Here’s a quick review of one of the educational apps we’ve been using for reading support. My son is at a point where he has built up such a resistance to reading anything from a book. He literally won’t do it and just shuts down. While his reading has improved significantly from his 18 months of Barton tutoring, he still has the attitude that he can’t read anything. I can imagine that reading from a book triggers all the frustrations, anger, and self-doubt he felt before he was diagnosed with dyslexia. It was a torturous experience for him to sit and read with a book. I’ve had to be pretty inventive in finding ways to keep him practicing without shutting down.
Enter the app by Usborne Publishing, Teach Your Monster To Read. They are currently offering as a free app during the COVID-19 disruptions, but the regular price is $4.99. I think the price is definitely worth it if you find this article after the discount has been removed. They have a web-based game that is always free. The website version also offers parent stats about the child’s progress. I’m going to base this review from the perspective of working with a dyslexic child, however, I think it is a great app for any child to gain foundational reading skills.
Pros
- My son actually wants to play it. That’s a big win. It is play-based learning that keeps them engaged through mini-games and challenges. The quick pace of the game also holds his attention so he is more likely to play through the levels in one sitting. They collect star points to customize their monster avatar.
- It is phonetically based and teaches letter-sound recognition over letter name recognition. This is a must for a dyslexic, and really any child, to learn to read effectively. It starts with the most common simple sounds and moves towards blended sounds. As the levels progress, they return to the planets to learn different sound variations, like short or long vowel sounds. They learn how to blend and segment words, which is where dyslexic children can really struggle. When a child reaches the second and third levels of the game they are reading full-sentence instructions to proceed. The literacy levels are based on
- Multiple player accounts can be set up and saved. The children can customize their own monster and pick up where they left off.
- The game is set up to build confidence and inspire them to love reading. Each level builds on itself and its hard for the child to move forward without mastering the level they are on. The child can’t guess their way through it. This is important because they don’t move ahead so quickly that they get in over their head and lose the confidence they were gaining.
- It includes the tricky words/sight words that don’t follow general English phonics rules.
- There is a stats feature parents can access with a website account. The web-based version is geared more towards a classroom environment. The teacher area has a few additional resources as well.
- There is an IOS, Android, Kindle, and web-based option. I haven’t found a way to link the web game to the app game though. The child will pick up where they left off on that particular device.
Cons
- A few of the mini-games are based more on the right timing than the knowledge. For example, if you tell the monster to jump too early you’ll miss catching the right sound even though you were clearly jumping for it. This has been a source of frustration, especially for our 5-year-old.
- Not really a con, but I am going to mention it because it affects the game for dyslexia a bit. The website/app is based in the UK. The narrator and the phonetic sound clips have a British accent. The accent sometimes trips up my son in hearing the sound. However, as he has progressed through the game, I find it is less distracting for him. Also, this would never be a reason not to use this app. I just wanted to mention it because it took him some time to get used to.
If you looking for a reading app that your child will actually enjoy and learn in a way that supports them, this is one of the best I’ve found. This game can set them up for success and build a solid foundation in reading. Here’s to fostering a love of reading for all children!
