This review by Peter Cassidy is based on his observations of his daughter, Emily Cassidy-Oki, using the product.

Peter’s daughter Emily playing ‘Teach Your Monster to Read’.

“Teach Your Monster to Read” is the perfect blend of game and teaching-tool for families or educators looking to get their children / students intrinsically motivated to read. Emergent readers can choose the beginning levels that offer captivating and achievable challenges in a framework of contextual narratives. Creating the monster is just the beginning and the gamers will soon realise that reading leads to advancing the story and to helping develop one’s monsters with add-ons that they can choose along the way. Rewards are gathered and the goal of exploring more planets is embedded in a strategic linguistic journey that teaches reading and phonemic awareness. Context-rich graphics and riddles presented in this wonderful journey lay the groundwork for choosing the right paths leading to learner empowerment. The wide variety of skill-based activities add a surprise element that is facilitated by a narrator who encourages every step of the way. Parents, teachers and children will not be disappointed by this free resource that was created for the purpose of supporting learners as they develop a foundation for lifetime reading skills.

We’re excited to announce that all three Teach Your Monster to Read games will be available on Android tablets and iPad in March 2016!

What’s new in the tablet version:

• Connects to the online version of the game – great for teachers and students
  
• Includes First Steps, Fun With Words and Champion Reader
  
• Hours of game play in one app – covers two years of learning
  
• Children can now change their monsters!
  

Keep a lookout for further announcements and the app launch in the coming weeks.
Keep on reading!

What do people think of Teach Your Monster to Read?

“My class have reaped loads of benefits from using the programme and the difference in some of their reading skills has been dramatic.
– Maria Andrews, Foundation Phase Teacher

This game is the absolute best quality phonics game I have come across for educational and fun value.
– Marie Lewis, Rochdale

Read the reviews here: www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/reviews

It’s Halloween next week and the monsters are getting very excited!

We’ve put together a competition to decorate or design a monster hat in time for All Hallows Eve.

Three winners will each receive £50 worth of Usborne books for their school.

To help teachers with their phonics lessons, Teach Your Monster to Read has produced three physical phonics games. These games can be played in a classroom, hall or the playground and with a full class of children.

Find out more about the games and to print off the instructions.

We’re delighted to announce that Teach Your Monster to Read has been nominated for a children’s BAFTA.

Hooray!

The awards ceremony takes place on 22nd November in London. We’re up against some other fantastic interactive content such as, Escargot Escape Artistes, Virry and Monster Mingle. Wish us luck!

Here’s a full list of the nominations.

http://www.bafta.org/press/press-releases/childrens-awards-nominations-announced

Time for a monster dance!!

My 7 year old son has been playing teach your monster to read for several months. I can’t give enough positive feedback about this wonderful game. My son has struggled with reading since kindergarten. He is currently receiving a great deal of extra support at school to help him through his struggles. Teach Your Monster to Read is an incredibly engaging game that keeps my son learning and having fun at the same time! I feel a huge deal of relief when its “time to read” by having this game available to us. My son has made noticeable improvements with reading in the past couple of months. I have to credit this game for much of it. As every parent and teacher knows, its so important to promote learning by helping them enjoy the process!! Thank you Teach Your Monster to Read for helping my son by keeping it fun and exciting, but at the same time challenging!

Lee Ann Cook from Western Massachusetts

Sign up to www.teachyourmonstertoread.com

To help teachers into the new term, Teach Your Monster to Read have launched a digital flashcard resource which you can use on a computer or interactive whiteboard.

These monster flashcards are completely free to use and cover the earliest letter-sounds that children are introduced to.

Find out more about these Digital Flashcards.

Great news! We are giving away a free ebook to children who complete each of the three stages of Teach Your Monster to Read. The books are from the Usborne Very First Reading scheme and match the reading level of that stage in the game.

Once your child has finished a stage, just click the ebook link on the gameplay screen to view the book.

Alternatively, all the available ebooks can be found within your account settings, next to the player’s name. Click the ‘More’ button and scroll down.

More about the free ebooks.

Share your love for Teach Your Monster to Read!

www.facebook.com/teachyourmonstertoread
www.twitter.com/monsterscanread

We are giving away a free ebook to children who complete each stage of the Teach Your Monster to Read game. Here’s more about books on offer.

Dog Diary (Book 4), Moon Zoom (Book 8), Fight Knight (Book 14)

• Delightful stories to inspire beginner readers.
  
• Based on the principles of synthetic phonics, supports the “Letters and Sounds” programme used in thousands of UK primary schools.
  
• Child reads with an adult’s support, and gains practice reading longer words with groups of consonants.
  
• Fun puzzles test understanding, and provide opportunities for discussion and further reading practice.
  Internal Dog Diary Images

Find out more about Usborne’s Very First Reading series:

http://www.usborne.com/veryfirstreading/

We love to receive artwork from our Teach Your Monster to Read fans. The monsters below were drawn by Emma Cotton’s daughter. They were found next to her daughter after she fell asleep. The game must have been a big hit! Thank you to Emma for sending these through. They’re fantastic!

Please email your Teach Your Monster to Read drawings, paintings and designs to [email protected] and we’ll share them on our blog and social pages. Take a look at our ‘Monster Crafts’ Pinterest page for more monster related art inspiration.