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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:

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.
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.
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

Wonster Words App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on August 22, 2024

Worn-Out Word Instruction That’s Not Worthwhile

Wonster Words is an educational app designed for children ages 2 and up. Cute, animated monster characters in the app guide children through various games designed to build literacy skills. The app focuses on teaching pre-reading and early literacy skills including:

Letter identification
Letter names
Letter sounds
Building vocabulary skills

Continue reading to see what a reading specialist shares about the quality of this app for literacy instruction.

Is Wonster Words Easy to Use?

There are pros and cons to the overall usability of this app for kids. The following factors contribute to the ease of use as well as the user experience of the Wonster Words app.

App Navigation

The sign-up process for Wonster Words is straightforward and user-friendly. The app offers a 7-day free trial followed by a subscription fee. The app allows for the easy addition of multiple players under the same email account, which is convenient for educators or families with more than one learner. The main menu of the app is categorized by game type and is well-organized which makes it easy to navigate the app. A player can easily exit any game at any time by tapping the back button at the top left of any screen.

*The main menu in the Wonster Words app*

Game Settings

The app provides clear instructions in American English. These instructions can be repeated on demand in any game, making it easy for young learners to follow along. Parents have the option to turn off the background music, which is advisable as it can be distracting. However, it’s worth noting that while the music can be disabled in the general menu, it remains active during mini-games. Some children, particularly those with auditory processing difficulties, may find this to be an ongoing distraction from learning.

Player Engagement in Wonster Words

The following factors contribute to a child’s engagement while playing the Wonster Words app.

Rewards

The Wonster Words app primarily uses intrinsic motivation to engage learners, which is ideal. Characters offer words of praise to encourage kids to keep playing and there are no elaborate material rewards to distract from the process of learning.

Gameplay

There are various game types and themes that are visually appealing in the Wonster Words app. These games feature cute characters that capture children’s attention. Instructions are easy to follow and provide helpful clues so that young players don’t get stuck, encouraging independent gameplay. This design ensures that children can maintain their attention and successfully complete the games.

However, Wonster Words does not start teaching easier concepts before building to more complex ones. Any game can be played at any time in the app. Therefore, many of the games in the app would be challenging for a new reader to understand and apply. There needs to be more structure—ideally, a reliable scope and sequence.

Quality of Literacy Learning in Wonster Words

Let’s consider the main success and downfall of phonics instruction in the Wonster Words app.

Sequential Learning

Literacy experts advocate for sequential learning. This means that basic phonics concepts are introduced first and gradually build towards more complex ideas. Wonster Words incorporates a bit of this approach in its “Words” mini-game, which begins with simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words like “hop” before advancing to more phonetically complex words like “beach.”

However, this sequential structure is not consistently applied throughout the app. Other games may start with more complex words from the outset. Additionally, all games are accessible at any time without a required order and there is no publicly-available phonics plan or scope and sequence for Wonster Words. This suggests that it does not follow a structured phonics progression, which could be detrimental to children’s literacy development.

Letter Sounds

Multiple games in the Wonster Words app focus on teaching or practicing letter sounds. In the “Letter Sound” game, the letter sounds are generally represented clearly and accurately for an American English accent.

Unfortunately, the representation of letter sounds breaks down in the “Early Phonics” and most other mini-games. A common game in the app is to start with a word that the player needs to find or collect letters to ‘build’ the given word. Most of the chosen words in the game would be very difficult for a new reader to build on their own.

For example, the first word, ‘acrobat’ has three syllables. As the letters are found by the player and ‘held’, the letter makes its sound. The issue is that most of the sounds are not entirely accurate and have another sound or ‘schwa’ added to them. For example, the letter <T> makes ‘ti ti ti ti ti’ sounds when it should simply sound like /t/. When children learn letter sounds inaccurately like this, it can cause difficulties with reading and spelling later on.

*New readers are expected to build complex polysyllabic words like ‘acrobat’*

Confusingly, the consonant blends in the game are treated as one unit with the letters moving as a whole connected chunk. This is unhelpful as consonant blends have two sounds and should be treated as such.

On occasion, an entirely incorrect sound is given for the letter in the word. For example, the <G> in the word ‘giftwrap’ has a /j/ sound (also, gift wrap should be two separate words). Again, learning letter sounds inaccurately can hinder a child’s literacy development, so these mistakes in the app are significant and worth mentioning.

*There are many phonics errors in the mini-games in Wonster Words*

Phonemic Awareness

Wonster Words lacks direct instruction in phonemic awareness, which is crucial for developing early reading skills. Essential phonemic awareness skills, such as blending sounds to read a word and segmenting sounds to spell a word, are not specifically targeted by the app.

While the app does name the letters in the correct order when a word is successfully built, this feature is less effective than practicing blending sounds together to read words, which is a more critical component for early readers.

Digital Books

Wonster Words includes a books section including these categories of texts:

Wonster Books
Songs
Introductory Books
Level A

The app offers the option to the child to read the books themselves or have them read aloud. If new readers are interested in these books they would likely not have much luck reading the books to themselves. This is because the books are not decodable. Decodable books contain sounds and words that children are familiar with and can sound out on their own.

The books in Wonster Words contain many phonetically challenging words that are not taught in the app and that any new reader would have difficulty reading. These books are not suitable for beginning readers as they are not decodable. Decodable books have words that have been previously learned and practiced.

While the books are decent for listening, they do not stand out as exceptional in terms of supporting early reading skills like decoding (word-reading).

Should I Let My Child Play Wonster Words?

The Wonster Words app offers a visually appealing and user-friendly platform for young children to engage in early literacy activities. While the app’s cute characters and engaging games can capture kids’ attention and provide some valuable literacy practice, it falls short in several key areas.

The app’s inconsistent phonics progression and inaccurate representation of letter sounds could impede effective literacy learning. Additionally, the lack of focused phonemic awareness instruction and the use of non-decodable books limit its effectiveness for beginning readers. Although the app is easy to navigate and provides a fun learning environment, it may not be the most reliable tool for building foundational reading skills.

For a more comprehensive literacy experience, explore other phonics apps for your child from our expert reviews at phonics.org.

Wonster Words App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 2 / 5

Usability: 4 / 5

Engagement: 3 / 5

Mrs. Wordsmith: Readiculous App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on July 30, 2024

Looking for effective ways to boost literacy skills? Exploring reviews on phonics.org can provide valuable insights to enhance your child or student’s educational journey.

Continue reading this review to see more details of the Readiculous app.

What is Readiculous?

Readiculous is a literacy app developed by the brand Mrs. Wordsmith in conjunction with animator Craig Kellman. The app is intended for children ages 3-7 to learn foundational literacy skills.

The Readiculous app emphasizes the science of reading in its literacy instruction, ensuring a research-backed approach to learning. Each account supports up to four users, with a 7-day free trial period before transitioning to a paid subscription model. The app encourages daily engagement with recommended 10-minute sessions and offers an ad-free environment for uninterrupted learning.

Is Readiculous Easy to Use?

The following factors impact the ease of use in the Readiculous app.

Navigation and Gameplay

Readiculous offers user-friendly navigation and accessible gameplay designed to cater to young learners. Users can select between U.S. or U.K. accents for language options during the simple setup process. Three simple placement questions easily determine where a child should begin in the sequence of lessons.

*Readiculous uses simple placement questions for new players*

Each character featured in Readiculous has their own personalized map complete with unique background, music, and games. The characters follow straightforward paths easily followed by young players. This map provides a sense of progress and accomplishment for the players.

*Sequential lessons are completed step-by-step in the main area of Readiculous*

Accessibility

Readiculous prioritizes accessibility with games that are intuitively designed and easy for young players to learn. However, a notable limitation is the inability to repeat instructions within the games, which may frustrate some users who need clarification or miss the initial instructions. This aspect could be improved to enhance user experience and reduce frustration during gameplay.

Another accessibility concern is related to sound effects customization. While some sound effects can be disabled, not all can be muted. This can pose challenges for children with attention, focus, auditory processing issues, or hearing concerns, as they may find certain sounds distracting or overwhelming. Providing more comprehensive options to adjust or silence all sound effects would be useful.

Engagement in the Readiculous App

There are several factors that contribute to the engagement within the Readiculous app.

Visual Appeal

Readiculous excels in visual appeal, captivating young learners with its charming animations and adorable characters. Animator Craig Kellman designed the characters, who have a humorous and unique charm in the games. The characters have well-thought-out personalities and preferences which can further draw children deeper into the game. The music also adds to the engaging atmosphere, providing a lively backdrop to the learning experience.

Gameplay Rewards

Readiculous gives players a variety of engaging rewards that complement its educational focus without detracting from learning objectives. Children are celebrated with cheers, confetti, and verbal praise. Short videos that feature cute characters engaged in activities together also serve as motivational rewards.

Players can also earn coins, adding a tangible element to their achievements within the app. Readiculous has a nice balance of external rewards without taking away from the learning goals of the app.

Engagement With Games

Readiculous features a range of games that cater to young players. Some games may lack variety such as popping bubbles only to hear one reaction sound. Other games leverage texting interactions to enhance gameplay appeal.

The app contains mainly passive participation where children tap or observe the information. However, there are opportunities for more active engagement, such as accurately rebuilding words from scattered letters. Incorporating more activities that require active participation could further enhance the learning experience, providing opportunities for hands-on practice and reinforcing literacy skills in a dynamic way.

Learning to Read With Readiculous

These factors contribute to the quality of literacy learning within the Readiculous app.

Direct and Explicit Instruction

Readiculous uses direct and explicit instruction in letter learning, a method highly endorsed by reading experts for teaching children to read words effectively.

The app provides very clear descriptions of letter names in both upper and lower case, along with their associated sounds, demonstrating a good example of direct instruction. The instructions are clear, concise, and straight to the point, ensuring that young learners can grasp foundational reading skills with clarity and confidence. This approach supports a solid educational foundation and enhances the learning experience within the app.

Sequential Learning

Readiculous emphasizes sequential learning with a clear order of phonics skills, following a structured approach. This means that once children learn letter sounds, they practice blending these sounds to read words. Then, more sounds are introduced and as they practice reading. This methodical progression is beneficial for children’s literacy development, ensuring a systematic buildup of skills.

To enhance transparency and support for parents and teachers, it would be helpful if Readiculous shared the sequence of phonics skills more explicitly. This would allow caregivers to understand what their child has already learned and practiced, as well as what they will be learning next. Providing this information can facilitate better support at home and in educational settings.

Letter Names and Letter Sounds

The Readiculous app clearly and directly teaches children letter names and their represented sounds. The sounds are generally clear and accurate without the addition of a schwa sound.

Letter sound learning is taught using a Paired-Associate Learning technique where players tap the grapheme (letter) and the phoneme (speech sound) is repeated. This repetition is helpful for learning letter-sound associations, a foundation for learning to read.

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is the manipulation of speech sounds. These skills are essential for learning to read. In Readiculous, children begin blending letter sounds to form words soon after learning some letter-sound correspondences. This phoneme blending is an important phonemic awareness skill to master for early readers.

However, the app focuses on introducing final blending. This involves saying one sound after another and then blending them together at the end. It is easier to learn to blend sounds using continuous blending, which involves holding a sound and seamlessly blending it into the next without pausing. Incorporating this type of phoneme blending in Readiculous would make learning more accessible for more children.

Readiculous models phoneme blending by showing a word and having the player tap each letter in the word. As they tap, the sound of the letter is stated at the same time as a ‘ding!’ sound. Unfortunately, the ding sound inserted into the most important sound aspect of the game is problematic. The additional sound is not part of the word and is distracting. It is best to only have the sound of the letter in this type of instruction.

*This decoding activity is almost great, but is disrupted by ‘dings’ with the letter sounds*

Word Building

Once individual words are read, the letters scatter and the player needs to rebuild the word. Readiculous does a great job of connecting letters together that represent the same sound. For instance, the <oo> in ‘book’ are moved into place together as they represent one sound. The Elkonin boxes in the game effectively support word-building skills for children.

Practice with manipulating individual speech sounds to read and spell words is a part of synthetic phonics. The synthetic phonics approach in Readiculous has shown to be the most effective type of phonics for teaching children to read and spell.

Does the Readiculous App Work for Reading Instruction?

Overall, Readiculous has a ridiculously well-designed app that is easy to navigate and learn to use. Readiculous also excels in engagement with incredible animations and well-planned reward systems. Improvements could be made by increasing the active participation in some of the games or creating more variety such as in the letter-sound bubble game.

The quality of literacy instruction in Readiculous is good!. The app effectively uses recommended teaching approaches such as direct instruction and following a progressive sequence of phonics skills. The app also models important phonemic awareness skills such as phoneme blending.

This shows children how to sound out a word. Unfortunately, the app fumbles with the execution of this incredibly important aspect by adding a ‘ding!’ to the letters while children are trying to learn to carefully attend to the sounds. Including models of continuous blending would also better support instruction in this skill.

While the Readiculous app is not a comprehensive approach to all aspects of literacy learning, the app actually does a good job of teaching letter sounds, building phonemic awareness skills, and showing children how to decode single words. This is done in an easy-to-use and engaging way.

Want to read more reviews of learning apps? Check out the reviews at phonics.org where we share educational opinions on the popular programs today!

Readiculous App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 4 / 5

Usability: 4.5 / 5

Engagement: 4 / 5

ABC Ride Review

Jaymi Thiessen on July 13, 2024

Pedaling Through the ABCs

Make screen time count with quality literacy apps! Read about which apps are actually worth your time and money with reviews at phonics.org.

In this review, we take a look at the ABC Ride app and its features.

What is ABC Ride?

In this fun learning app, students join Beck and Bo on a bicycle ride with ABC Ride by Avokiddo. As Beck and Bo ride a bike through the game, they make stops to practice learning a new letter name or letter sound. This app is designed for children from ages 3-7 to support literacy learning. ABC Ride is not a comprehensive reading program. Rather, the app focuses on practice with letter names and letter sounds with short engaging activities for new readers.

Is ABC Ride Easy to Use?

Overall, ABC Ride is fairly easy to set up and play. Refer to these recommended settings to get the most out of the app.

Navigation and Gameplay

The user navigation in ABC Ride is straightforward and accessible, requiring no login or sign-ups to get started. It’s designed to be intuitive, making it easy for young children to understand and enjoy. Users have direct control over animated characters and their bicycle movements, allowing them to participate in interactive games.

The app, however, lacks an option for children to repeat instructions when needed, which would be a helpful feature. Overall, the app’s user-friendly and straightforward setup enhances the ease of play.

Game Settings

Several settings in ABC Ride can be adjusted based on a child’s learning needs or parental preferences. The option to easily adjust these settings enhances the usability of the app. This customization feature is a plus.

Here are some recommendations for setting up the app to optimize your child’s experience.

Letter Type: Adults can choose between practice with uppercase and lowercase letters. If your child is just getting started with learning letters, choose the lowercase option, as these are more commonly used and seen in kids’ books.
Letter Sound: Select “Phonic” for letter sounds unless your child is already proficient in letter sound knowledge, in which case choose “Name”.
English Spelling: There is a choice between American and British spelling. However, changing the spelling preference does not change the accent in the app, so this app isn’t really appropriate for children with British English accents anyway.
Narration Hints: Keep this setting on for additional guidance during gameplay.
Word Spelling and Shuffle Dropped Letters: Choose settings based on your child’s preference; this aspect of the game has little impact on literacy learning.
Background Music: Turn this off if your child doesn’t enjoy the music, experiences auditory processing issues, or has difficulties with focus and attention.

Is the ABC Ride App Fun to Play?

New readers will likely find ABC Ride an enjoyable and engaging playing experience for a short time.

Rewards

Rewards in the ABC Ride app include cheering and positive feedback from the narrator such as, “That’s excellent!” or “Awesome!”. Players can also collect stars while ‘riding’ their bicycle. While the stars don’t do anything else in the app, they’re fun to collect and they don’t distract from learning.

Gameplay

Letter activities in the ABC Ride app are intuitive and straightforward to play. They’re well-designed and developmentally appropriate for the intended young audience. The games are engaging yet not too lengthy. The activities are consistent which is great for building kids’ confidence—they know what to expect and how to navigate the app. However, over time, repetitive gameplay may lose some children’s interest.

Appearance

The ABC Ride app features a simple, clear design with cute and visually appealing elements. It includes charming sound effects and music that enhance the player’s experience. While the animated characters are cute, adding more diverse character options would enrich the app’s appeal and inclusivity.

*Beck and Bo are the characters in ABC Ride*

Literacy Learning With ABC Ride

Let’s look more closely at the literacy components in the ABC Ride app.

Sequential Learning

Literacy experts recommend teaching with a planned and intentional sequence of letter-sound correspondences. For example, it makes sense to teach the letter sounds for the letter <M> before the letter <R> as it is easier to pronounce and is a commonly used letter.

ABC Ride has three options for the order of letter sound instruction:

Alphabetical Order
Random Order
Specific Letter Choice

This presentation of choices is a great feature of the app. Ideally, a grown-up who guides their child in this app would have a scope and sequence of letter sounds to follow. Unfortunately, the app won’t let adults choose the order of all the letters. They can only choose one at a time. While the default options—alphabetical and random—are adequate, allowing for more tailored letter-learning sequences would further enhance the app’s educational value.

*Alphabet learning options for ABC Ride*

Letter Learning

Learning letter names and sounds is foundational to learning to read and spell. The focus of developing these skills is a valuable goal for ABC Ride. Letter sounds are introduced using an American English accent in a clear and mostly accurate way. The letter sounds for /f/ and /h/ are slightly inaccurate with an additional schwa sound added on.

The app begins each letter introduction with a “sound story,” a brief narrative that incorporates words starting with the same sound. These alliterative sound stories enhance phonemic awareness skills. While there is some direct instruction, there could be more explicit direction in this area.

One area where the app could improve is incorporating letter formation alongside letter names and sounds, a straightforward enhancement that would benefit children’s learning experience.

Spelling

Each alphabet activity starts with a sound story, a bit of practice with a keyword associated with that letter sound, and ends with a ‘word spelling’ activity. In this activity, a keyword for the letter sound is presented and then the letters that make up this word fall down. The player’s job is to recreate the word by matching the fallen letters with the remaining outline of the letter. When the player taps a letter to put it back in its spot, the letter sound is repeated.

This spelling activity falls short of the intended purpose for a few reasons. First, the chosen keywords are phonetically random. Usually, children learn to read and spell CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words like ‘cat’ or ‘tap’ before more phonetically complex words. Instead of choosing a word like “kid” for the letter <K> the word ‘kangaroo’ is used. This is a tricky word to spell for beginning learners!

*Phonetically challenging words are chosen for new learners to ‘spell’*

The additional concern with the word spelling activity is that the letter sounds do not match the key word. For example, ‘kangaroo’ ends with the /oo/ sound. Ideally, children would tap and drag the two <o> letters as one unit and hear the sound /oo/. Instead, the letters are meant to be dragged individually and each make the short /o/ sound like the first sound in ‘octopus’. This disconnect between letter sounds and word pronunciation undermines the effectiveness of the spelling exercise.

Parents can choose whether to keep this activity in the game or not. The game could be potentially kept as a letter matching exercise, but there is a good chance it would confuse new spellers with the inconsistent letter sounds being used.

Is ABC Ride a Good Literacy App?

ABC Ride excels in usability and engagement of new readers. Getting started with the app is seamless and the settings can be adjusted to suit different learning needs. The audio and visual components of the app are engaging and cute for young children and the games are easily playable with a reasonable amount of positive reinforcement. Overall, the app is simple and straightforward even for younger players.

The literacy goals of letter sound learning in the app are important for building a literacy foundation for children. The letter names and sounds are generally clear and accurate, and the practice activities are developmentally appropriate.

Finally, while the options to alter the order of letter learning are available, they could be enhanced by setting up all letters in a preferred sequence. Adding letter formation practice would also add to the literacy skills available in the app. Finally, there are multiple concerns with the ‘word spelling’ activity. Fortunately, this part of the game can be turned off in the adjustable settings.

Want more reviews of fun literacy apps? Check out the phonics.org page where we share expert observations of the most popular learning games!

ABC Ride App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3 / 5

Usability: 4 / 5

Engagement: 4 / 5

Most Popular Home Phonics Programs for Kids

phonicsorg on July 12, 2024

Phonics instruction sets the stage for your child to thrive as a reader and learner. In early literacy development, children build the necessary skills they need to decode unfamiliar words and start reading independently. As a parent, your involvement in your child’s phonics instruction at home can significantly impact their progress!

Whether your child is beginning to learn phonics at school, needs some extra help at home, or is homeschooled, choosing an at-home phonics program can be hard. There are certain features you should look for: skills progression, practice, and fun. Let’s look at some of the most popular home phonics programs and see whether or not they’re good options to support your child’s reading journey.

What is a Good Phonics Program?

Effective phonics programs are rooted in the science of reading which recommends a systematic and explicit instruction method. This means the program will teach phonics rules in a logical sequence, from the easiest to the most complex. It will also include:

Ongoing review of previously learned concepts
Opportunities to apply new skills to real reading practice
Engaging and fun learning activities
Resources for parents to help guide the child through the program

A systematic scope and sequence help kids learn the skills progressively without overlooking any essential concepts. Explicit (meaning direct) teaching helps them learn accurate letter-sound correspondences, which is the foundation of reading.

Well-Known Phonics Programs for Kids at Home

There are several popular at-home phonics programs in the U.S. Let’s look at five of these programs and consider the pros and cons, weighing their different features and specific approaches to phonics instruction.

1. Hooked on Phonics

Hooked on Phonics is one of the most well-known English phonics programs. A lot of teachers have approved of the program for phonics education because it progressively introduces letter sounds, phonics rules, and blending skills for children ages 3-8. It also contains materials including workbooks, readers, digital games, and interactive lessons.

Pros:

Engaging content
Mix of online and offline activities
Well-known program since the 1980s
Trusted by teachers and parents

Cons:

Some find the digital elements outdated and distracting
Content could be updated to align with the latest reading research
Has a reputation for questionable advertising

There are many stories of Hooked on Phonics improving kids’ early reading skills. Many experts also praise its systematic approach and parent-friendly design.

2. Phonics Hero

Phonics Hero is an engaging literacy program for children ages 4-7. It offers instruction on letter sounds, word reading, sentence reading, spelling, and vocabulary. Phonics Hero uses a synthetic phonics approach with a clear, systematic sequence that is clear to follow. The program features fun cartoon characters and a gamified reward system to keep children engaged. While it provides plenty of practice opportunities for kids to master sound-letter correspondences and read decodable texts, it has some limitations.

Pros:

Provides plenty of practice opportunities on letter-sound correspondence
Includes decodable texts
Uses a synthetic, effective instruction approach

Cons:

Lacks instruction on alphabetical letter names
Limited phonemic awareness practice
Limited blending practice

Despite its drawbacks, Phonics Hero can be an effective tool when supplemented with additional instruction from a knowledgeable teacher or adult.

3. All About Reading

All About Reading is a phonics program based on the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading. The program provides explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension for kids 4-5 years old. Primary features of the program include hands-on learning activities, decodable books, and customizable lesson plans.

Pros:

Systematic and structured approach to teaching reading skills
Multi-sensory educational techniques
Guided instruction for parents and teachers to deliver lessons

Cons:

More expensive than other programs
Time-consuming for parents
Limited online or digital resources

4. Explode the Code

Explode the Code is a workbook-based program for phonics and spelling. It uses a systematic approach to teach sound-symbol relationships, blending, and word structure. It contains engaging illustrations, a variety of exercises, and a cumulative review. Suitable for ages 4-11, lessons are mostly self-paced. It focuses on decoding skills and its structured approach also emphasizes writing skills in addition to reading.

Pros:

Strong emphasis on phonics instruction for decoding skills
Breaks down skills into specific steps
Affordable option for a phonics program

Cons:

Some activities may be repetitive and lack engagement
Scope and sequence might not align with standards
Limited digital resources since it’s primarily workbook-based

5. Logic of English

Logic of English uses a structured literacy approach, teaching phonics alongside spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. It uses explicit instruction to explain the logic behind English spelling and reading rules. Some of its features include hands-on phonogram cards, workbooks, and readers.

Designed for ages 4 and up, lessons are highly adaptable. Pros include thorough explanations and application to spelling. The main con is its complexity for some learners. Research supports its effectiveness, with experts praising its holistic approach to language instruction and suitability for diverse learners.

Pros:

Emphasizes phonics and spelling for strong literacy skills
Covers a large variety of language arts topics
Activities are engaging and interactive for all ages

Cons:

Higher cost than other programs
Time-consuming; requires student and instructor dedication
Steep learning curve for parents with no instructional background

Support Your Child’s Phonics Learning at Home

To reinforce your child’s phonics skills, consider these practical activities you can do with them at home.

Phonics Games and Activities

Incorporate fun, interactive games into your daily routine to reinforce phonics skills. Letter hunts encourage children to identify letter sounds in their environment while rhyming contests develop phonological awareness. Word-building games using magnetic letters provide hands-on practice in manipulating sounds and forming words, making learning both engaging and memorable.

Environmental Print

Leverage (or create) a text-rich setting around you to support phonics learning. Point out letters and sounds on street signs, food packaging, and household items. This approach helps children understand the real-world application of their phonics skills and reinforces learning in everyday contexts, making the connection between abstract concepts and practical use.

Exemplify Reading for Pleasure

Foster a love for reading by providing a diverse selection of books at your child’s reading level. Initiate read-aloud sessions to model fluent reading and expose your kids to new vocabulary words and interesting stories. This practice reinforces phonics skills while developing comprehension and a positive attitude towards reading.

Collaborate With Teachers

If your child attends a classroom, try to communicate with their teachers. Ask how you can align a home practice with classroom lessons. Stay updated on the current focus areas and ways to support your child’s practice at home. This collaboration encourages consistency and allows you to provide more phonics support.

Explore Phonics Program Ratings from Literacy Professionals

With so many phonics programs available today, it can be confusing to choose which one to use at home with your kids. Phonics.org recommends programs that deliver evidence-based instruction and that facilitate an interactive experience where parents are actively involved in the learning process.

To stay up to date on the latest (and most helpful) phonics programs for kids, follow our Phonics.org reviews page. Every week, we provide thorough ratings and detailed overviews of all the English phonics apps on the market today.

Flocabulary Review: A Fun, Musical Literacy App

Jaymi Thiessen on July 5, 2024

Captivating Raps Fill Vocabulary Gaps

Curious about what experts truly think about online learning platforms? See this review of Flocabulary and more at phonics.org.

What is Flocabulary?

Flocabulary is a Brooklyn-based educational website that has been operating since 2004. This site integrates educational content, hip-hop songs, and videos to build vocabulary, increase knowledge in American history, English, math, and science. Tens of thousands of schools have tried Flocabulary. The goal of Flocabulary isn’t to teach basic reading skills but to develop and improve content- area knowledge and overall vocabulary.

Keep reading for a breakdown of what Flocabulary has to offer in terms of ease of use, engagement, and quality of literacy education. This review focuses on the literacy components of the Flocabulary website.

Is Flocabulary Easy to Use?

Flocabulary’s website design and organization are intuitive and easy to learn for educators and students.

Website Organization

Flocabulary offers a deep selection of online lessons with a variety of topics. Fortunately, lessons are easy to find and well- organized. They are systematically categorized by:

Main idea/topic
Subject area
Grade level
Curriculum outcomes

Lessons can be ‘favorited’ by teachers for quick access. Additionally, a user-friendly search bar facilitates quick access to specific resources, enhancing overall usability and organization.

Lesson Sequence

The website’s organized lesson sequence ensures predictability and ease of use for teachers and students. This consistency is a part of effective learning routines.

All lessons have the same sequence of activities:

Video: Provides direct instruction through music videos with engaging visuals.
Vocab Cards: Interactive cards with clear images and definitions representing key vocabulary from the video.
Vocab Game: Interactive maze activity reinforcing vocabulary through sentence completion.
Read & Respond: Multiple-choice questions to build comprehension.
Quiz: Additional multiple-choice questions to assess comprehension.
Lyric Lab: Creative activity where students write rap lyrics using learned vocabulary, supported by a rhyme generator and choice of beats.

Educators and students are not obligated to go through each section of the lesson. They can choose which parts of the lesson they engage with. Each part of the lesson is consistent, straightforward, and easy to understand.

How Engaging is Flocabulary?

These features contribute to user engagement and student experience while using Flocabulary.

Videos

The videos offer a fun and creative approach to direct instruction that engages students of all ages (and adults too). The topics of the videos are interesting and contain practical and useful knowledge. The videos feature catchy beats and lyrics, accompanied by beautiful and powerful visuals created by a team of artists.

There is also an option for educators to switch on discussion questions. The videos will intermittently pause and ask a discussion question. This encourages oral communication, collaboration amongst peers, and deepens understanding of important concepts. All of these aspects contribute to an engaging approach to learning.

*A ‘Discuss’ option can be toggled on to encourage communication between peers on content area topics*

Practice Methods

Flocabulary has multiple methods where students can practice their new learning and apply it actively and engagingly. For example, vocabulary games and writing lyrics allow students to actively participate in new learning in a creative way. A research study on Flocabulary states that “97% of educators are able to engage the ‘most challenging to engage students’ when using Flocabulary.”

*Games are enhanced with musical elements as students engage in answering questions*

Accessibility

Flocabulary is not designed as a primary tool for teaching children to read. However, it includes accessibility features such as Immersive Reader, which can be switched on within the site. This technology supports students with varying reading abilities by providing speech-to-text and text-to-speech capabilities. It’s especially beneficial for students who are learning to read or have learning disabilities, enabling them to access content despite reading challenges.

The speed of the video can also be controlled by the student. This allows students who need a slower introduction to new concepts to adapt the presentation of learning material to suit their specific learning needs.

Literacy Learning With Flocabulary

Does Flocabulary offer quality educational resources? Let’s discuss!

Direct Instruction

Direct instruction is recommended for effective literacy instruction, and Flocabulary incorporates this approach in a highly engaging manner through its videos. Much of the content in the videos effectively supports literacy outcomes, particularly in the area of comprehension.

Currently, the purpose of Flocabulary doesn’t include word reading or phonics instruction. This platform would be well- suited to this type of instruction and enhancing Flocabulary in this way could contribute to the world of early reading instruction. For example, a video on how to sound out a word or how to spell simple words would be helpful and likely effective in the learning format in Flocabulary. Currently, Flocabulary’s endorsement of balanced literacy—a method criticized for its ineffectiveness in teaching reading—may not fully optimize its potential for literacy instruction.

Vocabulary Development

The Simple View of Reading contains two important aspects that contribute to reading comprehension: decoding (word-reading) and language comprehension. Knowing the meaning of words is an incredibly important aspect of language comprehension that closely connects to reading comprehension. The hip-hop genre can represent a large variety and creative usage of words. By combining hip-hop and vocabulary instruction, Flocabulary makes a clever, logical, and fun connection between music and learning.

*Vocab Cards reinforce the meanings of important vocabulary words in the videos and songs*

When describing this synthesis, Flocabulary states: “Since the beginning, rapping has been educational by nature. When an MC grabs the microphone, it’s their chance to share knowledge and analyze experiences, or simply get creative with words. This is why the genre is such a powerful tool in the classroom.”

Through this, it’s easy to see how Flocabulary’s approach would support vocabulary building for students.

Writing in the Lyric Lab

The Lyric Lab is the last step in every lesson on Flocabulary. The Lyric Lab provides an engaging and enjoyable way for students to apply new learning and develop their writing skills. The activity is designed with scaffolding that supports learners’ progression. The rhyme generator button assists in creating rhymes for the last word of each line and is a nice touch for this part of the website. Additionally, there’s a feature prompting students to incorporate specific vocabulary words into their lyrics, with the website tracking their usage. A wide selection of beats allows students to enhance their lyrics; which brings their writing to life.

*The Lyric Lab provides scaffolded support on an engaging platform for students to write about content area topics*

Background and Content Area Knowledge

Flocabulary includes a current events category featuring “The Week in Rap” for grades 6-12 and “The Week in Rap Junior” for grades 3-5. These videos succinctly summarize American news and current events each week, which is an interesting addition to the platform. The weekly videos provide a quick and entertaining method for students to build background and general knowledge about the world, which enhances reading comprehension skills.

Is Flocabulary a Good Learning Tool for Students?

Flocabulary is a well-designed educational website that uses hip-hop music and engaging visuals to enhance vocabulary and content knowledge in various subjects. Its intuitive organization and lesson sequence make it easy for both educators and students to use. The platform’s videos, interactive vocabulary activities, and creative Lyric Lab contribute to an engaging and effective learning experience.

While Flocabulary excels in vocabulary development and comprehension, it isn’t intended to teach basic reading skills. However, it would be interesting to see the site implement this area of learning! Despite its room for improvement, Flocabulary’s unique approach successfully supports student engagement and learning across multiple disciplines.

Discover more educational reviews on Phonics.org and explore more literacy learning apps!

Flocabulary App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 4 / 5

Usability: 5 / 5

Engagement: 5 / 5

Poio App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on June 28, 2024

Fun and Engaging App Doesn’t Deliver on Reading Instruction

Not sure which literacy apps to use with your children or students? Read the reviews at phonics.org to learn which ones to try—and which ones to avoid.

Read on for an in-depth look at the Poio app for literacy instruction.

What is the Poio App?

Poio is a literacy app that introduces young learners (ages 3-8) to the world of reading through adorable letter bug characters known as ‘Readlings’. The Readlings enter and exit short levels through straws, and complete levels by collecting letter sounds and words for their storybook.

The goal of the game is to complete the entire Poio storybook by collecting and rebuilding each word in the fairytale. The CEO and founder of Poio, Daniel Senn, founded the Scandinavia-based company to help his own son learn to read. Poio claims that kids can teach themselves to read by playing with their literacy app.

Is the Poio App Easy to Use?

Which factors contribute to the ease of use of the Poio app? There are a few things you might want to know.

User Controls

In Poio, navigating through levels is easy as you navigate the island maps on the home page. Playing through the Readling characters is similarly a breeze with simple and intuitive touch controls. Even for young children, the game’s mechanics are intuitive and easy to grasp.

Parent Section

Signing up for the game and adding children to play is also a hassle-free process. Accessing the parent section is straightforward, requiring only the entry of the birth year. Notably, the parent section doesn’t include an option to share the skills of the new reader or choose a place to begin learning and playing. This would be a welcomed feature in future app updates.

User Engagement in Poio

These elements impact the overall engagement of the Poio app, for both parents and children.

Rewards

Poio inundates players with many options for external rewards, ranging from coins, crystals, trophies, and stars—as well as special letters, digital books, pages, presents, cages, confetti, and cheering.

While some rewards like coins and crystals are provided as in-app currency to purchase items for the Readlings home, the sheer abundance of rewards in this app can be overwhelming and distracting. The excessive variety of rewards detracts from the app’s core learning focus and may disrupt the learning experience for young users.

*Many external rewards are available in the Poio app*

Gameplay

Poio’s gameplay is a delightful blend of fun and learning. As the adorable Readling characters traverse from one ‘straw’ to the next, players guide them to collect letters, words, and rewards strewn along the way. The game incorporates clever letter association games, such as unlocking locks to free trapped Readlings.

Visually, the app is a treat! With beautiful aesthetics and clean animations that captivate and invite exploration, Poio offers an enchanting gameplay experience.

*Users practice matching the sound (key) to the lock (letter) in a clever method of practicing letter sounds*

Passive Participation

In Poio, active participation in literacy activities appears somewhat limited. While children are encouraged to guide the characters to collect letters and words, they aren’t prompted to actively engage in sound recall or phoneme blending—both of which are crucial aspects of literacy development.

Instead, children observe the sounds produced for them in the app and observe sound blending without being directly involved in the process. The emphasis on dragging characters to collect items may overshadow opportunities for children to actively participate in literacy tasks, which are important for developing literacy skills.

Literacy Learning With Poio

The following factors contribute to the quality of the ‘learning elements’ in the Poio app.

Direct and Explicit Instruction

Unlike the direct and explicit instruction method advocated by reading organizations and research, Poio takes a different approach by employing experiential and immersive learning techniques. While this approach may suit some children, it will not be effective for everyone.

Sequential Learning

Poio uses an immersive learning experience that may pose challenges for some children. The app introduces difficult words (including rarely-used phonics patterns and multisyllabic words) from the start. It presents these words without a gradual buildup of complexity.

Instead of a step-by-step progression, all sounds are presented at all once:

Short vowels
Long vowels
Diphthongs
Digraphs
Vowel teams

This overwhelming approach can strain kids’ working memory and may not suit new readers. Furthermore, the absence of a defined scope and sequence means that the app lacks a clear progression from simple to more complex words. The result is a phonetically random, confusing learning experience.

Letter Sounds

Poio’s approach to teaching letter sounds lacks clarity and consistency. While the app initially focuses on short vowel sounds, the associated practice words deviate from this pattern. For example, it introduces the word ‘troll’ after teaching the short ‘o’ sound.

The visual design of the letters in-app can also be confusing. When the characters touch letters, they can move and roll around. This, for example, can make it unclear if the letter is a /u/ or an /n/. Additionally, the font style has a lowercase <i> and uppercase <I> that look exactly the same, lacking a distinction between the two. These features can make learning some letter-sound correspondences more challenging for children.

*Letters aren’t always clearly represented in the Poio app – uppercase <E> has been pushed over and looks like an <m>*

Finally, letter sounds are sometimes unclear in the Poio app. The sounds for /l/ and /f/ are not entirely accurate. Plus, the ‘underwater’ letter sounds are even less clear.

The Poio app also has many sounds happening at the same time. For example, background music, effect sounds, character noises, and ‘munching’ noises occur at the same time while a letter sound is stated. Differentiating between all of these sounds is distracting and not ideal for early readers.

Phonemic Awareness

In Poio, phonemic awareness development seems to receive some attention through blending and segmenting practice during spelling sessions. Although children are not actively engaged in these tasks themselves, they have the opportunity to listen to the models provided, which can still contribute positively to their phonemic awareness skills.

While this level of engagement may not be as robust as interactive exercises where children actively blend and segment sounds, it nonetheless provides a foundational exposure to these essential skills. It’s better than no exposure at all.

*Word building in the Poio app supports phonemic awareness (blending and segmenting skills)*

The Fairytale Book

In Poio, the approach to the fairy tale book may not align with best practices in literacy instruction. Ideally, the books provided to new readers would be decodable. A decodable book matches the pre-taught letter sounds and phonics patterns to the text so children can decode (sound out) words and practice reading.

However, Poio uses a leveled text approach where the text features random phonics patterns. There is controversy and limited evidence for the effectiveness of leveled texts in early literacy development. Therefore, while the fairytale book in Poio may provide an enjoyable reading experience, it may not fully support the development of phonemic awareness and decoding skills that young readers need.

*The word choice in Poio is based on a book, not the word-reading ability of the new reader*

Letter Formation

Poio incorporates a charming approach to letter formation practice by unlocking locks with correct letter formations, which is a fun and interesting concept. This interactive activity provides an engaging way for children to practice forming letters correctly, adding an element of fun to the learning process. The mechanics of this feature are user-friendly, making it easy for children to participate and benefit from the practice.

Can Kids Teach Themselves to Read With the Poio App?

It’s unlikely that all children will be able to teach themselves to read with the Poio App.

The Poio app offers an engaging and visually appealing approach to literacy learning. Its user-friendly interface and charming characters make it accessible for young learners and their parents.

However, despite the entertaining gameplay, Poio falls short of delivering effective literacy instruction. The app lacks clarity and consistency in teaching letter sounds and phonics patterns.

Furthermore, the absence of a structured scope and sequence of skills and the use of a leveled text approach are not ideal for learning to read in English. Finally, while the app incorporates some phonemic awareness activities, its passive approach to teaching does not fully engage children in learning to spell and read words.

While the Poio app is easy to use and enjoyable to play, there’s room for improvement—especially regarding the overall quality of literacy instruction it provides.

Poio is one of many reading apps available today. Read about more effective phonics instruction programs and fun literacy apps for kids on the Phonics.org reviews page!

Poio App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 2 / 5

Usability: 4 / 5

Engagement: 3 / 5

Phonics Hero Review

Jaymi Thiessen on June 14, 2024

Literacy experts at Phonics.org explore different phonics and reading programs for kids. By sharing honest reviews, we hope you can make more informed choices about the educational tools you use with your beginner readers!

In this article, we share our Phonics Hero review and discuss the pros and cons of its approach to literacy instruction. Let’s dive in!

About the Phonics Hero App

Phonics Hero is an engaging literacy program designed for children ages 4 to 7. It offers instructional exercises for:

Letter sounds
Word reading
Sentence reading
Spelling skills
Vocabulary

Phonics Hero also provides valuable resources for parents and teachers. Examples include printable worksheets and a classroom dashboard for educators to track students’ progress and assign specific activities.

Read on to learn more about the quality of different components in the Phonics Hero program.

Getting Started With Phonics Hero

How does it work? Is it effective for kids? Let’s look at the usability and user interface of the Phonics Hero program.

Signing Up

The sign-up process is straightforward and easy for parents and teachers. Teachers have the option to select the preferred accent used in the app: English, American, or Australian. As learning to read and spell is sound-based, it is important to have the option to train students in their home dialect.

Logging In

The log-in process is also straightforward for a single child at home. However, the app presents log-in challenges in a classroom setting. Each child receives a unique username and password, unlike other apps that offer simpler methods like choosing a nickname or using picture passwords. This can be tricky for younger children in a classroom as they may require significant practice and support to log into the app independently.

Using Placement Tests and Teacher Choices

Teachers can choose whether new students complete a placement test that assigns them to a place in the learning sequence. Alternatively, they can select where the student should start. This level of customization empowers educators to scaffold learning and see that each student is appropriately challenged in their learning journey.

The teacher dashboard is exceptionally user-friendly. Teachers can easily manage student learning goals and access comprehensive feedback on student performance. Additionally, printable materials that align with the lessons are accessible to add extra practice.

Playing Phonics Hero Games

Gameplay determines engagement, which is important for learning. These factors contribute to the engagement aspect of the Phonics Hero platform.

Games and Activities

Phonics Hero games are not only entertaining but also varied. The navigation features make it easy for young players to explore and interact with the app independently.

Instructions for games are clear and can be repeated as many times as the player needs. This is a helpful feature for kids who may have difficulties with hearing, attention, or memory.

Phonics Hero also features an engaging, overarching story with interesting superhero characters and various missions for children to accomplish. This is a fun, interactive addition to the games.

*Fun characters and missions will likely catch the attention of young players*

Rewards

Children earn stars by completing academic tasks, which can then be used to purchase items in a store within the app. These items—represented as digital stickers—can be placed in a secret hideout. The reward system adds an extra layer of engagement and is implemented in a way that’s unlikely to significantly detract too much from learning time.

Loading Times

Each log-in, navigation, and transition to a new game creates additional loading times in the game where a child needs to wait. The wait times vary, but can disrupt the flow of learning and engagement.

Learning with Phonics Hero

Here are the main factors that contribute to the overall quality of literacy instruction in Phonics Hero.

Lesson Organization

The lesson organization in Phonics Hero follows a clear and logical scope and sequence that accommodates various accents and regions. This structure is well-communicated on the Phonics Hero website.

Each level presents a sequence of lessons that systematically progress through key literacy skills:

Know
Read
Spell
Camera Read
Camera Spell
Sentence Reading

Camera reading and spelling refers to commonly used irregular words in the English language such as the word ‘of.’ Within each lesson, multiple opportunities and games are provided to practice and reinforce each step of the learning process. This systematic approach ensures kids are learning key literacy skills with a logical and clear step-by-step method.

Letter Sounds

The Phonics Hero program teaches letter sounds clearly and accurately. Phonics Hero provides ample practice opportunities for mastering these sound-letter correspondences, contributing to effective skill reinforcement. Phonics Hero does not include letter formation (printing) as part of the lessons.

*There are many opportunities to practice letter sound correspondences in Phonics Hero*

Letter Names

The app makes the interesting choice of excluding letter names in its instruction. As deliberately explained in this blog post, “Unfortunately, many children are introduced to letter identification by well-meaning parents and grandparents even before school entry. Teaching letter names before sounds is far from helpful.”

If you’re a parent or grandparent reading this, don’t worry. Experts have found that learning letter names before sounds is not detrimental for your children. In fact, knowing letter names is very helpful when learning to read and spell. Phonics Hero would be a stronger reading program if it included letter names as well as letter sounds in the early lessons.

Type of Phonics

Phonics Hero employs a synthetic phonics approach, which is supported by research and considered the most logical method for teaching reading and spelling. This approach involves breaking down words into individual sounds or blending individual letter sounds to form words. Synthetic phonics is highly effective for developing word-reading skills.

Phonemic Awareness

Phonics Hero includes phonemic awareness practice in their program. Blending and segmenting skills are prioritized in the game. These are important skills for new readers to practice and know.

However, 3 meta-analyses of studies on this topic have shown that practicing these skills with letters doubles the effectiveness of the activity. Unfortunately, Phonics Hero focuses on mostly using these skills without letters. The Phonics Hero website suggests waiting until a child consistently segments and blends orally before introducing letters or letter-sound correspondences. In reality, this skill can be introduced concurrently (with letters).

Finally, Phonics Hero uses final blending as the only type of phoneme blending in the program. However, it’s typically easier for children to start blending with continuous blending. This strategy may need to be supplemented to get a student started before using the program.

Type of Texts

Phonics Hero uses decodable texts. These are texts where the sounds and words being taught and practiced are integrated into the reading material. Decodable books discourage “guesswork” and encourage accurate decoding skills. These texts also include phrases and sentences, providing a supportive scaffold for transitioning from word-reading to sentence reading.

Spelling

Phonics Hero implements effective spelling procedures, including some direct instruction on segmenting words into sounds with letters, which is beneficial. The use of chaining, where one letter is changed at a time to form a new word, is also an effective strategy for spelling instruction.

Phonics Hero uses boxes in the general shape of the letter to reinforce spelling. This is not a useful method of spelling instruction. The focus in early spelling instruction should be on the sounds in the word. Identifying the outer shape of the word does not help with learning to spell.

*Spell the word ‘hip’ – the books are meant to show the general outer shape of the correct letter*

There are also small errors in the “camera spelling” section. This spelling practice is mostly for irregular words that don’t entirely match the regular phonics patterns in English.

When a child makes an error in this spelling section the program provides the sounds for the word. Unfortunately, the sounds provided in the program don’t match the word. For example, the word ‘his’ has the sounds /h/, /i/ /s/; when the final sound in ‘his’ is a /z/ sound. Making these differences and exceptions clear to children helps them identify the irregular part of the word and they will be better able to read and spell the word accurately next time.

Quality of the Phonics Hero Platform

Phonics Hero has some useful and effective teaching methods that likely help children reinforce some foundational word-reading concepts. Synthetic phonics is used with a clear, systematic scope and sequence. Phonics Hero incorporates phonemic awareness practice in their program and uses decodable texts at the phrase and sentence level to support kids in building reading fluency. The characters are fun and engaging and the app is generally easy to use.

If I were a teacher or parent using this app with my child, I’d want to know that there are some important aspects of literacy instruction that are missing from the program:

Phonics Hero does not incorporate letter formation (printing) or letter names. Make sure to include this instruction on your own, as it is important knowledge for children to have.
The phonemic awareness practice in the app is rarely done with the letters (graphemes). Showing a child how to sound out a word from left to right with letters is going to be crucial practice in addition to the Phonics Hero program.
The blending skills modeled in this game are limited, so teaching continuous blending before a child gets started would be very helpful.

Overall, many features in the Phonics Hero serve as valuable resources for literacy instruction. The app can be effectively used with some key additions and guidance from a literate adult.

To consider other phonics programs, read more on the Phonics.org reviews page!

Phonics Hero Rating

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3.5 / 5

Usability: 3.5 / 5

Engagement: 4 / 5

How to Compare Phonics Reviews and Choose the Best Program

phonicsorg on June 7, 2024

If you’re a teacher or parent of young readers, you’ve likely faced the overwhelming number of educational programs and apps on the market today. How do you choose the best phonics program when teaching children how to read and write?

Because phonics instruction plays such a critical role in children’s literacy development, choosing which programs and apps to use with your students is not a decision to take lightly. There are several core aspects to consider when comparing your options. In this article, we explain the top criteria to review and how to compare them so you can make informed decisions.

Continue reading to learn from the literacy experts at Phonics.org! Plus, discover some helpful phonics apps and programs that we’ve thoroughly reviewed for you already.

Criteria to Follow When Reviewing Phonics Programs

Whether you’re reading reviews for your own online research or writing a phonics review to share educational feedback, a few criteria can help you gain a full picture of the program. These include effectiveness, user engagement, overall usability, and other factors that determine whether or not a program is proven to support children’s reading success.

Knowing what to look for can mitigate confusion. Here are some of the criteria we suggest.

Quality of Phonics Instruction

There are different types of phonics programs that use different instructional approaches. Mainly:

Synthetic phonics teaches children to correspond letters with individual sounds, and how to blend them in print to form words.
Analytic phonics focuses on analyzing whole words to identify phonetic patterns.
Embedded phonics uses context clues and implicit reading to teach concepts “as needed.”
Analogy phonics focuses on using word patterns and word families to create “analogies” for new concepts.

Synthetic phonics instruction is widely recognized for its efficacy in reading instruction. Synthetic phonics uses single speech sounds to teach word-reading and spelling. Studies that have compared the different types of phonics, over time, have found synthetic phonics to be the most effective method. When looking for a phonics program, a focus on synthetic instruction is key.

Similarly, when comparing phonics reviews, it’s helpful to look at the program’s scope and sequence—how concepts are introduced and built upon. Research shows that systematic phonics instruction significantly improves reading skills, especially for young learners and struggling readers.

Bottom line: check if the program is explicit, systematic, and involves teacher guidance. It should involve regular assessments to monitor student progress. Feedback from educators and parents who have used the program can also help you learn about the program’s scope and sequence.

Alignment With Evidence-Based Practices

Evidence-based literacy instruction includes methods that have been proven effective through the science of reading. To determine if a phonics program aligns with these practices, consider whether or not it’s based on instruction that is supported by research and shows measurable success in reading development.

Check if it follows a structured, systematic approach and includes regular learning assessments. Read program reviews from literacy specialists on websites like Phonics.org to see which ones follow these principles, providing structured, research-backed instruction to support children’s literacy development.

By choosing programs that align with evidence-based instruction, you prevent your students from learning faulty reading methods that could stunt their reading development or cause them to fall behind.

Level of User Engagement

Content engagement is crucial for young learners as it keeps them motivated and interested in the learning process. For a good level of engagement in a phonics program, it should include interactive activities, multimedia elements, fun lessons, structured pace, and digital apps that balance entertainment with educational challenges. Programs that incorporate games, songs, and hands-on exercises tend to be more engaging.

To experience the engagement level for yourself, see if the program offers free trials or demos. Observe how children interact with the content and whether they remain focused and enthusiastic. Feedback from other parents and educators can also provide insights into the program’s ability to captivate and maintain children’s interest.

Overall Usability of the Program

Usability in the context of phonics programs refers to how easy and intuitive the program is for children and adults to navigate. Features of usability include ease of use, clarity of instructions, accessibility options, troubleshooting, and customer support.

When reading phonics program reviews, pay attention to what people say about the overall experience. If it’s a phonics app, does it have a user-friendly interface, clear and concise instructions, and accessible features for learners? Is the app’s customer support helpful, difficult, or non-existent? Gather more feedback on usability by reading reviews from independent education sites, talking with educators, or by trying the program yourself to see how smoothly it operates in practice.

Feedback from Existing Phonics Program Reviews

Reading user reviews lets you consider people’s subjective experiences with the program and notice patterns of these experiences. To find authentic reviews, explore different reading organizations, parent forums, and teacher blogs. Look for detailed feedback that discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each program.

Assess these reviews to identify common themes, such as functionality, bugginess, quality of literacy instruction, affordability, and engagement. This will help you make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for your child’s or students’ needs.

Opportunities for Instructional Guidance

Effective phonics instruction requires ongoing support and professional development for teachers. Whether you’re a parent or educator, consider the level of adult guidance, program facilitator resources, and ongoing support provided by the app or program developer. This can help you deliver the educational activities effectively while engaging in your student’s literacy development.

Observations of Program Implementation

One of the best ways to evaluate a phonics program is to observe it in action. Look for opportunities to visit classrooms or schools where the program is being implemented. Download phonics apps and sign up for free trials of online programs so you can view the lessons for yourself.

Pay attention to how the lessons are structured, the level of engagement they provide from a child’s perspective, and the educator’s ability to effectively support the program’s instruction methods.

View the Latest Phonics Reviews at Phonics.org

Taking the time to read through different types of phonics program reviews is a necessary step in finding the right educational content to help students learn to read.

If you’re a parent, we hope these tips help you understand what to look for and what to stay away from so you can encourage your child to develop strong reading skills.

If you’re a teacher, we hope you not only benefit from reading phonics reviews but also feel encouraged to stay updated on the latest phonics programs and apps in development.

To stay up to date, join the community dedicated to improving literacy education at Phonics.org. Explore our latest phonics reviews, leave your own feedback, and send any phonics program recommendations you’d like to see reviewed! Together, we can support the development of strong readers through evidence-based phonics instruction.

Super Simple Songs App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on June 7, 2024

Building Literacy Foundations With Super Simple Songs Playlists

At phonics.org, we review the most widely-used literacy apps for kids so you can make informed decisions about what programs to consider. Continue reading to learn more about the Super Simple Songs app and website.

What is the Super Simple Songs App?

Super Simple Songs provides an immersive literacy experience through its app and website. It offers a safe environment for young learners to explore independently. With a free trial and flexible subscription plans, the Super Simple Songs app is tailored toward families seeking quality educational content.

This app is tailored for younger learners under the age of 8. It features an extensive collection of engaging songs, printable activities, and simple interactive games. The content and themes in the app vary widely in content and quality.

This review will focus on the literacy-related themes within the app.

How Easy is it to Use the Super Simple Songs App?

The following factors contribute to the ease of use of the Super Simple Songs app.

Usability

Super Simple Songs excels in usability, even for young learners. The intro to the app is a rotating wheel that can be turned by a child to choose the content they’d like to engage with.

Even for young children, the interface is intuitive and straightforward.

Parental Controls

Super Simple Songs protects the grown-up area (parental control settings) by requiring the user to answer a simple math problem to change the controls. These controls allow the adult to tailor the app experience specifically for their child or students. Parents can also limit or lock access to the app ensuring their child doesn’t exit the app and explore other types of media on the device.

The app also allows pages to be ‘frozen’ so kids can’t navigate without adult guidance. The ability to change the control and subtitle language is a thoughtful feature for families who don’t know English but would like their child to learn through the app. These comprehensive grown-up controls ensure a safe, customizable, and enjoyable learning environment for children and caregivers alike.

“Manage Playlists”

Super Simple Songs offers a comprehensive “Manage Playlists” feature, allowing caregivers to tailor the spinning content wheel to match their child’s specific interests and learning needs.

With nearly 40 content options available, it’s easy to curate playlists that cater to individual preferences, ages, and the topics being taught. This customization process is highly recommended. It ensures a more engaging and higher quality learning experience.

*The ‘Home’ screen in Super Simple Songs is easy to use and customizable*

User Engagement in Super Simple Songs

These elements enhance the overall engagement of children interacting with Super Simple Songs.

Catchy and Fun

Super Simple Songs holds young learners’ attention with its catchy and fun content. The songs and activities are carefully designed to keep children entertained and eager to learn.

The videos strike the perfect balance in length, holding the attention of even the youngest viewers without becoming overwhelming. With vibrant colors, playful animations, and adorable characters, each video creates a lively and inviting activity that sparks joy and curiosity.

The app’s content is specifically designed for younger children. Therefore, it might not resonate with older audiences. Nevertheless, the colorful, playful, and cute presentation ensures an enjoyable and memorable learning experience for the target age group.

Encourages Physical Movement

“Super Simple Songs” cleverly incorporates physical movement into some of its videos. This enhances engagement and promotes active learning.

One notable example is the “Bunny Hop ABCs” where certain letters in the alphabet song are replaced by a bunny. This bunny cues children to join in and start hopping along. Such creative ideas effectively capture children’s attention and energize their learning experience.

Super Simple Songs That Support Literacy Education

Some of the playlists in Super Simple Songs are better than others. The following songs are helpful for children learning literacy skills, so make sure to include these in your playlist!

The Super Simple Songs

Super Simple Songs are short, engaging, and playful songs that usually repeat a few keywords or concepts throughout. Don’t let the simplicity of the songs in Super Simple Songs fool you, though! These songs teach valuable skills.

Many of the vocabulary words in these songs are called “basic concepts” which are essential words to understand to comprehend language. This supports overall oral language ability as well as reading comprehension.

Repetition and clear, fun animations help children remember the information presented in the songs. Whether it’s letters, numbers, colors, or other basic concepts, the songs serve as powerful tools for vocabulary development, laying a solid foundation for language acquisition and literacy. Make sure to include the “Super Simple Songs” category in your playlist!

*Super Simple Songs support children’s language development*

Storybooks

Super Simple Songs provides a valuable resource in its digital library of books. These books appear as classic stories that are read out loud to children or interactive storybooks with a look-and-find feature. While not intended to replace an adult directly reading with their child, the app provides a nice supplement for children to hear stories independently. This is another great option to include in a learning playlist on the app.

Phonics Fun

Phonics Fun stands out for its catchy and engaging approach to letter-sound instruction. Through repetitive exposure, the Phonics Fun section of the app reinforces accurate letter-sound associations, letter names, and keywords associated with the letter sound.

The frequent repetition of letter sounds ensures that these associations are firmly established in children’s minds. This is a great resource for parents and teachers alike and should be included in customized playlists.

Caitie’s Classroom

Caitie’s Classroom is an educational resource featuring Caitie, an engaging teacher who brings real-life experiences to life to explain various concepts to children. With her clear and direct communication style, Caitie holds children’s interest, making learning both enjoyable and accessible. Through her lessons, she skillfully builds background knowledge on interesting and important topics, laying a strong foundation for reading comprehension skills.

The inclusion of “Imagination Time,” an audio-only segment, adds another dimension to the learning experience. Imagination time builds kids’ listening comprehension skills. Caitie’s Classroom is an excellent addition to the in-app playlist option if your goal is literacy education.

*Caitie is an engaging teacher who helps kids understand the world*

Not Great: The Super Simple Songs to You Should Skip

As mentioned, not all of the songs in this app are effective for literacy education. Here’s our list of songs that were not fully approved by reading experts. We recommend you leave them out of your child’s playlist. Instead, focus on the more effective songs mentioned above.

Pratfall ABCs

Pratfall ABCs presents adorable bug characters that engage with letters and associated images. However, it lacks effective integration of literacy fundamentals. While the animated bugs interact with letters and corresponding keywords, the absence of letter names and letter sounds diminishes its educational value.

Additionally, some keywords may not accurately represent the letter’s sound, such as the use of “onion” for the letter ‘o’ (onion starts with an /u/ sound). While the videos here are harmless entertainment, they are unlikely to contribute significantly to literacy learning. This part of the app may be better skipped in favor of more educational content.

*Pratfall ABCs could improve by including letter names and sounds*

Turn and Learn ABCs

Turn and Learn ABCs adopts a turning puzzle format, gradually unveiling pictures of keywords associated with each letter. However, the app falls short in directly addressing letter sounds, prioritizing the visual reveal of pictures over phonics instruction.

Despite mentioning words beginning with a specific letter—such as “bee starts with the letter b”—it neglects to emphasize letter-sound associations, which are essential for literacy development. Consequently, while the app’s interactive puzzle may capture children’s attention, neglecting letter-sound relationships diminishes its effectiveness as a literacy tool.

*The squares in Turn & Learn ABCs turn over to gradually reveal a keyword associated with the letter*

Captain Seasalt & The ABC Pirates

Captain Seasalt & The ABC Pirate presents a lively approach to early literacy instruction with its charming pirate theme. Each video features friendly pirates that visit a letter island and tell a short story using many of the letter sounds of the island they visit. While the videos explore words beginning with a particular letter, they lack explicit phonics explanations of how each letter represents its corresponding sound.

Additionally, the depiction of letter formation—often starting at the bottom—is inaccurate. It could potentially confuse young learners. Despite the creative use of a pirate map to illustrate letter formation, the incorrect portrayal detracts from the instructional value of the content.

Overall, while the app’s theme and characters may capture children’s interest, it falls short in delivering effective phonics instruction and accurate letter formation techniques.

*The ABC Pirates could improve on modeling correct letter formation*

Is the Super Simple Songs App Good for Phonics Instruction?

The Super Simple Songs app offers an engaging platform for building language and literacy skills in young learners. The app’s user-friendly interface, coupled with grown-up controls and playlist management features, ensures a safe and customizable learning experience that children can enjoy with their caregivers.

The short video options available in the app are highly engaging for young children. The songs are catchy, the animations are well-done and visually appealing, and the content is interesting.

Some of the thematic content available in Super Simple Songs has higher educational quality than others.

Super Simple Songs, Storybooks, Phonics Fun, and Caitie’s Classroom are excellent additions to classroom instruction. Additionally, these are ideal for parents and teachers interested in fostering foundational literacy learning for their children through custom playlists in the app.
Pratfall ABCs, Turn and Learn ABC, and Captain Seasalt & the ABC Pirates have less educational value than the above content areas.

The Super Simple Songs app alone will not teach a child to read. However, the app offers a playful and enjoyable learning experience. Its effectiveness in promoting literacy skills depends on the selection and integration of appropriate content.

Learn more about effective phonics instruction programs for kids by reading more Phonics.org reviews today!

Super Simple Songs App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 3.5 / 5

Usability: 4 / 5

Engagement: 4 / 5