Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 Syllables – Spell To Read By Pyxwise Software Inc.
By Christie Dwyer
Overall Impression
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 Syllables is almost like having a personal tutor helping you right alongside you to guide you through the lessons. The 650+ high frequency words are broken down into 54 lists, each separated by different spelling patterns as well as difficulty levels. Examples of lists include: ow, oi, kn-, wr-, as well as compound words. I love all of the phonetic rules that it covers and the app’s emphasis on the syllables. One of the best features in my opinion is the “reverse phonics” hints, as it breaks down the words into individual sounds.There is constant user interaction within the app, since children can drag letters, touch buttons, and receive feedback from each response.
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 Syllables has a great introduction to the app explaining all of its features. To go over the directions in the intro and get an explanation of its features, the user must listen and follow along while spelling pertinent words such as letter, backspace, teacher, and correct. It gives the learner an idea of what he will be doing in the lessons as well as how he will be using the app.
It is great for students (at home and school) who need help in a specific spelling area or want to learn in all areas. Each lesson builds on skills learned in the previous lessons such as spelling rules, syllables, and sounds. During the lesson, each word is spoken, followed by using the word in a sentence, and then spoken again. The user can repeat the narration as many times as needed, repeating the word or even having the hint button available for extra help.
The app is very customizable and user-friendly for both parents and teachers. The app allows for up to 40 individual user accounts. Besides the typical volume levels, parents/teachers can decide how many times the word must be spelled correctly before it is considered mastered, use all upper or lowercase letters, choose between USA, Canada, and UK English spelling of words for each user account. And another neat feature is one can customize the keyboard layout, with the letters in ABC order or like a regular keyboard (QWERTY.) It’s definitely not the goal of this app, however, it must be mentioned that this app is not one of those spelling apps that allows the user/teacher to add in personalized spelling lists. A teacher can check each individual’s account and access their word list.
With it being very user-friendly, having up to 40 users at once, and having a focus on high frequency English words, this app is highly recommended to boost any learner’s literacy confidence with both spelling as well as reading.
Overall Rating: 5 
Appy Ratings (Appy’s):
- Educational Value: 5
- Entertains/Engages User: 4
- Customization/Settings: 5
- Value for the money: 5
- Ease of Navigation: 5
- Quality of Graphics: 4
- Overall Rating: 5
Category:
- Language Arts
- OT
- Speech
Goals:
- Articulation
- Auditory Processing
- Beginning Sounds
- Expressive Language
- Letters
- Patterns
- Phonics
- Spelling
- Vocabulary
Age Group:
- Lower Grades (Age 6-8)
Overview
Pyxwise Software, Inc. has been making a Simplex Spelling app series available in iTunes covering various different spelling/phonics areas. This app, Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 Syllables, focuses on syllables and how they affect one’s reading, speaking, as well as spelling. This app is appropriate for children ages 6 and over, as well as students with special needs. It is a universal app that will help children learn over 650 high frequency words.
Issues/Wishlist
- It would be great if the developer would add the ability to make customized spelling lists, so the teacher can incorporate words using different spelling rules at the same time.
Price and Download link
View Description from Developer
Simplex Spelling is one of the best ways to improve English spelling and reading skills. Using a powerful combination of phonics lessons, spelling/word patterns, syllabication, our unique “reverse phonics” (phonics encoding) approach and contextually relevant spelling rules.
Teaching over a year of spelling curriculum with more than 650 high frequency words divided into 54 lists that are organized by spelling patterns and difficulty levels. Each of the 54 lists comes with a lesson that teaches one of the basic building blocks of spelling in the English language. These basic building blocks include syllables, sounds, spelling rules and some of the more advanced English phonograms.
Our spelling lists focus on some of the highest frequency words in the English language to help students establish a base foundation of literacy and confidence with spelling and reading.
Students learn a new concept for each lesson building on the skills learned from previous lessons and those covered in Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 guides the student and acts as a personal spelling coach with every word, while teaching students “how to spell” English words. Our “reverse phonics” hint feature breaks each word down into individual phonemes to improve phonemic awareness, a critical skill in achieving literacy.
One of the main areas of focus in Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 is on syllables and how they affect the way we speak, read and spell. Every word is broken down into its syllables both visually and auditorily to help students build phonological awareness skills. Many lessons teach the concepts of open and closed syllables, compound words, the rules governing vowels in syllables and syllable stresses. The stress on each syllable is subtly conveyed with every word to help students understand how the stress on a syllable affects the way words are pronounced and spelled. The schwa sound /ə/ and its occurrence in English words is also taught.
Recommended age 6+ Note: You can not create your own spelling lists.
Features: ★ Over 650 high frequency spelling words to help build literacy. ★ Words are spoken and used in a sentence to establish context and improve vocabulary. ★ Introductory spelling list seamlessly leads a student through all of the application’s features. ★ 54 instructional lessons teach syllables, phonics, phonograms, and spelling rules. ★ A full “reverse phonics” approach that builds phonemic awareness. ★ Contextually relevant spelling rule hints that help explain “how to spell” English words. ★ Letter by letter feedback system provides feedback while the student is in the process of spelling each word. ★ Support for 40 user accounts. ★ Remembers each user’s progress in every list. ★ User stats screen track progress with every word. ★ Ability to set the number of times a word must be spelled correctly to become mastered. ★ Supports upper and lower case letters. ★ Supports alphabetic and QWERTY keyboard layouts. ★ Supports US, UK and Canadian English spelling of words.
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/PyxwiseSoftwareInc
Privacy Disclosure: - Does not contain 3rd party ads - Does not share any data - Does not contain In-App purchases - Does not link to social media - Contains in app links to view a safe enclosed version of the developer’s website for additional information, support and teaching tips. - Contains link to developer email support and to rate the app.
COPPA Compliant http://www.pyxwise.com/privacypolicy.html
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