Read

Read - This practice is based upon preparing your child to read, not learning to read. What defines a "reader" requires two broad skills: 1. the ability to relate sound to a letter symbol. 2. The ability to comprehend.  Broadly speaking, "Read" practice is getting a child to notice words, notice print, notice letters, notice letters form words. How can an app help us help our child?

A bit of history: Many "ebooks" were mainly static pictures of the book being converted into a digital format or books where text size could be manipulated to some degree. Children's book format (in particular, picture books), presented a different need.

Today's "story apps" take print awareness and interactivity to a whole new level for children. Story apps are enhanced books in app form.  They have touch point animations. When you touch something on the screen it says something, or does something, or both. An excellent example of a defining story app that emphasizes "reading" is "The Monster at the End of This Book" by Sesame Workshop. This app features highlighted text as a narrator reads. There is on screen playful animation with an emphasis on text. Words represent how they sound: bigger for louder, smaller for spoken quietly. Even the word "monster" turns pink and furry if a child touches the word, or if the story is read to them using the feature called "Read to Me".  Using "Read to Me" a child hears and sees the text as it is read by a pre-recorded professional narrator. Additionally, there are engaging interactivity to keep the child wanting to "read" the entire book by turning the next page.

Additionally, many story apps now include the ability to record. When a child can retell the story, or sequence the events, it is a testimony of his or her's comprehension, not to mention a vocabulary building activity. Retelling stories is also the learning art of developing narrative skill.

Tips: Choose story apps where the animation enhances the story, not detracts from it. Click the image to see in App Store.