Phonics reading is highly essential in the education of children. It offers beginning readers the strategies s/he needs to sound out words. It helps them recognise and associate sounds with any letters of the alphabet. Gradually, it helps improve their fluency in reading. Fluency in reading doesn't necessarily mean reading fast; fluency in this context means the ability to read text accurately.
The ultimate goal of reading is good comprehension. When a child is taught phonics, s/he can pronounce any unknown, given words with ease. The following is a selection of phonics apps parents can use to help beginning readers of all ages practice with basic phonics skills. The descriptions below are not reviews but mere descriptions written by the developers.
Froggy Match-it will help your child to develop good reading and spelling skills. It is an educational, interactive phonics game for children just learning to read and is ideal for use in school and at home. The game is designed so that children focus on reading and spelling tasks. Froggy Match-it uses a step-by-step approach and covers a lot of the phonics learnt at school.
One of Apple's featured Literacy Apps, Oz Phonics is an iPad-based reading system that caters for beginning readers and students from non-English speaking backgrounds. The app is used by parents/carers, teachers and speech pathologists. Oz Phonics concentrates on building a student's listening and sound identification/manipulation skills before introducing letters.
3) Teach Your Monster to Read
(Image Source: Teach Your Monter To Read)
Teach Your Monster to Read is an award-winning series of games that's helped millions of children learn to read. The app is commonly used in preschool, primary school, kindergarten and first grade as an interactive teaching resource. The game takes children on a magical journey, meeting colourful characters along the way and collecting fantastic rewards. When children are engaged, they're motivated to learn.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 20.62
Google Play Store: NA
4) Alphabet Sounds Word Study
(Image Source: Pinteret.ca)
Effective spelling methods do not rely on rote memorisation but are developmentally appropriate and hands-on. Word Study is a widely research-based spelling approach whose purpose is to examine words in order to reveal the logic and consistencies within the written language system and to help the student achieve mastery in recognising, spelling, and defining specific words.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 53.31
Google Play Store: NA
5) Pocket Phonics Stories
(Image Source: ITunes Apple)
Children learn how to write each letter correctly and hear each letter sound, as well as blending them into decodable words, through letter writing and word games. The app is suitable for all children between 4 and 7, including dyslexic readers. You can track kids' progress online via our website, and see it in the weekly emailed reports.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: FREE
Google Play Store: NA
6) Montessori Letter Sounds
(Image Source: CommonSense.org)
Montessori Letter Sounds is a multi award-winning app to get your children on the road to reading. In each step, children will find a learning activity and a game to help them put their learning into practice. Self-correction is encouraged throughout the app to increase self-confidence. The system keeps track of marbles won by each player. Marbles are used to unlock games and levels and to stimulate learning.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 16.49
Google Play Store: NA
7) Wee Sing & Learn ABC
(Image Source: PR Web)
The new Wee Sing & Learn ABC app combines original music, animated animals, musical instruments from A to Z, and read-along text to provide parents fun and creative ways to help their children learn the ABCs. From beloved children's brand Wee Sing and award-winning developer Zuuka, this educational tool will provide endless educational entertainment.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 53.31
Google Play Store: NA
8) Geraldine’s Phonics Land: Spelling 1
(Image Source: App Annie)
Geraldine's Phonics Land is a small spelling game aimed at young readers practising their blending of sounds to spell words. 90% of the words are CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words with a mixture of CVCC, CCVC and CCVCC. ALL of the words are phonetically decodable and if your child knows the letters and sounds of the alphabet, then they should be able to use their phonic knowledge to spell these words accurately.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 4.09
Google Play Store: NA
9) My Phonics Kit - Biff, Chip & Kipper
(Image Source: Unity Connect)
My Phonics Kit helps children to become proficient readers and spellers through the use of Synthetic Phonics. Synthetic Phonics is a fun and interactive way to support children in learning how to read and write. Once children begin learning sounds, they have the basis to quickly begin reading and spelling words. With this approach, almost all children quickly become confident and independent readers.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 12.36
Google Play Store: NA
10) Pirate Phonics 1: Fun Learning
(Image Source: YouTube)
Pirate Phonics offers fun and Phonics for kids who are just learning to read/recognise letters and simple CVC words. Pirate phonics uses the concept of a child's dream about pirates as the theme of an educational game to develop skills in the basic phonics. It is a very large App which uses 5 'treasure islands' with a 'phonic' route map across each island to recover the treasure stolen by Blackbeard the pirate. Each phonics is introduced by a pirate with phonic challenges.
Compatibility:
Apple Store: RM 12.36
Google Play Store: RM 6.16
