Funny Phonemes — Slang Fest!
By Mieke VanderBorght,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Slang and funny icons teach language sounds to older kids.
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Funny Phonemes — Slang Fest!
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What’s It About?
FUNNY PHONEMES - SLANG FEST! introduces the sounds of the English language through silly icons and slang words like "dude," "yammer," or "tush." Explore the phonemes through four games. Hear each phoneme and its icon, choose the correct phoneme in a target word by listening only, choose the correct phoneme to complete a target word, or build a target word, phoneme by phoneme. Access the dictionary at any time for definitions of the slang words. Many customization options allow users to adjust game play.
Is It Any Good?
Silly icons and slang words lighten up an otherwise dry topic but make this app more appropriate for older kids and grown-ups. Funny Phonemes - Slang Fest! is not meant for young kids learning to read, but provides age-appropriate practice for older kids, which can be hard to find. Given that, anyone in the middle childhood/adolescent range and older who, for whatever reason, needs to work on learning English language phonemes, will likely get a kick out of the sense of humor in the phoneme icons and slang word dictionary. Slang words get concise, clear, and sometimes humorous definitions in the dictionary. A few game choices gives kids practice hearing phoneme sounds, seeing them, and fitting them into words. Lots of customization options give users a lot of control over the user experience. Other than collecting points, there's no journey to complete, leveling to progress through, or goal to achieve, so it feels more like phoneme practice tasks than a game. That said, it's a solid and engaging tool to help older kids learn the building blocks of language.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the sounds of the English language represented in Funny Phonemes - Slang Fest!. Go phoneme by phoneme and see what other silly words you can build.
Talk about slang words. What other slang do your kids use or know of? What are the new words your kids use with their friends and what do they mean?
Put reading in a bigger context. Have kids create sentences and stories with the slang words they see in the dictionary.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Subjects: Language & Reading: phonics, reading, vocabulary
- Skills: Self-Direction: academic development
- Pricing structure: Free to try ($3.99 in-app purchase gets rid of ads and unlocks customization options)
- Release date: September 22, 2018
- Category: Education
- Publisher: Gregory McDonald
- Version: 1.0.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 8.0 or later; Android 4.0.3
- Last updated: October 12, 2018
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