R.E.A.D.Y. Literacy App
The R.E.A.D.Y. early literacy app helps adults to engage young learners in back-and-forth conversation as they read books aloud together. The app has two parts: a Resources portion with short videos that introduce parents/caregivers to basic dialogic reading strategies; and a Read Aloud With Floppy portion that uses Smart Speaker technology to listen in as parents/caregivers read books aloud with children. At specific points in each story, Floppy, a child-friendly character, asks questions to encourage back and forth conversations between the parent/caregiver and child. The app is designed to be a companion to reading, so the user interface of the app is simple and easy to navigate. (Note: The name R.E.A.D.Y. is an acronym to help parents/caregivers remember basic dialogic reading strategies including: Recalling the past, Explaining new words or ideas, Asking questions, and Discussing the future. The ‘Y’ stands for ‘You can make a difference!’).
This resource is in the development and testing stage.