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Latest News
May 18/2012
Pyxwise is pleased to announce that Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 has gone gold and is awaiting approval from Apple. It will become available to download from the App Store in the near future. We will be releasing additional information about Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 over the next little while, so check back soon to see what we've been working on.
May 17/2012
The fine people over at BridgingApps were kind enough to perform a trial with their students using Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 and have posted a review. BridgingApps felt that Simplex Spelling works well for "English Language Arts Reading Foundational Skills" for the Common Core Standards. Please stop by their great site to check out the full review.
"We have trialed this app with developmentally disabled students on a second grade level, and it has been successful. Students like to see the words they have mastered and words they need to work on. Teachers and therapists will love the ability to adjust the students' level based on the data they are able to track."
May 16/2012
Sharon Heuscher from the Parent's Choice Foundation recently gave Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 their "Parents' Choice Approved Award" recommending it for children 5 to 8 years of age. Established in 1978, Parents' Choice is the nation's oldest nonprofit guide to quality children's media and toys. The Foundation's purpose is to search out and recommend products that help kids grow – imaginatively, physically, morally and mentally—fairly priced products that are fun, safe and socially sound. It is a great honor that the Parents' Choice Foundation chose Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 for this award and we are very thankful.
"The app guides children through each lesson and corresponding list with easy-to-understand pleasant voice prompts."
Nell Wulfhart from SMATOOS was kind enough to recently review Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. SMATOOS is a dynamic online news site that covers the convergence of education and technology trends worldwide. SMATOOS is a one-stop-shop for students, educators and techies.
"Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 is an easy to use app that provides phonetics-based spelling lists to your child."
"Teachers and parents will benefit from the app since memorization of sight words should not be the only strategy used for spelling lessons. Phonetic spelling is also helpful for early readers who need to sound out words."
April 25/2012
We are honored that SpecialNeeds.com was kind enough to choose Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 as their "App of the Day" today. Check out the full review by Cara Batema.
"Simplex Spelling is a top educational app for learning reading, spelling, and phonics, and after just the introductory lesson, it's easy to see why."
"Simplex Spelling points out that spelling is an auditory skill in which words are sounded out from left to right, and children can use the auditory cues and the hint button to help their brains develop and learn how to sound out words. "
"Simplex Spelling by Pyxwise is one of the most intensive and effective spelling applications available. The instruction is direct and easy to understand, and many children can use the app independent of their caregivers or educators."
"Simplex Spelling is available for iPhone and iPad and costs $4.99 -- a tremendous deal for all this app has to offer."
March 29/2012
We are pleased to announce the release of our update to Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 (Version 1.3.0). We made a number of improvements many of them based on feedback from educators, including:
- Updated graphics to support the new iPad
- Changed how the phonogram hint buttons appear to aid more with phonemic awareness.
- Increased the maximum number of user accounts to 40.
- Replaced most of the two syllable words in the early word lists with single syllable words.
- Added some better transition words between one and two syllable words in the earlier word lists.
- The speech button will pulse now after a period of inactivity to help students that are easily distracted to resume working more seamlessly.
- Removed link to our FB page.
Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 will be featured and on sale tomorrow March 29th as a part of App Friday over at Moms With Apps. In additional Simplex Spelling HD will also be on sale. Both apps will be $1.99 (60% off of the regular $4.99 price). In addition we'll be keeping both our apps on sale up to and including April 2nd in support of Autism Awareness. Grab them both while they're on sale.
March 28/2012
Our privacy policy has been updated in order to better clarify specific details. We've also added a more prominent Privacy Policy menu option to the navigation bar to make it easier to find.
March 9/2012
The app review site App Sparkle recently posted their review of Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 giving it 5/5 stars.
"The interface is easy to use and hints help the user along the way if he or she gets stuck on a particular word. This is a great app for teaching your children to spell."
"It is an awesome and a solid, educational spelling app to help boost your child's confidence."
Feb 10th, 2012
iHeartThisApp has posted a review of Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. Here are a few of the things that iHeartThisApp had to say about Simplex Spelling HD.
"As a parent, there is a lot to like about this app"
"I found this app so compelling that I will also be adding the companion app, Spelling Simplex HD, to our home curriculum as well."
"Spelling Simplex Phonics 1 is a very powerful supplement to improve a student's spelling and reading ability. It provides comprehensive knowledge that will support children in the mastering [of] phonics – a skillset essential to having good foundation to long-term literacy"
"I love that key spelling patterns and extensive spelling knowledge is imparted almost seamlessly by a simple and intuitive interface. As each word is pieced together from its smallest or simplex sounds, spelling hints and rules are provided to students in context and only as they are needed and requested. This app feels like it really helps to provide a firm foundation for students looking to become good spellers and efficient readers."
Feb 8th, 2012
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Amato a NYC school teacher has been using our Simplex Spelling applications in her classroom with dramatic results. Ms. Amato had the following to say about Simplex Spelling HD.
"The Simplex Spelling HD application for sight words is wonderful. I work with students with autism and my students absolutely love it. It is an amazing way to learn the basic sight words." "My students have increased their spelling correctly by fifty percent." "I would recommend this application to all parents and educators. It would be a great use for anyone to utilize with both disabled and non-disabled students/children."
Ms. Amato had similar praise for Simplex Spelling Phonics 1.
"It is an amazing way to learn the spelling and phonemic awareness of words. My students were motivated to keep spelling the words." "By going through words and showing the short a, long a, short e, long e along with the rest of the vowels in order, it allows students to learn flawlessly. When students need help they can press a button and get phonics help to spell the word. This is very useful because it helps my students to build independence." "My students are so happy to learn by playing and your application promotes learning through play, which is the best way to learn."
The iMum recently posted a combined review for Simplex Spelling HD and Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. They have done an excellent job of describing in depth how our spelling apps work. If you would like more information, please go check out the review.
"Overall, I really like the Simplex Spelling apps and think they are the best on the market at teaching your child how to spell in English."
"where the Simplex Spelling apps excel is teaching your child how to spell. I really like how individualized the hint system is – you can choose to have no hint, or just hints for individual sounds, and instead of just telling them the letter that is missing, it teaches them what could make that sound. I also like that if the child gets the right letters but in the wrong order, the blue colored tiles let them know that, instead of just labeling it as wrong."
Feb 3/2012
Apps For iPads recently posted their top 4 "Super Spelling Apps For iPads" and we are honored that Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 made their list.
"We particularly liked the module that made it sound like you are competing in a spelling bee, giving them the word, using it in a sentence, and then helping them sound it out."
"We think you will agree that this app is great for grade-school aged kids! It's not cute or babyish at all, and will be a good addition to study time in most homes."
"The four spelling apps we selected today are some of the very best you are going to find for your young children. They are all just the right combination of learning and fun!"
Jan 27/2012
Today 148Apps posted the winners of their 2011 Best App Ever awards. More than 1,500,000 votes were cast this year in this people's choice awards. We are thrilled that Simplex Spelling HD came in 2nd place in the "Best Special Needs App" category. We are honoured that Simplex Spelling is making such a positive impact in helping all children to spell and read.
Jan 25/2012
Common Sense Media has reviewed Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 giving it 4/5 stars and rating it as appropriate for kids ages 6 and up.
"The quizzes are encouraging and challenging, and the voice commands are clear and calm."
"This app is for people who want a well-planned spelling curriculum that combines high-use words, basic old-fashioned phonics with clear instructions, and easy use."
Jan 23/2012
John from The Wired Homeschool recently posted a review of Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. We're thrilled that homeschoolers are finding our spelling apps so helpful.
"It seems like the folks over at Pyxwise Software can't stop making great apps for the iPhone and iPad."
"The interface is still easy to use and hints help the user along the way if he or she gets stuck on a particular word."
"This is a great app for teaching your children to spell. A great tool for car-schooling when you're driving around town."
Jan 16/2012
The review site AppSparkle recently reviewed Simplex Spelling HD giving it 4.5/5 stars.
"While playing with the words and the app, kids never feel the pressure to learn. Shortly you'll start witnessing the language improvement in your kids."
"When you start using the app – you feel that you've started using the app, when in fact you're actually learning how to use the app."
"Simplex Spelling is a great learning app for the kids."
"the app has tremendous potential and is too good to be missed."
We are thrilled to announce that Apps For Homeschooling recently listed their reader's choice awards for educational apps of 2011 and Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 was voted a favorite by their website readers.
Jan 5/2012
148Apps has posted their list of finalists for their 2011 Best App Ever awards and Simplex Spelling HD is a finalist in their "Best Special Needs App" category! You can click on the image below to vote for Simplex Spelling HD.
Vote for Simplex Spelling HD - English ... for Best Special Needs App
Jennifer Bogart from Apps For Homeschooling has also posted the Top 10 viewed apps from their site for 2011 and Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 came in fourth place!
The User Group News Network Infomanager has listed Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 as one of their highly recommended apps for educational learning for a new year. Saying that
"Simplex Spelling takes phonics education to a new level."
Jan 4/2012
A few new reviews of our Simplex Spelling apps were posted over the Christmas break.
The iPhone mom has reviewed Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. Below are a few quotes from the iPhone mom review.
"Simplex Spelling was marvelous to begin with and I think the dedicated focus on phonics makes this app a powerful teaching tool."
"it's the little extras that set Simplex Spelling apart. It's quite wonderful. If children get stuck on a word there is a hunt button that reveals phonics hints. For each letter they can see the letter and letter combinations that make the sound needed for the word. The correct one is shown in —[blue] so it's easily identifiable but I like that children get to see all of the phonograms and sounds."
"Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 also has the interactive tutorial found in the original Simplex Spelling. Here the app's features are turned into a spelling list. As children go through this first spelling list they will also be learning how to use all of the features in the app. It's one of the most effective tutorials I've used."
"If you're looking for a solid, educational spelling app that will build confidence in your child, this is one for you."
John from The Wired Homeschool also recently reviewed our first spelling app Simplex Spelling HD.
"Right from the start I was impressed with the app. The tutorial is fantastic and leads kids through the use of the application while teaching them how to spell."
"The positive reinforcement and hints help the user along toward their goal of spelling each word."
"My kids have asked me repeatedly [to] play the game. I never thought they'd be so enthusiastic about spelling."
"I can confidently recommend this app."
The brand new site GeekGirl Apps recently reviewed both Simplex Spelling HD and Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 giving them 4/5 stars.
"We especially like using the "Hint" button, even when hints are not necessary. This option allows the user to see a dropdown list of available letters that could make the desired sound to complete the word."
"The app helps users see phonics in action in real time, as they put together words."
"this multisensory experience really helps reinforce learning."
"Words are used in the context of a sentence. This helps users decode contextual meaning to improve vocabulary and is also helpful when the app is used in conjunction with other exercises, like handwriting and Speech Therapy."
"The app is fun to use and easy to understand."