Minneapolis, Minnesota – Preschool University today is pleased to introduce SENTENCE READING MAGIC 2.0 – 2 & 3-Word Sentences for iOS, an update to its free app that provides the missing link between reading words and reading books – reading sentences. The app has two modes: Sentence Building, where children drag the words into their correct positions, creating a sentence, and Reading Mode, where kids read the words of the sentence aloud and then check their work by touching the hidden picture. The app features touch-to-hear, audible pronunciation of words, sentences, hints, and pictures that illustrate sentences. This major update includes new sound and image files and now uses only complete sentences.
Feature Highlights:
* Young children learn sentence building and sentence reading
* This intermediary skill, reading sentences, bridges the gap between reading words and reading books
* Adjustable levels of difficulty
* Words and sentences can be read aloud by the app
* Pictures and sound reinforce the connection between written words and that to which they refer
* Based on principles of the highly respected educator, Maria Montessori
Designed by Montessori preschool owner and lead teacher Richard Colombini, SENTENCE READING MAGIC is the first of a series of apps to concentrate on building and reading sentences. As the first of the series, it focuses on short vowel words of three letters or fewer (excepting plurals and double consonant endings). The goal is to enhance the learning process by setting up the right conditions for learners to be successful. The app gives emerging readers a step that will encourage skill building and confidence in reading.
SENTENCE READING MAGIC operates in landscape orientation, and users can select either Sentence Building mode or Sentence Reading mode and 2-word or 3-word sentences. In 3-word Sentence Building mode, there is a large color photo inside a square at the center of the screen. The picture provides the concrete example on the basis of which the student can construct the phrase or sentence. Three words, each in a rectangle, appear randomly on the top half of the display. The words are all four letters or fewer. At the bottom of the screen are three empty rectangles side-by-side. The child must recognize the correct sentence, then drag the first word of the sentence to position one, the second word to rectangle two, and the last word to position three. Words dragged to the wrong position will not be accepted. Having successfully dragged all the words into place, the app plays music or an appropriate sound effect. At the same time, the three rectangles become one long rectangle, joined into a new entity: a sentence. Touching the words or picture reads the sentence or phrase aloud, e.g. “Sam sat up.”
In 3-word Sentence Reading mode, the large illustration square is blank. Three words are already occupying each of the three rectangles below. Here, students must read the 3-word sentence aloud. They may choose to check their answers as they progress by touching each word to hear it aloud. Having completed the exercise, the learner can touch the empty square to view the illustrative picture and hear the phrase or sentence aloud, e.g., “The pup runs.”
According to Hestia Abeyesekera Ed.D., director of Kinderhaus of Musik, and former Montessori teacher with more than 20 years experience, “This application is a focused and effective exercise in reading practice. The distractions are removed and the learning task is isolated for precision. The application has built in control of error systems, too. These things help make this a great reading application.”
An ideal interactive learning app for beginning readers, SENTENCE READING MAGIC has all the qualities of an engaging, entertaining reading game for preschoolers. There is no scoring, competition, or running clock that would put it in the category of a Game, rather than Education App. But in practice, there is often no distinction between playing and learning. And SENTENCE READING MAGIC 2.0 will provide hours of lively enjoyment and rigorous skill building combined in an expertly designed and executed, free iOS app.
“Children are neurologically wired to take in language more efficiently and accurately when they are young than at any other time,” stated developer Richard Colombini. “SENTENCE READING MAGIC fits into our highly effective, sequential, graduated reading program.”
Device Requirements:
* iPhone 3GS/4/4S/5, iPod touch (3rd/4th/5th generation), and iPad
* Requires iOS 5 or later
* Universal app optimized for display on all iOS devices
* 104 MB
Pricing and Availability:
SENTENCE READING MAGIC 2.0 is free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Education category. The full version of the app, SENTENCE READING MAGIC DELUXE, is available from the App Store for $2.99 (USD). Review copies are available on request.
Preschool University
SENTENCE READING MAGIC 2.0
Download from iTunes
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Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Preschool University’s mission is to create and promote excellent reading materials and high quality learning tools for children. Established in 2010, Preschool University is an accumulation of over 20 years of experience and success in child reading development. It began as a promise by Montessori preschool owner and lead teacher, Richard Colombini, to prospective parents. The promise: “ALL KINDERGARTNERS ARE GUARANTEED TO READ.” The company currently offers more than 18 free educational apps in the App Store. Copyright (C) 2011-13 Preschool University All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.
