It is important to note that the availability of apps changes frequently, with new apps coming onto the market and other apps being removed. As such, this list needs to be reviewed and updated regularly. Additionally, the costs listed in this guide were correct at the time of publication, but may change over time.
Target Area: Phonological Awareness
Age
K-Year 2
Description
Phonological awareness – segmenting sentences into words, segmenting words into syllables, blending syllables, rhyming (identifying and generating).
Phonemic awareness – identifying initial and final sounds, deleting sounds, segmenting and blending sounds in words, manipulating sounds in words.
Provides clear goals to reach for each level and gives specific feedback when goals not reached.
Cost
Lite: Free | Full version (see hear builder website)
Note
Must create an account to sign in and access all levels. Also available on Google play.
Age
K-Year 1
Description
Activities to develop syllable segmentation. Words can be presented in pictures or written words (for older students).
Cost
Lite: Free | Full: $12.99
Note
Lite version only allows segmenting practice for 5 words.
Age
K-Year 2
Description
Select a target (e.g., ‘basketball’) and find 3 words (pictures) that have the same initial sound (e.g., ‘balloon’, ‘bus’, ‘butterfly’).
Cost
Full: $1.49
Note
Multisyllabic words used – younger children may have trouble identifying initial sound.
Age
PP-Year 6
Description
Activities to develop an understanding of all 6 syllable patterns.
Cost
Full: $4.49
Note
Can be used with up to 5 players and progress is recorded.
Age
K-Year 2
Description
Simple games for identifying the initial, medial and final sounds in words. Indirectly targets vocabulary (choosing correct word – and then identifying its initial sound – to describe the picture)
Cost
Free
Note
Cannot choose word length, Some multisyllabic words used (eg, ‘underwear’)
Target Area: Phonics
Age
K-Year 1
Description
Official app for the Sounds-Write phonics program.
Activities to further develop blending, segmenting, sound spelling correspondence, word reading and writing, sentence reading and writing.
Activities are conducted in line with the exact ‘script’ in the Sounds-Write teaching program (including gestures).
Cost
Lite: Free | Full: $7.99
Note
Units 1-11 included Comprehensive instructions for parents included (must be played with a teacher, tutor, etc.)
Age
5 and under
Description
Strongly linked to structured synthetic phonics and comes with a parent guide.
Cost
Lite: Free | Full: $10.99
Note
Lite version includes activities only for practicing listening to and writing letters.
Age
Kindy +
Description
Develops letter formation. Includes games to practise blending sounds to form short words.
Cost
Full: $4.49
Note
Lite version includes activities only for practicing listening to and writing letters. Available on Google Play for $4.89
Age
PP-Year 1
Description
5 different apps for phonics development
- Introduction to reading
- Phonemic awareness and letter sounds
- CVC, CCVC words, consonant blends, sentences
- Consonant blends, CVCC words, digraphs, spelling
- Long vowel spelling & R-controlled vowels
- Cost
Each app (full): $2.99 – $4.99 | Bundle: $13.99
Note
Feature: Australian accent, NZ accent available. Limited availability on Google Play
Age
PP +
Description
Instructional tool that uses letter tiles to build and spell words. Helps reinforce the sound based approach to spelling.Blank tiles included to select your own targets for the activities.
Cost
Full: $14.99
Note
Students must play with a tutor, speech therapist, teacher, etc.
Age
K – PP
Description
Flash card game to facilitate parents to assist children with letter sound knowledge. Instruction for parents on prompting and providing feedback. Includes the 26 letters of the alphabet.
Cost
Free
Age
K – Year 3
Description
A range of apps designed to support children to further develop skills taught in Phases 1 to 5 of the Letters and Sounds program.
Cost
Some free, others $1.29-$8.99
Age
PP – Year 1
Description
12 Levels of activities to support a student’s progress in synthetic phonics. Aligns with the Letters and Sounds phonics program.
Cost
Full: $3.99
Bundle including the app below – $4.49
Notes
Available on Google Play for $2.79
Age
Year 1 – Year 3
Description
Three interactive games to practise spelling.
Cost
Full: $2.99
Bundle including the app above – $4.49
Notes
Available on Google Play for $2.99
Age
Ages 3-6
Description
Children create a monster and take it on a magical journey over three extensive games – meeting a host of colourful characters along the way and improving their reading skills as they progress.
Cost
$7.99
Notes
Available on Google Play for $7.99
Age
PP-Year 5
Description
Extension of the Touch and Write handwriting app. A fun way for children to practice vowels, blends, digraphs and trigraphs as they write with a variety
of mediums.
Cost
$4.49
Target Area: Reading (Fluency and Comprehension)
Age
K+
Description
Little Learner books for Stages 1-7 of the Little Learners Love Literacy sequenced reading program.
Cost
$39.00 – $55.00 per stage – (5 books / stage)
Bundle of 10 stages: $99.99
Age
Year 1+
Description
Structured reading program aimed at improving reading fluency and comprehension. Also targets vocabulary development. Includes non-fiction stories that are modeled by a fluent reader in the program that the student can read along with.
Cost
Lite: Free
Separate app for each of the 5 levels ($30.99 each)
Age
Ages 6-8
Description
Twenty stories about everyday life (150 words per story) that introduce new vocabulary and concepts, followed by multiple choice questions, true/false questions and matching activities to measure comprehension.
Cost
Lite: Free
Note
“Developer needs to update this program for it to work on iOS 11.”
Age
Year 1 +
Description
A series of short stories for young readers per grade level (fiction/non-fiction).
Includes fluency timer (calculates words per minute) and comprehension questions.
Cost
Full: $5.99
Note
Requires independence as a reader: fluency timer will not be accurate if readers skim over text without actually reading and understanding.
Available on Google Play for $4.21
Age
K-Year 4
Description
Three separate apps to download (K-1, Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4).
Engaging stories to improve reading fluency and confidence. Each story followed by a series of multiple choice comprehension questions.
Cost
Lite: Free
Various Topics: $2.99
Age
Year 2-7
Description
Customisable stories and quizzes to encourage listening and reading comprehension as well as story generation skills.
Cost
Full: $30.99
Target Area: Writing (Handwriting and Written Expression)
Age
K+
Description
Simple and rewarding game for practising letter formation.
Cost
Lite: Free
Full: $14.99
Note
Does not link letters to sounds (reads letter name when formation complete)
Age
K +
Description
Engaging activities for practising letter formation in isolation and in short words.
Cost
Lite: Free | Full: $4.49
Note
Does not link letters to sounds (reads letter name when formation complete)
Age
Kindy +
Description
Develops letter formation. Includes games to practise blending sounds to form short words.
Cost
Full: Available on Google Play for $5.49
Age
K – Year 2
Description
Focuses on correct sentence structure along with skills in pronunciation, grammar and punctuation. Able to customise pictures, words and sentences.
Cost
Lite: Free | Full: $9.99
Note
Available on Google Play for $1.92
Age
K-Year 3
Description
Four versions available – Victorian Modern Cursive, QLD Beginners, Block Print and South Australian Font.
Cost
$4.49
Target Area: Vocabulary / Grammar
Age
Ages 3+
Description
Flash cards that prompt “Let’s name things that… (e.g., things that are noisy). Encourages students to practise naming (vocabulary) and categorisation. Game includes flashcards with no means of measuring accuracy of responses.
Cost
Free
Note
Must be played with a partner who can determine correctness of responses and provide feedback.
Available on Google Play
Age
Pre-primary (PP) +
Description
Activities for asking the correct WH questions and answering WH questions (by multiple choice) Questions can either be read or heard by students. Activities include multiple choice (asking or answering questions) and matching games. Provides feedback if response correct/incorrect but no specific feedback to improve performance.
Cost
Lite: Free (includes “Who cards”)
Bundle: $17.99
Note
Limited availability on Google Play
Age
Kindy +
Description
Listen to/read sentences (with pictures) and fill in the blanks to practice ‘I’ and ‘me’ personal pronouns.
Cost
Free
Note
Provides corrective feedback when incorrect responses given. Available on Google Play for $2.15
Age
Ages 3 +
Description
A set of games designed to help children build vocabulary. Involves reading and/or hearing words and matching pictures. Includes 252 vocabulary items.
Cost
Full: $2.99
Note
Based on Reading Eggs
Age
PP +
Description
Useful app for learning and practising etymology of words used in educational settings. Quiz includes 250 Greek and Latin root words that provides corrective feedback throughout.
Cost
Full: $2.99
Target Area: Other (Literacy)
Age
Any
Description
Picture to text reader. Also acts as a translator.
Cost
Free
Age
Any
Description
A selection of apps to support learning in Science and Society and Environment (e.g., Coral Reefs, US Presidents)
Cost
$2.99 – $7.99
Available on Google Play
Age
Secondary
Description
Online depository of lessons. Teachers can load recorded PowerPoints or learning materials for students to download.
Cost
Free. Available on Google Play
Age
Any
Description
Electronic book reader.
Cost
Free. Available on Google Play
Age
Any
Description
Electronic book reader.
Cost
Free | Pro version – $1.49. Available on Google Play
Age
Any
Description
Electronic book reader.
Cost
Free. Available on Google Play
Age
Any
Description
Voice to text app that allows children to record their thoughts and get the correct spelling for unknown words.
Cost
$4.49
Available on Google Play for $1.99
Age
Any
Description
BookRecorder makes it easy for children, teachers, parents and grandparents to record their own audiobook.
Cost
Free
Target Area: Auditory Comprehension
Age
Pre K -Year 3
Description
Follow directions of increasing difficulty (more steps to the instruction).
Provides clear goals to reach for each level and gives feedback when targets not met.
Cost
Lite: Free
Full version (see Hearbuilder website)
Note
Must create an account to sign in and access all levels.
Available on Google Play
Age
K -Year 6
Description
Sequencing picture cards to match spoken phrases. Provides clear goals to reach for each level.
Cost
Lite: Free
Full version (see Hearbuilder site)
Note
Available on Google Play
Age
Ages 5 and under
Description
Interactive games that require players to respond to simple and complex directions. Skills of listening, following directions, colours, spatial concepts, auditory memory and auditory processing also required.
Cost
Full: $24.99
Age
Ages 5 and under
Description
Interactive and engaging games to practice listening, following directions, colours, comparatives (larger/smaller) spatial concepts, auditory memory and auditory processing.
Cost
Full: $24.99
Age
Ages 4 +
Description
Practise language and auditory processing tasks at the basic sentence level. Encourages children to create mental images from what they hear.
Cost
Full: $14.99
Age
Ages 18 months – 4 Years
Description
Develop listening and language skills. Instructions range from a very early level of language development (e.g. single word recognition) to much more complex (e.g. instructions combining several aspects of language at once).
Cost
Full: $4.49
Note
Available on Google Play for $3.20
Note: Apps listed as Lite are usually supported by advertising and can be restricted in the number of games or levels available. Apps listed as Full generally have no ads and all levels/features are unlocked. Lite versions of these apps are designed for you to review the suitability of an app prior to purchasing.
In this section
- Appendix 1: Processing weaknesses are common in children with learning disabilities
- Appendix 2: A Parent’s Guide to IEPs
- Appendix 3: Structured Synthetic Phonics: A Guide for Teachers and Parents
- Appendix 4: Examples of High Quality, Evidence-based Phonics Programs and Resources
- Appendix 5: Improving Handwriting and Pencil Grasp
- Appendix 6: Recommended Literacy Apps for Primary School Students
- Appendix 7: Useful Resources for parents