Our take
A web version of Siegfried Engelmann's Direct Instruction beginning reading program: 220 short, scripted lessons that a parent or teacher runs with the child, with about 10 percent new material each lesson and stories built from words already taught. Workbook activities include spelling, and children must complete each lesson's tasks before moving on. It ends around a beginning 3rd-grade level.
A good fit for
- Parents of young beginners who will follow a script
- Families who want a complete first-reading course at low cost
Look elsewhere if
- Children who need to practise on their own
- Older or dyslexic readers past beginning phonics
How far it goes
About the skill ladder- 7Latin and Greek rootsconstruct, phonographNot taught
- 6Prefixes, suffixes and spelling ruleshopping, unkindNot published
- 5Multisyllable wordsnapkin, fantasticPartly
- 4Vowel patternscake, rain, carPartly
- 3Blends and digraphsstop, ship, chinTaught
- 2Short-vowel wordscat, sit, hopTaught
- 1Letter soundsm says /m/Taught
Stories include "many multisyllabic words"; long-vowel and suffix coverage is not itemised.
How it works
How we rate- Who hears your child read?
- You doYour child reads to you or a teacher, who judges each word.
- Does your child spell?
- Writes from dictationOral and workbook spelling, run by the parent.
- What do they read?
- DecodableEach lesson's story reviews words already taught.
- How is progress gated?
- Mastery checksChildren perform each lesson's tasks to the set standard before the next lesson.
- How much of your time?
- You teach itYou sit with your child for every lesson.
- What does the evidence show?
- Independent studySmall published studies (e.g. Stockard 2010; Watson & Hempenstall 2008); not rated on Evidence for ESSA.
How it compares
| App | Price | Goes up to | Hears reading | Spelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funnix Beginning Reading | $24.99/mo family plan (up to 3 children); free trial lessons | Multisyllable words | You do | Writes from dictation |
| Reading Horizons At-Home | $199 for the first year, then $50/yr; $25 per extra student; $10 30-day trial | Multisyllable words | No automated listening | Writes from dictation |
| Reading.com | $12.49–$14.99/mo or $74.99/yr | Vowel patterns | You do | Picks letters or answers |
| Phonics Hero | US$36 per 6 months on the web, or US$6/mo in the app | Multisyllable words | No automated listening | Picks letters or answers |
| Sweet Phonics | $69.99/yr (7-day free trial) or monthly; the App Store lists both $11.99 and $14.99 monthly plans | Prefixes, suffixes and spelling rules | Speech recognition | Writes from dictation |
Sources
Checked October 2026 against the maker's own pages and the sources above. Spot something out of date? Tell us.