonant combinations (e.g., /m/ + “at” for “mat”). While any phonics instruction is beneficial, research shows that synthetic phonics is more efficient for learning to read and spell. 

A synthetic phonics approach combines (synthesizes) individual letter sounds to read words. This approach is recommended by the International Dyslexia Association and multiple researchers in the field. Overall, GraphoGame’s reliance on an analytic phonics method may limit its effectiveness. 

Sequential Learning

GraphoGame: Learn to Read incorporates systematic phonics instruction, structured into 25 streams, each divided into 5-9 levels, along with 7 assessments. This sequential approach aligns with recommendations from literacy experts. However, the lack of a publicly available scope and sequence (phonics plan) for these streams limits accessibility for educators and parents who want to understand or anticipate their child’s learning progression. 

Letter Sounds

The GraphoGame: Learn to Read app generally provides clear and accurate representations of letter sounds. However, it inaccurately represents the short /e/ sound (as in ‘echo’). This sound is often the most challenging for students to identify and learn, and is also one of the most commonly used and important sounds to learn. The inaccuracy of this specific sound in the game is a huge pitfall. 

These short vowel sounds are difficult to distinguish in the GraphoGame app. 

Word Building

Elkonin boxes are rectangles that surround individual sounds in words in order to demonstrate the connection between sounds and letters in words. GraphoGame uses these boxes in their app to encourage children to read and spell words. Sometimes this literacy tool is used correctly in the app, and at other times the app incorrectly boxes entire rhyme units instead of individual sounds. This misapplication detracts from the overall effectiveness of the word-building instruction.

Incorrect use of Elkonin boxes in the GraphoGame app

Is the GraphoGame App Good for Literacy Instruction?

The GraphoGame app offers a range of features aimed at making literacy learning engaging and accessible for young children. However, it faces significant challenges including outdated animations, inconsistent use of phonics tools, and a questionable research base regarding its effectiveness. 

While the app’s structured phonics instruction and data collection features provide valuable insights for parents and educators, the reliance on an analytic phonics approach may limit its impact compared to more effective methods like synthetic phonics. Overall, while GraphoGame has potential, it requires improvements in instructional accuracy and visual design to fully realize its educational goals. 

For those interested in exploring other literacy apps, check out detailed reviews on phonics.org to see how they compare.

GraphoGame: Learn to Read – Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 2 / 5

Usability:  3 / 5

Engagement:  3 / 5

Alphablocks: Letter Fun App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on November 8, 2024

Exploring Letter Sound Learning with the Alphablocks: Letter Fun App

Check out phonics.org to see more detailed literacy app reviews and make informed choices for your students or children. 

Continue reading to learn more about the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app. 

What is the Alphablocks App?

The Alphablocks: Letter Fun app is inspired by the popular BBC series Learning Blocks TV. It features beloved characters from the Alphablocks, Number Blocks, and Colour Blocks educational TV shows. 

The Alphablocks segment specifically focuses on literacy, drawing from the rich content of the TV show, which boasts over 80 episodes. The Alphablocks: Letter Fun app aims to help young children master learning the connection between letters and the sounds they represent in an interactive way. Currently, it is available in British English only and is offered as a paid app.

Are the Alphablocks: Letter Fun Apps Easy to Use?

The following factors impact the overall usability of the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app. 

Getting Around Alphablocks: Letter Fun

The Alphablocks app is generally easy to navigate. Settings are cleverly accessed by holding a “Grown Ups” button which also provides a description of the Alphablocks.  

There are two main areas for learners to explore:

  1. Meet the Alphablocks – hear a letter sound, play 4 mini games for each letter
  • Bubble Pop – pop bubbles to match letter sounds
  • Paint Me – letter sounds game
  • Favorite Things – pop things that start with a certain letter sound
  • Hide & Seek – spot a hiding Alphablock
  1. Sing Along 
  • A to Z – every Alphablock sings its letter sound song

Choose to play in sequence or mix it up randomly—it’s all about fun and learning! 

The Home screen in Alphablocks: Letter Fun

Settings

The Alphablocks: Letter Fun app offers a few customizable settings on the grown-ups’ page. Parents can toggle between letter sounds and letter names, enabling children to engage with the game in different ways. Additionally, there are options to adjust game settings or reset progress, although it would be beneficial to include the ability to add multiple users for shared experiences.

Instructions 

One notable feature is the absence of distracting music, which is a significant advantage for a game focused on letter sounds. However, the inability to repeat instructions in the minigames can be a drawback. Without the option to revisit instructions, young players may find it challenging to navigate some of the minigames. 

Engagement in Alphablocks: Letter Fun

The following factors influence the engagement that learners may have with the app. 

Gameplay

The appearance of the animated characters from a known TV show definitely works to capture the attention of kids who will be drawn into the game. The design, animations, and songs are cute and engaging for young kids.  

The four mini-games in the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app are predictable and repetitive, but this design is intentional—routine and repetition are important for helping children solidify the connection between letters and their corresponding sounds. More children could consistently and actively participate in the app by adding the option to repeat instructions for each game. 

The Favorite Things mini game asks players to match things with the same initial letter sound

Feedback & Rewards

In the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app, the emphasis is on educational games rather than elaborate reward systems. When kids answer correctly, they receive positive sounds, stars, and verbal praise, which reinforces their achievements. There are also nice little touches, like when the Alphablocks celebrate completing all four mini-games with a cheerful song. Overall, the app effectively maintains a focus on educational goals while keeping the experience engaging and enjoyable. 

Literacy Learning With Alphablocks: Letter Fun

These factors impact how effective the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app is at teaching kids important literacy skills. 

Letter Sounds

The Alphablocks: Letter Fun app does a great job of providing accurate letter sounds in British English, which is essential for effective learning. Most games are pretty good at teaching letter sound connections, but there are a few glitches to note. For instance, in the Bubble Pop game, kids are asked to catch bubbles that say /k/, but only the letter <C> is counted as a correct answer. 

On the positive side, the app uses repetition of letter sounds which is excellent for helping kids make those important connections. However, some representations of letter sounds in the alphabet song could be more distinctive. Overall, while there are a few hiccups, the app mostly provides a solid foundation for learning letter sounds.

Phonemic Awareness

The Alphablocks: Letter Fun app primarily focuses on teaching letter sounds, which is a worthy goal for an educational literacy app. There are additional phonemic awareness exercises in the app such as identifying the first sound in a word (known as phoneme isolation). 

In the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app all letter sounds are taught at once in any order the child chooses. While there’s nothing wrong with learning all the letter sounds at once, some reading programs opt to teach a few sounds first and emphasize blending them to read words. This method can help speed up the learning-to-read process.

Is the Alphablocks: Letter Fun App Good for Learning?

Overall, the Alphablocks: Letter Fun app is easy to learn how to use and is fairly engaging for young children who are learning their letter-sound associations. The easy-to-use app uses cute animated Alphablock characters from the TV show with catchy songs to engage children in learning some foundational literacy skills. 

The app has a simple system for teaching letter-sound associations through four repetitious mini games. These games are useful, well-designed and developmentally appropriate, but could be improved by adding repeatable instructions for the games. There are also minor letter sound errors in the game, which could be occasionally confusing for kids. Overall, The Alphablocks: Letter Fun has a helpful method for teaching children the valuable goal of learning letter sound correspondences. 

Want to discover more phonics education apps? Check out Phonics.org for a growing library of honest reviews from literacy experts!

Alphablocks: Letter Fun – Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3 / 5

Usability:  4 / 5

Engagement: 4 / 5

Reading Magic App 1 – Learning to Read Review

Jaymi Thiessen on October 15, 2024

A Closer Look at Preschool University

Want to read honest, expert reviews on literacy apps? Check out the Phonics.org library where our literacy experts share their insights! 

In this article, we explore the quality of instruction within the Reading Magic: Learning to Read app. 

What is Reading Magic?

Reading Magic is a literacy app developed by Preschool University. This app is the first in a five-part series of educational apps, each designed to teach progressively more challenging phonics skills to kids.

 This review focuses on Reading Magic 1, specifically the reading of CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words like ‘leg’ or ‘bed.’

Reading Magic is designed for children ages four and up. The expectation is that players already understand common letter-sound correspondences before interacting with this app. The app offers a free version, with an optional paid upgrade. Reading Magic instructional targets include three key skills: 

  • Blending 
  • Segmenting 
  • Reading words

Is the Reading Magic App Easy to Use?

The following factors impact the usability of the Reading Magic app. 

Navigation

The Reading Magic app offers an easy-to-navigate interface. Young children can easily move between the three main practice areas in the app. While players can be added or deleted without the need for logins, switching between users may be a little tricky for young children and would likely require adult support. 

The app features an admin area for parents or educators to track lesson completion. However, accessing this area involves answering unnecessarily complicated skill-testing math questions. Simplifying this process could enhance the overall experience for families.

Settings in Reading Magic

App Settings

The app includes customizable settings, which are simple to change in any place in the game. One setting option is to choose a specific color for the vowels. Notably, the color of the letters is not crucial for literacy learning and the goal should be to quickly move vowels and consonant graphemes to the same color. 

Additionally, the app features a “tile effect” that displays the letter within each tile. Parents and educators should always choose the tile effect that shows the letter. This kind of phonemic awareness training has been shown to be twice as effective when done alongside the visual letters. 

Instructions

The app provides comprehensive instructions that, while somewhat verbose, are easy to locate and offer valuable guidance for parents and educators on how to support their children’s learning. An instructional video clearly outlines blending techniques and various activities within the app, making it simple for users to understand and utilize the available features effectively.

Written and video instructions in Reading Magic

Engagement in Reading Magic

The following aspects impact learner engagement with the app. 

Bells & Whistles

Engagement in the app is shaped by its intentional design choices, avoiding “bells and whistles” like excessive sound effects that could distract from phonics learning. This no-nonsense approach creates a clear learning environment, although it may slightly reduce overall engagement.

While the app serves as a focused practice tool rather than a traditional game, it does include a small song and a sun icon to celebrate when a child completes a “set.” This feature may appeal to younger users. Learners of all ages may appreciate the use of real images and photographs throughout the app.

Passive Participation

The first activity in Reading Magic doesn’t necessarily require active participation. The app models the sounds for three sequential letters and then states the word that is represented by blending those sounds. 

Although Reading Magic is designed to promote independent segmenting and reading skills, it’s easy for players to bypass this critical thinking process. Parent or educator involvement with the learner in Reading Magic is recommended to ensure the child is actively applying their skills. This collaborative approach can help children deepen their understanding and make the learning experience more interactive.

Literacy Learning With Reading Magic

The following factors influence the quality of literacy learning in the Reading Magic app. 

Sequential Learning

The app features a clear sequence for learning, yet it lacks transparency regarding the specific letter sounds included in each “set.” This may leave educators unclear about the overall phonics plan and progression within the app. 

Furthermore, the instructions in the app suggest that all blending and segmenting skills should be mastered before moving on to the reading section. However, this advice isn’t necessarily accurate. In fact, practicing segmenting skills can be beneficial for spelling and does not need to be mastered before a child learns to read words.

Phonemic Awareness

The app focuses on teaching phonemic awareness skills (blending and segmenting) which are important for decoding (word-reading) and encoding (spelling). The voices in the app provide accurate and clear letter sounds delivered by both male and female voices in American English. 

First, learners blend sounds to read a word. Then they can reveal the connected image. 

Reading Magic currently only represents final blending. Final blending is when each sound is stated with a pause in between. For example /b/ /e/ /d/ sounds would combine to make the word ‘bed.’ Incorporating continuous blending or connected phonation (blending sounds without pauses in between) would be helpful for many new readers as it is considered the easiest method for learning to blend. 

Is Reading Magic a Good Literacy App?

In short, Reading Magic 1 has some useful skill-building activities for new readers. It’s designed to help young learners master reading CVC words through blending. Its user-friendly interface facilitates easy start-up and navigation, although some features—like user switching and admin access—could be simplified. 

While the app prioritizes a clear learning environment by avoiding distractions, this simplified approach may sacrifice some engagement for younger users. Overall, the app provides valuable phonemic awareness training. However, incorporating continuous blending methods could enhance its effectiveness for emerging readers.

Reading Magic: Learning to Read – Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3 / 5

Usability: 3  / 5

Engagement:  3 / 5

Phonics.org: The Ultimate List of Phonics App Reviews 

phonicsorg on October 4, 2024

The Phonics.org team is dedicated to helping parents and teachers navigate the many different phonics apps and programs for kids. Our literacy experts review and rate the popular programs available so that you can access honest, informed feedback from an educator’s perspective. Special thanks to children’s reading clinician, Jaymi Theissen, for all of the insightful reviews of phonics programs!

We understand the importance of choosing the right resources for your child’s literacy journey, which is why we created Phonics.org. Since the beginning of 2024, we’ve shared nearly 35 programs and apps—as well as their honest ratings—to give a well-rounded perspective on the best, the worst, and the decent learning apps you can play with your kids.

This comprehensive list compiles all our phonics program reviews and ratings, making it easier for you to find the best apps for your young learners. We’ll update this list monthly! In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to the Phonics.org Reviews Page for the latest updates we share!

The Phonics.org Rating Criteria 

Before we look at what all these phonics apps have to offer, here are the simple rating criteria that we use for each program review.

1. Quality of Literacy Instruction

The quality of literacy instruction is one of the most important ratings we look for. There are countless educational apps on the market today—but the question is, are they effective at teaching the right content? 

When assessing the type of literacy instruction for phonics apps/programs, we consider features and factors such as: 

  • Which aspect of literacy instruction does the app focus on? 
  • What kind of phonics instruction method is used?
  • Is there research to support the instructional methods used?
  • Are there independent efficacy studies to support the app’s effectiveness?
  • Is the literacy instruction accurate?
    • Accurate phonemes
    • Accurate letter formation
    • Accurate phonics concepts
  • Is there a logical scope and sequence? Do the activities follow the scope and sequence?
  • Do concepts move from easy to more difficult?
  • Is there an appropriate amount of repetition of important concepts?
  • Are there essential pieces of phonics instruction missing?

2. Usability

Usability relates to the user-friendliness, functionality, and navigation of the app or program. When vetting usability ratings, we consider factors including: 

  • Is the app easy to download and start playing?
  • Does the app have adaptive learning options?
  • Are the activities developmentally appropriate?
  • Is it easy to navigate the app?
  • Is the app accessible to diverse learners?
  • Are there any glitches/ads that interfere with learning?
  • Are there elements of tracking progress for parents/teachers?
  • If necessary, how easy is it to access answers from customer support?
  • Is it easy to sign up and/or cancel?

3. Engagement

Engagement rates how entertained and engaged players remain within the app or program. This answers questions like: 

  • Is the app fun for kids to play?
  • Is the app interactive?
  • Is it visually appealing?
  • Are the activities too difficult? Too easy?
  • Do kids want to keep playing the app over time?
  • What feedback mechanisms are used to motivate learners?

List of Phonics Apps for Kids (and Their Ratings)

Below are the apps and programs we’ve reviewed so far. Click on the app of your choice to jump to its summary with the option to explore the full article.

ABC Kids – Tracing and Phonics App

ABC Ride

ABCmouse

Blending Board

Chimp Fu

Duck Duck Moose

Duolingo

Endless Alphabet

Endless Reader

Flocabulary

Foundations A-Z

Hairy Letters

Homer

Hooked on Phonics

Jolly Phonics

Khan Academy

Lalilo

Letter School

Phonics Hero

Phonics Ninja

Pocket Phonics

Poio

Project Read.AI

Read Naturally Live

Readiculous

Reading Eggs

Reading Magic App

Reading Raven

Reading.com

Sesame Street – Alphabet Kitchen

Spelling Magic App

SplashLearn

Starfall ABC

Super Simple Songs

Teach Your Monster to Read

Wonster Words

ABC Kids – Tracing and Phonics App

The ABC Kids Tracing and Phonics app is a cute and fun educational app for pre-readers and early readers. It lacks literacy foundations and contains incorrect letter sounds.

Overall Score: 3

ABC Ride

ABC Ride is an engaging app that combines letter recognition with interactive gameplay. It offers a fun way for children to learn letter names and sounds.

Overall Score: 3.7

ABCmouse

ABCmouse offers a wide range of activities but falls short in providing quality phonics instruction. It emphasizes quantity over quality for new readers.

Overall Score: 2.2

Blending Board

The Blending Board app provides a simple tool for practicing phoneme blending. It offers a straightforward approach to an essential phonics skill.

Overall Score: 3

Chimp Fu

Chimp Fu is a highly engaging app that focuses on syllable instruction. It combines effective literacy instruction with fun gameplay.

Overall Score: 4.3

Duck Duck Moose

The Duck Duck Moose reading app offers basic phonics activities but lacks depth in literacy instruction. It may be suitable for very young learners.

Overall Score: 2

Duolingo

Duolingo’s Learn to Read ABC provides an engaging and user-friendly approach to phonics instruction. It offers a solid foundation for early readers.

Overall Score: 4.3

Endless Alphabet

Endless Alphabet is a visually appealing app that introduces vocabulary but lacks structured phonics instruction. It’s more suitable for entertainment than literacy learning.

Overall Score: 3.3

Endless Reader

Endless Reader builds on Endless Alphabet, offering sight word practice and simple sentences. It’s engaging but lacks comprehensive phonics instruction.

Overall Score: 3.2

Flocabulary

Flocabulary combines music and literacy instruction effectively. It offers a unique and engaging approach to learning phonics and vocabulary.

Overall Score: 4.7

Foundations A-Z

Foundations A-Z provides a structured approach to literacy instruction but may lack engagement for some learners. It offers comprehensive content with room for improvement in usability.

Overall Score: 2.7

Hairy Letters

Hairy Letters offers a fun and effective way to learn letter sounds and formation. It combines quality instruction with engaging visuals.

Overall Score: 4.2

Homer

Homer Learn and Grow provides a well-rounded approach to early literacy. It offers personalized learning paths and engaging content.

Overall Score: 4

Hooked on Phonics

Hooked on Phonics offers a structured approach to phonics instruction. It provides a solid foundation but may lack engagement for some learners.

Overall Score: 3.5

Jolly Phonics

Jolly Phonics is a comprehensive phonics program that combines multisensory learning with systematic instruction. It offers a well-rounded approach to literacy.

Overall Score: 4.2

Khan Academy

Khan Academy Kids offers a wide range of educational content, including reading instruction. It provides engaging activities but may lack depth in phonics instruction.

Overall Score: 3.5

Lalilo

Lalilo provides adaptive phonics instruction but may lack engagement and user-friendliness. It offers personalized learning paths for students.

Overall Score: 2.7

Letter School

LetterSchool focuses on letter formation and recognition. It offers engaging activities but lacks comprehensive phonics instruction.

Overall Score: 3.3

Phonics Hero

Phonics Hero provides a structured approach to phonics instruction with engaging games. It offers a solid foundation for early readers.

Overall Score: 3.7

Phonics Ninja

Phonics Ninja falls short in all aspects of phonics instruction and engagement. It is not recommended for literacy learning.

Overall Score: 1

Pocket Phonics

ABC Pocket Phonics offers basic phonics instruction with letter tracing and sound recognition. It provides a simple approach to early literacy skills.

Overall Score: 3.2

Poio

Poio offers an innovative approach to reading instruction through gameplay. It provides an engaging experience but may lack structured phonics instruction.

Overall Score: 3

Project Read.AI

Project Read.AI utilizes artificial intelligence for personalized reading instruction. It offers adaptive learning but may need improvements in engagement and usability.

Overall Score: 3

Read Naturally Live

Read Naturally Live focuses on fluency development but may lack engagement for some learners. It offers structured practice for reading fluency.

Overall Score: 2.8

Readiculous

Mrs. Wordsmith’s Readiculous offers a fun and effective approach to vocabulary and reading comprehension. It combines quality instruction with engaging content.

Overall Score: 4

Reading Eggs

Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive approach to early literacy instruction. It offers a balance of phonics, sight words, and reading practice.

Overall Score: 3

Reading Raven

Reading Raven offers a comprehensive approach to early literacy skills. It provides engaging activities for letter recognition, phonics, and early reading.

Overall Score: 3.3

Reading.com

Reading.com stands out as a top-tier literacy app, offering high-quality instruction, excellent usability, and engaging content for young readers.

Overall Score: 4.8

Sesame Street – Alphabet Kitchen

Sesame Street Alphabet Kitchen combines familiar characters with letter recognition and phonics activities. It offers an engaging introduction to early literacy skills.

Overall Score: 3.8

SplashLearn

SplashLearn offers a range of reading activities but may lack depth in phonics instruction. It provides an interactive learning experience for early readers.

Overall Score: 2.8

Starfall ABC

Starfall ABC offers basic letter recognition and phonics activities. It provides a simple introduction to early literacy skills but may lack engagement for some learners.

Overall Score: 3

Super Simple Songs

Super Simple Songs uses music to teach early literacy concepts. It offers an engaging and fun approach to learning letters and sounds.

Overall Score: 3.8

Teach Your Monster to Read

Teach Your Monster to Read offers a gamified approach to phonics instruction. It provides a structured learning path with engaging characters and activities.

Overall Score: 3.2

Wonster Words

Wonster Words focuses on vocabulary development with some phonics elements. It offers engaging animations but may lack comprehensive literacy instruction.

Overall Score: 3

Phonics.org Reviews & Ratings: Special Compilations and Recommendations 

On occasion, we also share “Top 3” or “Top 5” lists of various phonics programs based on topic, merit, or category. You can read these specific recommendations (or warnings to stay away from!) below:

These lists provide a quick overview of the best and worst apps we’ve reviewed, helping you make informed decisions about your child’s literacy education.

Subscribe to Phonics.org for More!

To get the latest reviews directly to your inbox, subscribe to the Phonics.org email list below!

Chimp Fu Syllables: App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on September 27, 2024

Chopping Chimp Champions Syllable Division

Phonics.org literacy experts regularly review literacy apps on their usability, learner engagement, and quality of literacy instruction. Check out this review where we go over the Chimp Fu literacy app!

What is the Chimp Fu Syllables App?

Chimp Fu Syllables, developed by Nessy Learning Limited, is one of seven literacy apps offered by this developer. This app is specifically designed to teach syllable division and blending for reading polysyllabic words. 

Syllable division and blending are both crucial for developing reading and spelling abilities. Before engaging with the app, children should have a foundational understanding of letter sounds and the ability to blend simple monosyllabic words. 

With nine different levels to master, the app provides a structured and engaging way for kids to enhance their literacy skills progressively.

Is the Chimp Fu Syllables App Easy to Use?

The following factors influence the usability of the Chimp Fu Syllables game. 

Getting Started

The Chimp Fu Syllables app is remarkably user-friendly, making it easy for children (ages 4+) to get started. 

It features a small one-time fee with no in-app purchases or ads, ensuring an uninterrupted learning experience. There’s no need for sign-ins or sign-ups, allowing kids to dive right in. 

Additionally, children can create and name their monkey characters to assist with syllable chopping, adding a fun and personalized touch to the practical startup process. Overall, the app’s straightforward setup contributes to a seamless and enjoyable learning experience.

Navigation and Settings

The Chimp Fu Syllables app boasts an intuitive navigation system across three main screens. One standout feature is the absence of distracting background music or sounds during direct instruction, allowing children to focus entirely on learning. If users wish to revisit a lesson, they can simply exit and re-enter the game to repeat it.

There are no specific setting options, which might benefit educators or parents wanting to customize syllable types. This is a minor detail given the short duration of the games. Overall, the app is well-designed, easy to navigate, and offers clear instructions, making it accessible and enjoyable for young learners.

Engagement in the Kung Fu Syllables App

The following factors influence player engagement in playing the Chimp Fu Syllables app. 

Rewards

Engagement in the Chimp Fu Syllables app is created through several means. After completing levels, players are treated to a short and enjoyable Gorilla Challenge game that complements the learning experience without detracting from it. Also, as players progress, they earn colorful bandanas for each level they complete, adding a visual element of achievement.

Finally, players receive bronze, silver, or gold stars based on the number of correct answers in each game, further incentivizing them to improve their performance. This balance of simple, focused learning with rewarding elements keeps players engaged and encourages them to persist in their literacy journey, making the app both educational and enjoyable.

The Gorilla Challenge game is rewarding and fun but doesn’t detract from the learning goals.

Gameplay

The gameplay of the Chimp Fu Syllables app features a kung fu theme with animated monkeys.  This is both fun and engaging for young learners. The animations are vibrant and well-crafted, appealing to children across a range of ages. 

Each game is designed to be easy to play, allowing kids to practice essential literacy skills in a developmentally appropriate manner for ages 4 and up. This combination of charming visuals and accessible gameplay ensures that children remain entertained while effectively enhancing their reading abilities. 

Chimp Fu games are fun and easy to play

Literacy Learning With Kung Fu Syllables

The following aspects of the Kung Fu Syllables app contribute to the overall quality of its literacy instruction.  

Direct and Explicit Instruction

The Chimp Fu Syllables app excels in providing high-quality literacy instruction through direct and explicit teaching methods. Each of the nine levels starts with a clear and straightforward lesson focused on breaking up a specific syllable type. The player then immediately applies this new learning with repeated practice. 

This approach, endorsed by literacy experts, is practical and effective for children learning to read longer words. By incorporating this direct instruction, the app ensures that young learners have a solid foundation to develop their reading skills, making it a valuable tool in their literacy journey.

Direct instruction in how to syllabicate is a strength of the Chimp Fu app

Learning Structure

The Chimp Fu Syllables app features a clear and well-communicated learning structure that guides children through a gradual progression of skills. Beginning with simple CVC-CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, such as “helmet,” the app steadily introduces more complex syllable division patterns, including vowel teams and open syllables, ultimately leading to three-syllable words. 

This thoughtfully designed progression aligns with recommendations from literacy experts, ensuring that children build their skills effectively and confidently as they advance through the levels.

The Chimp Fu learning structure is logical and clearly shared

Letter Sounds

In the Chimp Fu Syllables app, a player decides where to split a word into its syllables and then the game effectively models how to blend each syllable and ultimately how to combine them to read the entire word. The app generally provides accurate representations of letter sounds, enhancing the learning experience. 

However, it does fall short of addressing the schwa vowel sound present in many multisyllabic words. For example, the second syllable in “signal” is pronounced with a schwa sound rather than a short <a> sound. While this may not pose a significant issue, it could potentially confuse some new readers who are still grappling with vowel sounds.

Some words have sounds that don’t exactly match the common letter sounds

Vocabulary

While the Chimp Fu Syllables app effectively focuses on teaching syllable division and blending, it does not address the meanings of the words being practiced. This aspect is important, as understanding word meanings serves as additional reinforcement for reading and spelling. 

Incorporating features such as example sentences or pictures representing the words could enhance the learning experience and support vocabulary building. 

Is the Chimp Fu App Good At Building Literacy Skills?

The Chimp Fu Syllables app offers a fun and effective approach to teaching young learners essential literacy skills. With its engaging gameplay, clear instructional design, and progressive learning structure, it empowers children to master syllable division and blending in an enjoyable way. 

While there are areas for improvement such as vocabulary development and addressing schwa sounds, the overall experience remains highly beneficial for budding readers. We recommend giving it a try!

For more reviews like this of related literacy apps for kids, explore more Phonics.org resources and subscribe today.

Chimp Fu Syllables: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 4 / 5

Usability:  4  / 5

Engagement: 5  / 5

ABC Kids: Tracing & Phonics App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on September 20, 2024

A Well-Made App That Needs Improvement in Literacy Fundamentals 

Find valuable insights and informed opinions on other literacy apps at phonics.org. 

Continue reading to learn more about the quality of the ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics app. 

What is ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics?

ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics is a literacy app created by parent and app developer Dave at RV AppStudios LLC. The app is entirely free of in-app purchases and ads, which is a commendable feature that makes the app more accessible to young children who are learning to read. ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics is one of 15 free apps created by the team at RV AppStudios. 

The app features Lucas, an animated lion who guides young learners through the literacy content. It is designed for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. The games focus on teaching the alphabet, including letter names, sounds, and printing. ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics offers seven different games, along with printable worksheets and coloring pages to enhance the learning experiences.

Is the ABC Kids App Easy to Use?

The following factors impact the usability of the ABC Kids app.  

Getting Started

Getting started with ABC Kids is straightforward. The app is free and does not require a sign-up or login, which makes it incredibly easy to begin. 

Navigation is user-friendly with seven game choices available directly on the main page. While exiting a game to return to the main menu can be slightly tricky for young children, parents can easily assist with this process.

The home page is easy to navigate and find all the games 

Sound Settings

The settings in ABC Kids offer some flexibility in choosing which educational games and which letters to begin learning. However, the app lacks customization for turning background music off. This lack of control can be problematic for children who need a quiet environment to focus or those with auditory processing concerns. If the volume is turned completely off, users will not hear instructions or the sounds and names of letters.

While the app provides simple instructions, there’s no option to replay them. Even with prolonged waiting, the instructions do not repeat instructions—which may be a drawback for users who need additional guidance or benefit from repetition. 

Engagement in ABC Kids

App appearance, rewards, and gameplay all influence the engagement young players may experience when playing ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics. 

Appearance

The app has a visually appealing design that caters well to its young audience. It features cute characters and high-quality graphics and animations. The transitions between different games are smooth, and the loading times are brief and entertaining, ensuring that young children remain engaged even while switching between various parts of the app.

Rewards

The ABC Kids app includes various rewards such as toys, stickers, stamps, and certificates. While not strictly educational, children can interact with Lucas the Lion’s family and friends or drive a car with him. For some young children, these additions to the game may encourage engagement, others may find that it distracts from the app’s primary educational goals.

Additional interactive content is available in ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics

Gameplay

ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics offers developmentally appropriate and accessible gameplay for young children. Even young children will be able to meaningfully participate in the simple games that are available. 

However, there are some challenges in determining whether a child’s answer is correct or incorrect. Kids may select all options without meaningful feedback on accuracy, which means they might not need to learn letter names or letter identification actively and can simply choose all options without reinforcing their learning. 

Some games make it difficult to distinguish between correct and incorrect answers

Literacy Learning With ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics

The following factors influence the quality of the literacy instruction in ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics. 

Letter Sounds

The app has inaccuracies in letter sounds. Stop sounds (sounds that cannot be stretched) are the most imprecise, often modeling an extra schwa sound. For example, in the app, the sound for <B> isn’t /b/ — it’s ‘buh’. The sound for /q/ is also incorrect. Accurate letter sounds are crucial because they form the foundation for later skills in sounding out and spelling words. Mispronunciations can hinder a child’s ability to read and spell words correctly and impact their overall literacy development.

The game does not explicitly and directly teach letter sounds but rather provides practice and reinforcement. Parents should be involved in their children’s interactions with the app to help address these issues and support accurate learning.

Letter Identification Games

Most of the literacy games in the app focus on the worthy educational goal of letter identification. This is accomplished by having children tap a certain letter in a bubble, match uppercase and lowercase letters, match letters with a memory game, and fill in blanks of missing letters in alphabetical order. 

Repeatable instructions would enhance this simple alphabet game

Most of the games repeat the name of the letter, its sound, and a keyword associated with the letter. These practices are helpful, although they would be better if the letter sounds were accurate. Also, sometimes the keywords could be improved. For example, using <G> to represent the soft sound in ‘giraffe’ isn’t as common at this stage of learning. Promoting the hard sound as in ‘grapes’ would be more useful. 

Letter Formation

The app allows either parents or children to choose between uppercase and lowercase letters and select which letter to start with, which is a useful feature. A tip for adults is to choose lowercase letters first, as these are encountered more frequently in everyday reading.

The app allows users to choose their preferred letter to practice

The game provides an easy-to-play experience. However, there are issues with incorrect letter formation being taught, particularly for trickier letters like lowercase <b> and <d>. 

The tracing practices encouraged in this app do not align with recommendations from occupational therapists or common usage by educators. Practicing these incorrect formations can make it harder for children to distinguish between these easily-confused letters and may negatively impact their printing and writing skills in the future. 

Inaccurate practice of tracing the lowercase letter <d>

Is the ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics App a Good Literacy App?

ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics offers a fun and engaging way for young children to practice literacy skills through its colorful design and interactive games. The app’s lack of in-app purchases and ads, along with its user-friendly interface, make it accessible and appealing to its target audience. 

However, there are notable areas for improvement. Increasing options for sound settings and repeatable instructions would be helpful for young learners. Most importantly, inaccurate letter sounds and letter formations are significant errors that do not support the literacy learning of young new readers. 

Curious if other available literacy apps will be a good fit for you and your child? Check out the full scope of reviews at phonics.org!

ABC Kids Tracing & Phonics: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 2 / 5

Usability: 3  / 5

Engagement:  4 / 5

ABC Pocket Phonics Review

Jaymi Thiessen on September 6, 2024

ABC Pocket Phonics: Hits and Misses in Literacy Instruction

Have you ever wondered how literacy apps stand up when evaluated by experts? Explore the reviews at phonics.org to make more informed choices for the beginning reader in your life. 

This review takes a detailed look at the ABC Pocket Phonics app and evaluates how effective the literacy program is. 

What is ABC Pocket Phonics?

ABC Pocket Phonics was originally launched in 2008 by “Apps in My Pocket Ltd.” It’s an educational app tailored for children aged 4 to 7. Through the app, children learn letter sounds and letter formation as well as read storybooks. The app offers a teaching reading guide for parents. It also has special features for teachers to create multiple student accounts and receive detailed progress reports for each individual.

Usability of the Pocket Phonics App

The following features contribute to the app’s overall usability for kids and adults. 

Accessibility and Individual Player Settings 

Pocket Phonics offers easy and straightforward signup and login processes, ensuring accessibility for users. You can customize individual player settings to cater to each child or student’s preferences, including options for:

  • Sound effects
  • Font type
  • Right or left-handedness
  • Inclusion of letter names 
  • Speech recognition 

These customizable features enhance user experience and accommodate diverse learning needs. 

Some areas of the user experience could use improvement. Placing students at a specific place in the sequence of lessons doesn’t appear to be an option. There is a skills assessment placement test to help learners find a good starting point, but it could easily be missed in the sign-up process. 

There also isn’t an option for student sign-in at home, limiting its accessibility for connecting between school and home settings. Incorporating this feature would expand the app’s usability and convenience for students and parents alike.

Student Progress

The Pocket Phonics app tracks student skills and progress in the teacher account on the Apps In My Pocket website. Adults can see specific data on how well their student/child is performing and where they may need additional instruction and practice. This data tracking system provides helpful information and is relatively easy to navigate. 

Instructions

The app repeats instructions every few seconds, which can be demanding and causes unnecessary interruptions. Instead, there should be an option for users to request repetition when needed. This would allow for quiet thinking time when necessary and repetition as the player is ready for it. 

Furthermore, sometimes instructions are provided in written form but are not shared audibly. For instance, instructions on shaking the iPad to erase answers should be accompanied by spoken prompts to ensure new readers know the user settings in the games. Incorporating verbal instructions alongside written ones would enhance clarity and usability for all users.

Pocket Phonics User Engagement

These factors influence the engagement of new readers playing the Pocket Phonics app. 

Instructor Voice

The Pocket Phonics app uses a monotone robotic voice for instructions. This voice may not engage young learners well. Additionally, the audio quality varies, with some recordings sounding unclear or as if they were recorded in a tunnel. This inconsistent quality can detract from the overall learning experience for children using the app.

Rewards

Players receive words of encouragement and are rewarded with coins in the app. Upon completing activities, kids receive a score out of 3 stars based on their performance, providing positive reinforcement and valuable feedback. These rewards serve to motivate users without detracting from their overall gaming experience.

Visuals

The visuals in the app appear somewhat outdated and lack animation, which can pose challenges when illustrating more complex word meanings. While simple nouns can be adequately represented, more difficult words like “it” become complicated and potentially misleading due to the simplicity of the graphics. Updating the animations could more effectively demonstrate verbs and improve player engagement. 

The word associated with this visual is ‘it’

Learning to Read With Pocket Phonics

These factors contribute to the overall quality of literacy instruction in Pocket Phonics. 

Letter Learning

Pocket Phonics provides accurate and clear instruction on letter sounds. Users can choose between US or UK accents. The app emphasizes letter sounds and letter formation (printing) practice through repetition. 

Pocket Phonics offers clear and simple instructions on letter formation and gives practical feedback to learners. The app could improve on letter formation practice by including a verbal path for letter formation. These are consistent verbal directions that can be given as children learn and practice new letter formations. 

Pocket Phonics teaches letter formation clearly and accurately

Letter Names

One notable drawback is the app’s stance against teaching letter names alongside letter sounds. The free literacy learning guide from Pocket Phonics states, “If a system teaches letter names and letter sounds together, this can often be a sign that it doesn’t follow other principles of synthetic phonics.” This is inaccurate information. There is debate among reading educators about whether to teach letter names or letter sounds first. Research suggests that teaching letter names alongside letter sounds is valuable — children’s knowledge of both is important!

That said, you can adjust the app’s settings to include letter names. Including letter names also makes the app’s instructions grammatically correct. It’s confusing and grammatically incorrect when the app says “/s/ say /s/” only using the letter sounds. 

Pocket Phonics discourages letter name learning at the same time as letter sound learning

Type of Phonics Instruction 

The Pocket Phonics app uses individual letter sounds to teach children to read and spell words. This type of phonics, “synthetic phonics,” refers to the synthesis of combining individual speech sounds. Some research points to synthetic phonics as the most efficient and effective method of teaching children to read words. 

Furthermore, phonics skills are taught sequentially and systematically. This means that children are first taught the simplest phonics skills and patterns and these skills slowly increase in difficulty with practice. Using synthetic phonics sequentially and systematically is an asset to the literacy instruction in the Pocket Phonics app. 

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness refers to the manipulation of speech sounds in language. Pocket Phonics models blending and segmenting to help kids read and spell words. This is an effective literacy practice. While new learners observe these skills in practice, they’re not often asked to actively practice these skills themselves. 

Phoneme blending is a skill that’s necessary when learning to read. Pocket Phonics does a great job of modeling final blending in its gameplay. It would be helpful if Pocket Phonics also included modeling of continuous blending, which is the easiest method of blending to use when learning to read words. 

The Pocket Phonics method of teaching word building (reading and spelling)

Type of Texts

There are 43 decodable books in the Pocket Phonics app. Decodable books include words that children have been explicitly taught how to sound out and read. These types of texts discourage word guessing and promote decoding skills which are recommended for new readers. 

When reading these texts, there are three options to choose from:

  1. Read to Self: A child attempts to read the words and sentences themselves. If a child is stuck on a word they can tap the word and a model of how to sound out the word is shared. 
  2. Read Aloud: A child can choose to have the story read out loud to them. Unfortunately, the story is read to the child in a dysfluent and robotic voice. This is not recommended as it sidesteps the important practice children need in sentence-level reading. It doesn’t model fluent reading. 
  3. Voice Detection: In this option, the app tracks the words the child reads out loud. Unfortunately, this option is not very accurate and adult supervision is recommended to ensure children are reading accurately. 

Difficult words in these texts are presented in red. However, these texts include words that readers haven’t been explicitly taught yet. Tapping on these words reveals what the word is, however, an explanation of how the word is irregular is not included. Furthermore, some of the books have many difficult words which defeats the purpose of having decodable texts in the first place. 

Finally, comprehension of texts is not included in the decodable books. Adding comprehension questions to the books would be valuable for getting kids to think about the story.

Many words in this decodable text are difficult for a new reader

Pros and Cons of the ABC Pocket Phonics App

It’s generally easy to sign up and navigate the Pocket Phonics app. Many customizable settings within the app allow it to be more approachable to new readers. Student progress is shared with involved adults who can pinpoint areas in which their new reader needs extra support. Connecting usability between school and home—plus easier app access to the players’ starting point—could improve the app. 

The Pocket Phonics app does many things well when it comes to literacy instruction. It uses the evidence-based synthetic approach to word reading and spelling. It also models phonemic awareness skills such as blending sounds to read words and segmenting words for spelling. The letter sounds are accurate and represented, as are the letter formation (printing) activities. 

ABC Pocket Phonics could improve the quality of literacy instruction by encouraging letter name learning, modeling continuous blending of phonemes, and increasing the decodability and fluency in their storybooks. 

Interested in learning about other literacy apps? Explore other phonics program reviews on the phonics.org website today. 

ABC Pocket Phonics Rating

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3  / 5

Usability: 3.5 / 5

Engagement:  3 / 5

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