Touch and Write Phonics
By Dana Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cool app with animated lessons, playful tracing elements.
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Touch and Write Phonics
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What’s It About?
Enter a username for each kid's progress profile. Then choose a main practice area by tapping "Vowels," "Blends," or "Digraphs," or create a pre-made word list. Listen to the animated lesson or begin a practice sessions. Choose the tracing texture as well as paper with a simple tap. Arrow keys allow players to skip or repeat letters or words. Kids can play on the reward page after completing practice pages. Progress reporting is easily accessible from the "info" page.
Is It Any Good?
TOUCH AND WRITE PHONICS artfully combines tracing and basic phonics practice in one app. This happy, colorful practice experience includes helpful features, such as animated phonics lessons, cute monster-and-cupcake letter-tracing guides, color-coded letters for phonics clues, and engaging writing textures and paper. Progress tracking and in-app email sharing can be useful for parents, therapists, and teachers working together to support a kid's language and writing growth. The beginning lesson for each main phonics section need not be repeated before each practice session. Parents can access settings, directions, and practice reports from the information page.
On the downside, there's potential for confusion when finding the right place to start, based on a kid's current letter-formation skills and level of phonics awareness. This likely requires an adult's help to avoid frustration for at least the first few play sessions. Also, some of the writing textures and paper combinations can get a bit busy to the eye. Nevertheless, Touch and Write Phonics can be a unique, useful way for kids to practice phonics and tracing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about and try some of the writing textures -- chalk, shaving cream, ketchup -- at home for fun, sensory-based tracing.
Use the reporting to check on your kid's progress, and, if you have concerns, you have the in-app option to share the report via email with your kid's teacher.
App Details
- Device: iPad
- Subjects: Language & Reading: letter or word recognition, phonics, writing
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: decision-making, part-whole relationships, Self-Direction: effort, Health & Fitness: fine motor skills
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: November 5, 2013
- Category: Education
- Publisher: FizzBrain
- Version: 1.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 4.3 or later
- Last updated: August 17, 2016
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