Common Sense Media Review
By Dana Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Easier-to-read fiction stories have some mature themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Teen & Adult Phonics Library
What's It About?
To read books on TEEN & ADULT PHONICS LIBRARY, first choose a story, and then adjust the settings. Teachers/tutors may want to read through the phonics and vocabulary information first to assist their student in preparing for the story. Set the font color and style, as well as other optional settings. After you tap the right arrow to begin reading the first page, continue to tap arrows to move forward or turn pages back. Tap the main page icon to return to the main screen for more story selections. If more than one reader is using the app, you can create user profiles.
Is It Any Good?
Teens who struggle with reading may enjoy practicing literacy skills with this app since it's designed to be both accessible and appropriate for teens. The special teacher/tutor features on Teen & Adult Phonics Library can help prep students for what skills and "weird words" will be required to read the story. Though the language is very simple and repetitive by design, the plots often feel choppy and lacking in depth. It's a tough balance to be sure, since the stories aren't meant to be too long and the word choices need to be deliberate; however, a bit more development and range in topics would help. There's a generally sad or angry vibe to most of the story choices, which makes Teen & Adult Phonics Library not suitable for younger teens. As new stories are added, maybe they'll balance out the current selection's overall dark mood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the difference between fiction and nonfiction. The stories on Teen & Adult Phonics Library are fiction. Some events could be frightening or confusing to younger teens, especially since the stories are so brief and give very little context, character development, or backstory.
If your teen has reading challenges such as dyslexia, encourage him or her to explore alternative forms of literature, including this app. Digital audiobooks and podcasts are also great ways for reluctant readers to dig in to books and other forms of media for education and entertainment.
There are some excellent resources to help kids with dyslexia learn to read. Check out Common Sense Media's What Kinds of Technology Can Help a Kid with Dyslexia?
App Details
- Device : iPad
- Subjects : Language & Reading : letter or word recognition , phonics , reading
- Pricing structure : Free to try (optional in-app purchases for more content $2.99)
- Release date : March 11, 2018
- Genre : Education
- Publisher : Gregory McDonald
- Version : 2.0.1
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 8.0 or later
- Last updated : March 29, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
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