App review by Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Education | Updated August 2015
Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyme Games
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Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyme games

Fun with simple words, language sounds best for emerging readers

Get it now
  • Download from App Store
Learning rating
Editorial review by Common Sense Education
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Grades
Pre-K–1 This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.
Subjects & Skills
English Language Arts, Communication & Collaboration, Critical Thinking
Price:  $1.99
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch
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Take a look inside

5 images
Change the language in the settings menu, load a printable activity, or press play to begin.
Read simple words and play with language sounds in four games.
Tap on the folded tag to reveal a word and then drag it to its matching image.
Which word begins like "koala"?
Choose the word that rhymes.

Pros: Great collection of easy-to-read beginner words; full app available in four different languages.

Cons: App functionality can be a bit rough for kids who don’t "get it" right away.

Bottom Line: This app may be best for quick learners who need little help to push them over the reading horizon.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyming Games fits nicely into classrooms following a Montessori-inspired curriculum. Kids who have mastered the movable alphabet are ready to be introduced to the phonetic object box. Teachers should play with kids at first to make sure they're making the leap with no major problems before letting them play on their own. Teachers who haven't used Montessori materials before can also find some utility in this app. Kids can simply practice burgeoning reading skills with the collection of simple, easy-to-read words. They'll also get some good practice with exploring letter sounds with "begins with" and "rhymes with" games. Just make sure to check in with kids and see if they feel confident in what they're doing: It's when kids need some extra help that the app can start to get a bit confusing and unwieldy. Four language options also make this an appealing app for kids who are learning to read in Spanish, French, or Italian.

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Standards:

Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyming Games provides a digital version of the Montessori phonetic object box. Begin with Game 1, in which kids see five images (cat, hen, bed, sun, and log) and a little folded tag appears on the screen. Tap it to reveal the name of one of the objects, and then drag the tag to where it belongs. Repeat for all five words. In three additional games, kids match tags to their images, match words that have similar beginning sounds, and match words that rhyme. Kids can tap images or tags to hear their names said out loud. The whole game is available in four languages: English, Spanish, French, and Italian.

This digital phonetic object box gives kids easy access to a Montessori reading tool but has some design issues that may be distracting. For kids who know the sounds letters make, these simple straightforward words and images that provide context and rich visual cues can help kids put it all together. There's definitely value in the idea behind this approach. However, Montessori Early Reading - Phonics & Rhyming Games' organization and functionality sometimes seem confused and inconsistent, which can be frustrating or distracting. For example, the distinction between the first game -- with its fixed set of just five words -- and the nearly identical but more varied second game, is not clear. Or, gameplay isn't always smooth when kids need help: For example, kids don't have enough time to hear images' names before being interrupted by a persistent tag begging to be unfolded. Sometimes levels end suddenly, or tags fly seemingly on their own to their place. It's great to see multiple languages, but the words they choose for the rhyming game in the other languages (especially Spanish and Italian) are huge stretches; there are likely better options for rhyming.

Overall Rating
Engagement Would it motivate students and hold their interest? Is it visually appealing? Would it inspire teachers to try something new or change their instruction?

Images are appealing, and there's some variety in the game objectives. Yet, the entire app involves matching words to pictures, which may start to feel tedious.

Pedagogy Does the tool help teachers promote a more student-centered experience? Will students gain conceptual understanding or think critically? Does it deepen teachers’ pedagogical thinking?

Kids use their knowledge of letter sounds and the images to decode and read simple words. They'll also use beginning sounds and rhyming to explore words.

Support Can students and teachers get assistance when they need it? Is it created with people of different abilities and backgrounds in mind? Is learning reinforced and extended beyond the digital experience?

Some of the biggest functionality inconsistencies appear when kids hesitate, which will only confuse (and maybe frustrate) them. Plus, there's no way to track progress. There's a nice printable set for offline play.

Common Sense reviewer
Mieke VanderBorght Researcher
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Key Standards Supported

Reading Foundational Skills

  • RF.K.1

    Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

  • RF.K.2

    Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

  • RF.K.2a

    Recognize and produce rhyming words.

  • RF.K.3

    Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

  • RF.K.3a

    Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sound for each consonant.

  • RF.K.3b

    Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.

  • RF.1.1

    Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

  • RF.1.2

    Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

  • RF.1.2a

    Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.

  • RF.1.3

    Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

  • RF.1.3a

    Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.

  • RF.1.3b

    Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

  • RF.2.3

    Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

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