Rocket Speller is an excellent app for young spellers, struggling older spellers, and children who need lots of positive reinforcement. The free version includes 135 words of three to ten letters each. The app uses a space theme, bright colors, cool sounds, and cute characters to have students spell words. In the easy levels, the word is spelled out and the player must simply put the correct letter in place while listening to the name of the letter. In harder levels, students must figure out the spelling on their own. In all levels, the student cannot put letters in the incorrect place. The student hears the letter named every time the letter is touched for added reinforcement. Unfortunately, the app misses the letter sound correlation by only providing letter names and not sounds, which is spelling through rote memorization rather than the preferred technique of learning by sounding out words. After every three correct answers, a student is able to customize a part of the rocket which then blasts off after 12 correct answers. Younger students will enjoy this break and even older students should enjoy the engaging and child-friendly graphics.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
• Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Has a free or trial version
• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
• Multiple users can save a profile
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can play without sound and not distract others
• Students can save work between sessions
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
• Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
• Overall - Easy to use

Rocket Speller is a fun and engaging spelling app for 3-7 year olds. Educators, occupational therapists, special education teachers, and parents agree that kids are engaged and learning with this app.
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* Libby Curran (2012 People Magazine Teacher of the Year) on iKidApps - "If you are looking for an app that will help your children learn their ABCs and improve their spelling, and that is as entertaining as it is educational, try Rocket Speller."

*Smart Apps for Kids - "a TERRIFIC free app…"

*Best Apps For Kids - "This is one of the best free educational apps I have found that is not only a great value, but provides tons of fun."

*The iPhone Mom - "Rocket Speller helps develop and strengthen spelling and fine motor skills in young children, it is packed full of educational value in a fun environment …"

*Kids App Reviews - "You won’t be disappointed with this high quality app …"
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Kids join Zip the alien on an out-of-this-world spelling adventure to build a fancy new rocket. Now with 5 levels of difficulty, kids spell words to fuel his spaceship and help him choose the rocket pieces he needs. Once they have built their custom rocket ship, kids steer it through space to collect stars in an entertaining mini-game.

LEVELS:

1: 3-6 letter words. Place letters in any order. Audible and visual hints.

2: 3-10 letter words. Order required. Audible and visual hints. 
3: 3-4 letter words. Order required. Audible hints. Adaptive assistance.
4: 5-6 letter words. Correct order required. Adaptive assistance only.
5: 7-10 letter words. Correct order required. Adaptive assistance only.

“What are audible hints?”
Players can touch a letter to hear its name or sound.

“What are visual hints?”
In the early levels (1 & 2), players see where specific letters should be placed.

“What is Adaptive Assistance?”
Smart technology that recognizes when a player is struggling and assistance is provided.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Learn to spell words in a way that is fun, interactive and promotes self-initiated skill progression
- Develop awareness of how letters combine to form words
- Develop awareness of left to right order
- Promote letter recognition
- Reinforce knowledge of letter names
- Enhance vocabulary

FEATURES
- Kid-friendly interface
- Balances skill development with play, making learning fun
- 5 levels of difficulty engage children at different stages of development
- 140 simple and complex words to enhance vocabulary
- Words are different every time you play
- Choose upper or lower-case letters
- Hundreds of possible rocket combinations
- Interactive alien (touch Zip on the spelling pages and see what he does!)
- High quality production standards

* Note: words are pronounced with a North American accent.


PRIVACY AND EXTERNAL LINKS

We believe it’s important to inform you about the app you are downloading. This app:


- contains a secured (triple-tap required) Parents/Educators section with a few links retained for your convenience.
- tracks usage data using a highly-reputable service called Flurry Analytics. All data is aggregated and completely anonymous. Understanding how the app is used helps us to improve and refine the user experience. If you would like additional information, please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer your questions. You may opt-out by visiting www.flurry.com/resources/privacy.html.

- Has NO push notifications

- Has NO in-app purchases

- Has NO third party ads

- Has NO social media links



Little Big Thinkers is a member of Parents with Apps, a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.