A free 3-minute check that finds the reason
Your child knows the letter sounds but cannot put them together into a word. There are four common reasons, and each one needs a different fix. Do this check together. It takes about three minutes.
How to do it: do not teach and do not correct. Just listen, and tap what your child could do. Nothing you tap is sent anywhere.
Show your child this screen. Point to each letter. Tap each one your child says the sound of (not its name).
Turn the screen away. Say the sounds slowly, with a small gap. Tap each word your child says.
Show your child the screen again. They try each word. Tap each word they read, however slowly.
With the words they could not read, what happened most?
Most reading programs ask what level a child is at and start them at page one. But two children at the same level can be stuck for different reasons, and the practice that fixes one does nothing for the other. That is why a child can do weeks of worksheets and still not blend.
It is not a diagnosis and it is not a test your child can fail. It tells you where to start. If your child is six or older and none of the four reasons seems to fit, tell their teacher what you saw and ask what the school has noticed.
More help: My child knows the sounds but cannot blend · the free blending game · My child mixes up b and d
