{Review} One Minute Reader iPad App
Do you love to discover new educational iPad apps for homeschooling?
Recently, we were introduced to the One Minute Reader iPad app with the Mosaic Reviews team. One Minute Reader is a unique iPad app for literacy developed by Read Naturally, an award-winning reading program.
The One Minute Reader iPad app begins with a reading level assessment for beginning readers. The app has six levels from early reader to fifth grade. You can download a Free version of the app with a few stories included. Or, you can buy individual books ($2.99 to $4.99 each) or full levels ($19.99 each).
The assessment consists of your child reading a story aloud before the one minute timer sounds. If your child finishes the story before the timer, you select Done on the app. Or, your child reads until the buzzer, and you select the last word read aloud.
Once your child completes the assessment, the app recommends a level from E-5. The recommended level includes a set of stories from which to choose. We began right at Level E which corresponds with early first grade. The levels in the app do not correspond with exact grade levels.
The full version of One Minute Reader Level E contains six books. Each book includes a set of five stories. This is certainly a comprehensive learning app!
Ready, Set, Yellow
Pet Hamsters
You're It!
Fleas
Winter Water
A Fun Fruit
Bugs!
Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite!
Moths
The Sand Wasp
A Bug That Stinks
A Stick That Walks
Cool Creatures
Turtles of the Sea
Two Types of Turkeys
Stinky Mink!
A Gold Fish to Goldfish
Helpful Cattle
Pets
A Soft Pet
A Bird in the House!
Neat Newts
Pet Snakes
A New Kind of Pet
Under the Sea
Tide Pools
Christmas Tree Worm
Sand Dollars
A Sea Pen
A Sea Squirt
The app works in the
same manner as the assessment. You begin with a Cold Reading of the
story, which is simply reading the story aloud until you hear the timer
sound. If your child finishes the story
before the timer, you
select Done on the app. Or, your child continues to read until the
buzzer, and you
select the last word read aloud.
The first score received is the Cold Timing score based upon how many words are read per minute. Next, you move into the Read Along section where the story is read aloud by the app.
After the app read aloud, selected words are highlighted within the story and your child can explore vocabulary words.
At this point, your child moves into the Read Alone section where they read the story aloud several occasions with the timer. They can improve their words-per-minute score until they achieve a Hot Timing Score that they want to save. This aspect provides a wonderful literacy challenge as the student tries to improve their own personal score.
The last section is the Quick Quiz which asks comprehension questions from the story.
One Minute Reader provides handy reporting features right within the app. This makes is quite useful in measuring progress and literacy development. The reporting motivates the student to continue to improve their own scores as they reread the story or listen to the auto read aloud from a fluent reader.
The story content is interesting and engaging. My nephew loved discovering that the hamster's teeth continue to grow unless they gnaw and shorten them. He was so surprised!
What we enjoyed about One Minute Reader:
- Helpful assessment determines reading level
- Engaging and interesting stories
- App encourages fluency and comprehension
- Students enjoy the challenge of improving their scores
- Intuitive and easy to use
- Assists in proper pronunciation
- Expands vocabulary development
- Supports audio, visual, and kinesthetic learners
- Your child will need to have some reading skills (early first grade) in order to use the app
- You can try the One Minute Reader for free before purchasing additional books or levels
- The free version includes a sample story from each level (six stories total)
- The assessment of reading level is included in the free version
- You can also check out the placement guide
- If your child has anxiety with timers, you will want to be aware the timer is a key element
- You can use this app as a stand-alone tool, apart from the Read Naturally classroom program
Product Details:
Title: One Minute Reader, Level E
Publisher: Read Naturally, Inc.
Format: iPad app
Retail Price: $19.99 for full level (Free version with in-app purchases available)
Publisher Description (iTunes):
One Minute Reader is a fun and effective way for students to get extra reading practice. There are six reading levels (E, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) each featuring interesting, nonfiction stories, packed with fascinating information. It's important to work in the appropriate level. Level E is an early first-grade reading level, and the stories consist of a few short, simple sentences with several words repeated. You may want to use the placement process in the free version of the One Minute Reader app to determine the best fit.
About One Minute Reader:
Read Naturally was founded in 1991 by husband and wife team, Candyce & Tom Ihnot. Originally based in the couple’s kitchen, Read Naturally has expanded over the years to include 30 employees, most of whom work in an office less than a mile from the original kitchen setting!
While Tom manages the business side of things, Candyce develops the curriculum. She combined three research-proven methods (teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring) into a simple set of steps that would later become known as the Read Naturally strategy. Eventually, this strategy would help hundreds of thousands of struggling students read more fluently.
Read Naturally is dedicated to providing quality materials, service to educators (and parents), and success of students. They are dedicated to producing better tools, better readers, and brighter futures.
Connect with One Minute Reader / Read Naturally:
Website
One Minute Reader iTunes
One Minute Reader Flyer
You can visit Mosaic Reviews to read more reviews by the team.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this product from One Minute Reader to help facilitate the writing of a frank and honest review for Mosaic Reviews. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review. All opinions shared about the product are the honest responses of Sharra Badgley. Your results and opinions may vary.
Comments