SpoonRead is a solution to the screen time battle between adults and children. It is an app that makes reading a game kids want to play, utilizing technology to increase independent reading among elementary-aged students. With SpoonRead, kids read the full text of an eBook on a tablet or phone and answer comprehension questions along the way to earn points. Reluctant and advanced readers experience success by reading in manageable chunks. Data from in-app statistics allows parents and teachers to collaborate in assisting students in working toward independent reading goals. With a bookstore of hundreds of titles with books at all reading levels, SpoonRead can support and challenge all learners and make reading fun.
Kids read more with SpoonRead, and classroom teachers can bridge the funding gaps to get free books and other classroom supplies with SpoonRead Classroom Book Club. Whole school read-a-thons are great community reading events that engage students in reading and can raise as much as $25,000 or more for schools. Many families prefer supporting their school through reading rather than having their kids selling products door-to-door. A SpoonRead Community Literacy Initiative, sponsored by a corporate foundation or other outside sources, provides kids and families incredible literacy opportunities.
Formats/platforms are used:
Teachers and parents need a web browser and email access. Kids and parents use either IOS/Android app store.
Primary website’s URL:
Problem solved:
First and most importantly, SpoonRead gets kids reading like they’ve never read before. Each of the hundreds of books in the SpoonRead bookstore has been chunked into spoonfuls - no more than 1200 words in longer chapter books, and words in books for early readers. Kids can easily stop and start reading as needed, alleviating the pressure some readers feel to complete a chapter. After each spoonful, students answer a comprehension question to ensure close reading and accurate comprehension and earn points for answering correctly. By doing so, reading becomes a game they love to play, which increases the time spent reading. If schools choose, leaderboards in the SpoonRead app can be used to motivate students to read more.
In-app statistics enable parents and teachers to see exactly how much time students spend reading independently and how well they comprehend. This capability allows for collaboration between stakeholders to work toward student reading goals. With options to set parameters around reading time and assignments, parents have more control and visibility into their child’s independent reading habits than ever before.
By optionally using SpoonRead as a fundraiser, whole schools and classrooms can bridge funding gaps while kids read to raise money instead of selling products door-to-door. The secure online donation platform can be used to ask friends and families of students to support their school. Money raised can then be used in the SpoonRead Rewards Catalog to receive books and other classroom supplies.
Grade/age range:
K-6
Standards:
ELA/Reading comprehension
Lesson time required:
In order to perform academically with their peers, it is recommended that all students spend at least 20 minutes per day reading independently. Parents can set parameters for reading time and assignments, but it is not required and can be open-ended.
Pricing model:
The SpoonRead app is free for all users. Books are sold at varying retail prices.
Additional services:
Parents securely register children, manage parent accounts, and purchase books at parentclub.spoonread.net. Teachers register for online book club and manage their teacher account at bookclub.spoonread.net.
Webinars, videos, and private social media community groups are included with literacy packages for Community Literacy Initiatives.
What makes SpoonRead unique?
SpoonRead is an exceptional reading app that addresses the battle of screen time between adults and children. By making reading a game on their device, kids spend more time reading. Parents and teachers have access to data for how much time children spend reading and their comprehension accuracy, which provides parents information they’ve never been able to gather before.
Teachers and schools can raise money by getting kids to read, instead of selling products door-to-door. SpoonRead makes fundraising easy. There are no products to distribute or money to collect, and the online donation platform is safe, secure, and easy to use.
Through Community Literacy Initiatives, SpoonRead provides a highly effective and engaging platform for supporting positive parenting projects, after school programs, or foundation grants to underprivileged students and families.
Characteristics:
SpoonRead makes reading fun! It is designed for children in grades K-5 to read and interact with books in manageable chunks. Comprehension questions after each spoonful of text are presented in a multiple-choice format with points awarded for answering correctly. Animated stars reward the reader after each correct answer and confetti falls at the end of each completed chapter to celebrate throughout the reading journey. From the homepage of the app, readers and parents can easily track progress and data, browse the SpoonRead bookstore, and manage awards by tapping on corresponding icons.
Information provided for each title in the SpoonRead Bookstore includes age range, grade range, Lexile Level, Fountas and Pinnell Level, chapter, word and spoonful counts. Text presented in spoonfuls naturally lends SpoonRead to customizing reading assignments to individual readers. Questions and feedback are presented in a clear and organized format to students, and feedback, because it is updated in real-time, is available immediately for readers, parents and teachers.
While reading, students may enlarge the font size, highlight sight words, access word definitions or hear the pronunciation of words within the text to assist them with reading.
Here are what users are saying:
“What a great app! I love that I can get books and other supplies for my classroom with SpoonRead Classroom Book Club. I am planning to run a read-a-thon using SpoonRead in February to coincide with my nonfiction and biography units in ELA. What a fantastic way to get kids reading more at home. Parents love it, too!”
--Rebecca, 4th grade, Sycamore Springs Elementary
“My students were incredibly motivated to read independently at home with SpoonRead. They really liked that they could read books in spoonfuls and answer questions along the way instead of reading the whole book before taking a quiz. Parents were very happy that their kids were reading to help our school, instead of selling products that family and friends didn’t really want or need. We raised a lot of money and the event was low-stress and easy to coordinate.”
--Robin, 3rd grade, Pioneer Academy
“Since starting SpoonRead, my children are reading a lot more at home. It feels like a game to them, therefore we have fewer battles about how they spend their screen time. They are motivated to read carefully and answer questions correctly to meet their goals and earn rewards. SpoonRead allows my children to engage in educational growth without them truly knowing. Our family loves SpoonRead!”
--Karina, parent, Dripping Springs Elementary
