Reading Raven Review

Wednesday, October 4th

2023 Learn to Read Program Reviews

Reading Raven

• $1.99-$2.99 purchase price
• App based program for iOS and Android
• Suitable for children ages 3-6

Reading Raven is an app-based learn to read program. It was designed to teach children ages 3 and up (roughly through kindergarten), and it can be personalized for reading levels. The app allows children to learn at their own pace and it engages children by using multi-sensory games and phonics. You are also able to create multiple profiles if you have more than one child.

Using different senses to teach

The Reading Raven app utilizes a multi-sensory approach to work on hand-eye coordination, reading, writing and listening skills. It builds on children's reading confidence and assists them in making a connection between verbal and written language. Reading Raven also gives children an early exposure to reading comprehension: a valuable tool when learning how to read.

6 steps to teach children how to read

There is a multistep process Reading Raven uses to teach children to read.

• First is recognizing letters.
• Second is tracing letters which teaches the child how to write the shapes of the letters correctly.
• Third is combining letters to create words.
• Fourth is identifying the words that have been built into a sentence by reading them and being able to know what they mean.
• Fifth is tracing words so that children can see that the letters they write form words.
• The sixth and final step is reading sentences which leads to being a fluent reader.

Glowing reviews

There are many positive reviews for Reading Raven from parents and educators. Some state that the activities are fun and engaging for young children. Others state that this app is something children can do on their own to learn while the parents are getting work done. One negative to the program is that if you have an Apple product and an Android product, you need to pay for the app on each platform. Another negative review we found was that it doesn't hold the children's attention for long because the activities are repetitive for each letter or word.

An app we can get on board with

Overall, the price of this app makes it one of the cheapest learn to read programs we evaluated. Even if your child doesn't like it, the most you would spend is $3. While we wouldn't suggest this program as a standalone to teach your child how to read, it is a great supplement to go along with school. Children seem to enjoy the games and will learn from the activities involved as long as they are in the preschool to kindergarten range.