Learn to Read Software Review

Reading is so important for children's educational success. Giving children an opportunity to learn how to read early on can give them a head start when they enter the public school system. If your child is behind in school or needs additional help to keep up, learn to read software can help him or her learn the basics and have fun at the same time.

Software that teaches kids to learn to read can also be helpful if parents aren't there to teach their kids as often as they'd like. While software doesn't take the place of one-on-one reading time with children, it can supplement it. Learn to read software provides your children with guides for proper pronunciation so that your children can learn to read and speak words correctly. The software can also give you feedback in the form of progress reports to let you know how your children are doing.

Software that teaches children how to read can make reading fun. Learn to read software can take your children on adventures with animated characters who patiently repeat sounds and give positive feedback to build your children's confidence. We found that ClickN' Read, TNT Reading and Be Smart Kids are fun applications that will effectively teach your children how to read. If you'd like additional information, we also have articles about learning to read.

Learn to Read Software: What to Look For

Software that teaches kids to learn to read is aimed at preschool and early elementary aged children. Therefore, if the application is complicated, it's not going to be as effective. A virtual narrator or reading coach should guide students through the lessons with simple and straightforward instructions.

Another key feature this type of software should have is audio that pronounces letters and words so that children can still learn if they are using the application on their own. Because of this, learn to read software has an advantage over books. With headphones or the computer's speakers, students can hear how letters and words are pronounced. You can use most headphones sold on the market with computers.

Some applications set their volume levels higher than others do, so you should try out the headphones with the software to test the volume before children use the headphones. If the application doesn't have volume control, you can adjust the volume on the computer's control panel from the Start menu.

Some software requires students to speak into microphones to test their pronunciation; these applications should include microphones. While this can be an effective tool, not many applications offer this feature.

Below are the criteria that we used to rate the learn to read software we reviewed:

Features
Reading software should have at least 15 progressive lessons. Exceptional software includes more than 50 and covers at least preschool to first-grade reading levels. The software should also include phonics instruction, interactive lessons, and games or activities.

Lessons should begin with comprehensive coverage of the alphabet with the sound of each letter. They should then move on to simple words. Finally, they should help children read short sentences.

Ease of Use
The software should be easy for children who are as young as three or four to use. An animated reading coach or narrator should guide students through exercises with straightforward instructions so that students can use the application with little supervision. Learn to read software should be fun to interact with as well as educational.

Ease of Setup
Applications accessed online should be available from any computer with a high-speed internet connection. Installing software should only take a few minutes from a CD or a direct download from the manufacturer's website. DVDs should be able to run in a DVD player or on your computer.

Help & Support
The application's website should provide a list of FAQs or a searchable knowledge base. It should also have telephone or email contact information for answers to general questions about the software and help with technical problems. Some applications offer a tutorial or user guide; however, they shouldn't really need one. Learn to read software should be extremely intuitive.

Your child can learn how to read or improve his or her skills by using learn to read software. These applications are designed with the user in mind: your child. While one-on-one reading between parents and children is still paramount to children's success, this type of software can help them increase their skills and improve their confidence in their ability to learn to read.

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™