The bekids Reading app focuses on early reading skills for pre, emergent and beginning readers. Learners will practice reading fluency, comprehension, sight word practice, and phonemic awareness. Additionally, learners have the opportunity to practice spelling (testing their knowledge of not only the focus words but letter sounds!) as well as sentence building/sentence structure. Children using the app also practice listening skills including following directions.

As a kindergarten teacher, reading support teacher, early childhood specialist, and homeschooling parent - I've spent a lot of time teaching children to read. In that time working with pre-readers, emergent readers, and beginning readers, I've found there are several key components to nurture and develop early reading skills - and bekids Reading incorporates them all. The program is incredibly well-rounded, engaging, and layered. Each level builds upon the previous level, reinforcing skills and providing opportunity to practice, demonstrate, and cement new understandings.

My favorite aspect of bekids Reading is the repetition. I'm not sure all parents understand just how critical repetition is for young learners. Each aspect of the program allowed learners to re-encounter not only the focus words for each level, but key foundational sight words (this, is, my, etc.). I love that the levels have re-playability, critical for not only practice but confidence building! Each encounter with a known word helps young children feel like successful learners who are capable of taking on new challenges. The layered learning approach is setting emergent readers up for success. Additionally, the repetition of focus words will help emergent readers develop fluency. As a teacher, it's exciting to find high-interest learning tools that provide fluency modeling for kids AND sight word recognition building.

As an educator, I LOVE that while interacting with each leveled animated storybook, learners are hearing the story read aloud for them, while simultaneously seeing each word highlighted. Using predictable text and building upon prior knowledge gained in past storybooks, young learners will feel confident as they begin to transition from being read to, to reading along with, to reading independently.

Using story, music, and games to teach and cement reading skills is incredible. When learners are engaged and interested, learning just flows. I highly recommend bekids.com!