The Nell App for learning letter sounds, reading, and writing literacy is based on Montessori lessons. It helps children to be able to speak and write English, and would work with any emergent reading and writing program. It very nicely teaches skills with a calm and sweet approach without loud bells and whistles. The games will not overly stimulate children who will be able to succeed as the game allows time for thought. It recognizes when the children write and speak for some of the activities.
This review is on the free part of the app and does not include other in-app purchases. There is enough in the free part that I feel I can share with my readers. This post is not sponsored and I am not an affiliate. I just really like this!
Nell App
The most important early literacy information for children to learn are the sounds letters make as well as the lower case letter names. Most children are taught the names (not the sounds) of capital letters and often parents think that is all that is needed. However, that is not true and teachers have to back up to teach the sounds and lower case letters at school. Your child can begin school knowing the sounds through these games.
Is your child’s education important to you as a parent?
Nell’s lessons are based on the Montessori method of teaching. Many of the lessons you’ll see in the Nell app are used in Montessori preschool programs around the world. They would also work well in traditional kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. Wise parents who recognize that letter sounds are required for reading help their children advance in literacy with a strong foundation.
The Nell App Free Level
The Nell App begins with a choice board. There are six activities from which to choose: two sounds games, two alphabet boxes games, a writing game, and a matching game.
If the first activity is selected, the child will be shown the correct way to write letters. The letters are all lower case and so this gets my approval.
When an error is made, an unhappy face is shown to the child who is offered the chance to try again.
When a child demonstrates the correct answer which might be writing or speaking, a lovely star is shown. This is enough to help the child know they did the right thing without being overly stimulating or noisy. Simple is best!
One activity tells the sounds the letters make and the children speak to show their work. A microphone appears for the child to vocalize the sound. Terrific! Sounds are so important.
In this matching activity, children match the top three pictures by selecting from the bottom eight. The matches are made by dragging and dropping. This helps with visual discrimination which is important in reading.
There are even more activities in just the free level. I hope you like this for your child or classroom!
Thank you for reading, Carolyn
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