My Reading Tutor
By Christopher Healy,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Strong educational content; decent entertainment value.

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My Reading Tutor
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Based on 1 parent review
Wonderful Pre-School DS game to help with reading.
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What’s It About?
My Reading Tutor uses tested educational methods to teach basic reading skills to kids through read-along stories and word-based mini-games. A genial teacher character leads kids through the lessons/games, with all instructions spoken aloud. Stories can be read silently, read with the tutor speaking the text aloud, or read by the child, who can record his own voice reading the tale and then hear it played back. The games are varied and include ones where kids must tap words with the correct sounds, identify sight words, and so on. Parents can keep track of their child's progress in a special parents' section.
Is It Any Good?
My Reading Tutor offers some obviously very solid educational content. New readers should definitely get a boost in their skills from playing through the games and stories within. The stories themselves aren't much to speak of -- they're intended more as tools than genuine entertainment -- but they're cute. The games are well-designed, although some move at a slow pace that could frustrate more advanced readers. But for preschoolers and kindergartners who are just beginning to sound out words, the pace seems about right. And there's certainly a lot of variety, which can go a long way toward keeping kids entertained while they learn.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about learning through video games. Ask kids if they're more or less likely to retain what they learn if that information is gained through playing a video game.
Does the fun factor of a game make you pay more attention to the educational content? Or does it distract you from the lessons at hand?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
- Subjects: Language & Reading: letter or word recognition, phonics, reading
- Skills: Self-Direction: academic development, work to achieve goals, Communication: listening
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Mentor Interactive
- Release date: October 13, 2010
- Genre: Educational
- ESRB rating: E for no descriptors
- Last updated: August 30, 2016
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