The consonants are displayed red and the vowels are blue.

‘Words with consonant blends (CCVC & CVCC)’ – These includes words such as wind, crab, desk and many more. We are unsure of the educational value of this although it is noted that it can be altered in the Settings section. Once answered the screen moves into an interactive screen where the child can play with shapes and patterns. Once the word has been spelt the score is displayed in the top right and in the user report. The letters are in lower case (this can be changed) and they use an English accent. There is also a clue to help progress, however we would like to see the clue reveal a letter at time rather than the whole word. The app displays in-app overlay instructions which is helpful to the parent and child. ‘Simple words with 3 sounds (consonant/vowel/consonant)’ – These include words such as red, can, log and many more. Simple words with 3 sounds (consonant/vowel/consonant), Words with consonant blends (CCVC & CVCC), words with digraphs, words of any complexity and Focus on one sound or letter cluster. The main menu is split into 5 categories: There are also 13 themes (that’s over 300 words) to choose from and a moveable alphabet where the child can learn the letters and practice the drag and drop method for answering questions. The app has a number on in-app settings that can be tailored to the child such as controlling letter appearance, showing solutions and allowing game interaction with words. However, this is protected by a parental lock. We love the fact the app has a ‘Parents’ section where you can access the best ways to use the app although it is noted that there are in-app adverts of other Montessori apps.

The parent can sign the child in as a user and a user report, which can be locked, can be viewed by an adult to see how far the child has progressed. The app is easy to use and navigate and once shown to your child they will be able to progress with the app unsupervised. The app uses the Montessori Learning method (Phonemic awareness and Phonics). Parents need to know that the Montessori Words & Phonics App is suitable for children aged 3 to 8 and helps develop their reading, writing and spelling skills.

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