The inclusion of an American Sign Language (ASL) section in the Starfall ABC app is a valuable and thoughtful feature. These songs focus on short vowel sounds in the middle of words, which is a more challenging phonemic awareness activity than recognizing initial sounds. This is a smart instructional decision as short vowels can be a difficult but essential area of learning for many new readers.Įach short vowel instruction begins with a person singing a short song about the vowel and its short sound and then the person or character asks the user to sing the song along with them. There is a separate section in the Starfall app that’s devoted to short vowel sounds. Only a few of the letters have this option and it would be great to see this modeled more frequently. This is a great model of the important skill of sound blending. Each letter sound is named and then the sounds are blended together to read a word. Sounding Out WordsĪfter children match the puzzle letters successfully the game disappears and the word is shown on its own. Children can easily ignore the letters, defeating the purpose of the learning exercise. The alphabet puzzle game should not include matching shapes. A child could theoretically do this puzzle without looking at the letters at all. This takes away from the letter focus, as children can easily match the shapes themselves instead of focusing on letter recognition. Unfortunately, letters within the puzzles are displayed in various individual shapes, which children are supposed to insert in the correct puzzle space below. Others are letter “puzzles” where children are asked to drag the puzzle pieces into the puzzle to make a word. Some of these games involve indicating whether the letter is uppercase or lowercase. Letter MatchingĪfter a letter has been introduced by name, sound, and keyword, there is a short interactive activity to support practice with this letter and sound. The app ensures accuracy in letter sounds, contributing to clear and effective phonics instruction, specifically tailored for American English. The inclusion of a dedicated section for practicing short vowels is particularly beneficial for young learners. Starfall ABC effectively reinforces foundational letter-sound instruction through consistent repetition of letter names, sounds, and associated keywords. The educational literacy instruction in Starfall ABC is ideal for early learners but it also provides additional content. Overall, the clear organization of these three main areas facilitates easy navigation and ensures that users can access a diverse range of educational content within the app. This section also provides additional information focused on short vowel sounds in words, recognizing the significance of these elements in early reading development. The bottom row serves as another key area, offering a variety of alphabet songs, American Sign Language (ASL), and language games. This expands the app’s scope beyond literacy, providing a well-rounded educational experience.Įxample of the Starfall ABC alphabet block area.

On the right side, a vertical column offers additional content, including math exercises and seasonal activities. This core section allows users to interact with individual letters, providing information on uppercase and lowercase forms, accurate letter sounds, keywords, and animations. The organizational structure of the Starfall ABC app is straightforward and user-friendly, comprising three main areas of play:Īt the center of the interface is the Alphabet Block Area, featuring all letters of the alphabet. The gameplay is never interrupted by distracting ads, which is a great feature for a free learning app. Games could appear more user-friendly by having the option to repeat directions if necessary. The flexibility to play any game at any time is a positive, as is the untimed nature of the games.Īny game can be exited at any time and any game can be repeated as many times as desired by the user. Starfall ABC’s sign-up process is straightforward, ensuring easy access so users can quickly get started. The Starfall ABC app, which focuses on literacy and phonics, has an instructional focus on letter names and sounds. Today, there are nine educational apps in the Starfall platform, each designed with various educational goals and costs in mind. This app was launched in 2002 as a free public service and the platform has grown ever since. Schutz created an accessible and engaging kids’ learning platform for literacy instruction. Driven by his struggles with dyslexia, Dr. The Starfall ABC app is part of the Starfall education platform, the brainchild of Dr. But how does it stack up as a literacy education app? This Starfall ABC app review from the literacy educators at will help you decide! What is Starfall? Starfall ABC is a well-known phonics app for K-5 students.

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