What does Reading Eggs entail?
Established in Australia in 2008, Reading Eggs is a widely embraced online reading program designed for children aged 2-13 (preK to grade 6). It utilizes synthetic phonics methodology and has gained popularity in households and classrooms worldwide.
Accessible as a mobile app on iTunes and Android, as well as a web-based program, Reading Eggs emphasizes the five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Its engaging and gamified platform aims to assist children in building a solid reading foundation through enjoyable and interactive experiences.
What age groups and grade levels is Reading Eggs designed for?
Later in this discussion, we will explore how a Reading Eggs subscription grants access to various programs catering to diverse skill development, including letter-sound associations, print awareness, reading comprehension, spelling, and more.
In general, we can ascertain that a Reading Eggs subscription is suitable for students aged 2-13, spanning from preschool to grade 6. However, each program within the subscription caters to different age groups and skill levels, as illustrated in the chart below.
Program Age Group Skills Covered
Reading Eggs Junior 2-4 Pre-reading skills, Reading Eggs 4-7 Phonics instruction, Reading Eggs Eggspress 7-13 Reading comprehension, spelling, Mathseeds 5-9 Kindergarten to 3rd-grade math skills
It is crucial to understand that Reading Eggs primarily focuses on skill development rather than being strictly aligned with specific grades or ages. Therefore, the recommended ages or grades serve as guidelines rather than strict criteria.
As a result, individuals outside of the typical learning progression, such as exceptionally advanced young learners or older students seeking to strengthen their foundational reading skills, can readily utilize the programs as a valuable resource.
However, it is worth noting that some significantly older students in need of remedial instruction might find certain skill-building programs, such as Reading Eggs or Reading Eggs Junior, less engaging due to their vibrant and cartoonish styles primarily tailored to younger children.
The Visual Appearance and User Experience of Reading Eggs
Reading Eggs incorporates a distinctive and animated cartoon style across all its programs. While it may not reach the level of sophistication seen in some advanced 3D games, we found the animations to be sharp, smooth, and accompanied by bright and vibrant graphics. These visual elements effectively capture and retain children’s attention.
Furthermore, Reading Eggs offers a user-friendly experience for both children and parents. The interface is well-organized, featuring animated icons that are clearly marked. Navigational arrows are prominently displayed in the top corners of the screen, preventing accidental presses while remaining easily accessible. Even pre-readers should have no trouble using the program, especially with light parental supervision.
It’s worth noting that Reading Eggs, being developed in Australia, carries an Australian touch. Some of the character voices have accents that, although enjoyable, may be unfamiliar to children based in the United States. However, understanding and following these accents should pose no significant challenge. Additionally, important instructions are usually delivered in a clear and comprehensible computerized voice, devoid of accents, albeit lacking the same level of entertainment value.
Certainly, there are printable materials and offline activities available, but the majority of the programs in Reading Eggs require an internet connection to function effectively.
While this reliance on internet connectivity is generally not an issue in today’s world, it does impose limitations on the locations where learning can take place. Some parents may prefer to provide their children with devices that have internet access disabled for safety reasons. Moreover, although the animations and sounds within the app successfully capture the interest of our children/testers, they can become somewhat distracting as attention span diminishes. For instance, children may intentionally make mistakes to entertain themselves with the amusing “boing” sound that accompanies an incorrect answer.
The Array of Reading Eggs Programs Available
With a Reading Eggs subscription, families gain access to a range of programs that cover various stages of reading and learning. These programs include:
- Reading Eggs Junior
- Reading Eggs
- Reading Eggs Eggspress
Collectively, these programs form a comprehensive system within Reading Eggs, effectively guiding children from non-readers to achieving a level of reading and reading comprehension typically seen in elementary school.
Furthermore, a subscription to Reading Eggs also encompasses Mathseeds, the company’s math education program. This addition enhances the learning potential of the program and offers a well-rounded educational experience.
The Functioning of Reading Eggs
At its essence, Reading Eggs functions as a reading program rooted in synthetic phonics methodology. It serves as a valuable supplement to language arts instruction in both classroom and homeschool settings, aligning with the five fundamental principles of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
In simple terms, the program teaches reading by deconstructing words into their constituent sounds (phonemes), establishing the correlation between sounds and letters, and ultimately integrating these sounds and letters to form words. In essence, children learn to decode words by breaking them down into individual letter-sounds before blending them together.
Once children acquire a certain level of proficiency in the foundational skills, they can progress to reading at a faster pace and enhancing their comprehension of text.
Overall, Reading Eggs provides parents with access to various iterations of the program, each targeting specific age ranges or reading abilities. These individual versions will be further reviewed and discussed below.
These programs within Reading Eggs include:
- Reading Eggs Junior: Targeted at pre-readers aged 2-4, this program focuses on developing essential pre-reading skills.
- Reading Eggs (ages 3-7): Geared towards emergent readers aged 3-7, Reading Eggs teaches early reading skills, basic reading comprehension, and brings children to approximately a second-grade level of reading.
- Reading Eggspress (grades 1-6): Building upon the foundational skills established in Reading Eggs, Reading Eggspress targets beginner readers aged 3-7 and places greater emphasis on fluency, reading, and reading comprehension.
Apart from teaching fundamental reading skills, Reading Eggs offers additional programs that can serve as valuable learning supplements for parents:
- Mathseeds (ages 3-9): Designed as a math skills program for children in Pre-K to Grade 3, Mathseeds acts as a complementary educational program to Reading Eggs. It covers various math topics for younger children, including basic shapes and geometry, counting, skip-counting, measurement, addition, subtraction, basic multiplication, and more.
- Fast Phonics: An online phonics program dedicated to reinforcing phonics instruction and improving children’s reading skills through interactive games and activities. Fast Phonics can be used alongside Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress.
