Learning the alphabet can be challenging for several individuals, especially those with special needs. Fortunately there are several apps available that may help said individuals learn the alphabet. ForDyslexia is a startup company with a mission to help “schools, tutors, and parents of children with dyslexia access effective teaching tools at a price they can afford.” Their flagship app, Alphabetics, is a fun way to learn the sounds and shapes of each letter in the alphabet!
Alphabetics was developed in collaboration with experts in the field of education and reading difficulties. Therefore, the app is appropriate to use with children who have dyslexia because, as Margaret Byrd Rawson, former President of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) stated:
Dyslexic students need a different approach to learning language from that employed in most classrooms. They need to be taught, slowly and thoroughly, the basic elements of their language—the sounds and the letters which represent them—and how to put these together and take them apart. They have to have lots of practice in having their writing hands, eyes, ears, and voices working together for conscious organization and retention of their learning.
Alphabetics uses a multisensory approach to learning which has been scientifically proven to be the most effective method for those with dyslexia. Within the app, children can trace letters, listen to instructions, record their voices, and take pictures of their writings!
Features of Alphabetics:
- Through a series of games, children will hear, trace, pronounce and identify letters.
- Letters are introduced in six small sets.
- Upon completion, the child is quizzed on his or her understanding of the concepts and the results are recorded in the Progress Report in the Parents Zone.
- The app provides individualized Progress Reports so educators and parents can monitor what each child has learned for every letter and how long it took the child to master each letter.
The app is available to download on iOS devices and Android devices. To learn more about Alphabetics, visit the developer’s website.
