Technological Tools for Literacy

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Technological Tools for Literacy

If you are a parent, guardian, or tutor of a child who struggles with reading, please use the following questions to guide you to some useful websites and apps.

Remember, however, that there is no substitute to reading interesting books with a supportive friend or parent.

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So you need to practice high frequency words?

• Grade Level Help
• Word Games Online for Kids, Teachers & Parents
• Learn to Read

Apps (iOS):

• My Word Wall ($1.99)
• Bob Books Reading Magic Sight Words ($3.99)
• The Sight Word Adventure ($1.99)
• Say Word (FREE, but there are in-app purchases

So you need to develop your fluency?

• Fluency Instruction
• Learn to Read
• Reader’s Theater Scripts and Plays
• Dr. Young’s Reading Room
• Aaron Shepard’s Reader’s Theatre Page

Apps (iOS):

• Reading Trainer ($2.99)
• See Read Say ($1.99)

So you need practice with letter formation?

* Please note that children must practice with actual paper and pencils, as well.

Apps (iOS):

• Letter School ($4.99)
• Alphabet Zoo (FREE)
• Letter Cross-Tracking (FREE)

So you want to practice phonics patterns?

• Phonics Instruction
• Grade Level Help
• Bookworm Game
• Word Games Online for Kids, Teachers, & Parents
• Learn To Read

Apps (iOS):

• ABC Pocket Phonics (FREE)
• Phonics Easy Reader ($0.99)
• ABC Alphabet Phonics (FREE)
• Kids Can Spell (FREE)
• Word Magic ($0.99)
• Montessori Crosswords ($2.99)
• ABC Phonics Word Families (FREE)
• Bob’s Books ($3.99)
• Planet Lettra ($1.99)
• The Cat in the Hat- Read & Learn ($3.99)

So you want to help your child comprehend what he/she reads?

• Grade Level Help
• Funbrain: Reading, Books, and Games
• Children’s Storybooks Online

Apps:

• Booksy (FREE)
• Read Me Stories (FREE)
• Reading for Details ($3.99)
• The Cat in the Hat- Read & Learn ($3.99)

So you want to help your child comprehend what you read aloud?

• Storyline Online
  

Apps (iOS):

• Aesop’s Quest ($0.99)
• Read 2 Me ($4.99)
• Audiobooks (FREE)

So you want to increase your child’s vocabulary?

• Vocabulary Instruction
• Grade Level Help
• Funbrain: Word Games Online for Kids, Teachers, & Parents

Apps (iOS):

• Endless Alphabet ($6.99)
• Middle School Vocabulary Prep ($1.99)
• Mad Libs (FREE, but there are in-app purchases)
• Say Word (FREE, but there are in-app purchases)

So you want to help your child with phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness is the the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds-phonemes--in spoken words.

• Funbrain: Reading, Books, and Games

Apps (iOS):

• Reading Raven ($2.99)
• Elkonin Boxes: A literacy tool for Beginning Readers ($0.99)
• Learn to Read NOK-Syllables ($2.99)

So you want to play learning based games and activities?

• http://pbskids.org/
  
• http://games.disney.com/
  
• http://www.scholastic.com/ispy/games/index.htm
  
• http://www.funology.com/
  
• http://www.poptropica.com/
  
• http://www.janbrett.com/index.html
  
• http://www.zen.org/~brendan/kids.html

Apps (iOS):

• Find the Words (FREE)
• Stories2Learn ($13.99)

So you want to work on writing skills?

Apps (iOS):

• Strip Designer ($2.99)
• Word Wizard-Talking ($4.99)
• Super Why! ($2.99)
• iWrite Words (FREE)
• Alpha Writer ($4.99)
• Sentence Builder ($5.99)
• Writing Prompts ($1.99)
• Ideament (FREE)
• Lipa Theater: Story Maker ($3.99)

So you want to listen to books read aloud?

Apps (iOS):

• Moving Books! (FREE, but there are in-app purchases)
• The Berenstein Bears and Too Much Car Trip ($3.99)
• My Little Pony: Pinkie Pie's Sister ($2.99)
• My Little Pony: Hearts & Hooves Day ($2.99)

Stay tuned to the WKU Literacy Clinic’s website for practitioner videos on ways to help your child with his/her reading!