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DREAMBOX (DREAMBOX.COM) is a fun way to learn math skills at home. The software uses games and activities to gauge students’ skills, skips lessons that kids don’t need, and gives extra practice to strengthen weak areas.
INVASION OF THE MOON MONKEYS (EDUGAME.CO.UK), an inexpensive app for Apple and Android products, is one of the best games for learning multiplication tables that is available.
QUACK VIDEOS, available on Amazon, are an excellent alternative to boring vocabulary worksheets. Memorable, funny skits show the meaning of words commonly found in academic texts and on the SAT.
FLOCABULARY (FLOCABULARY.COM) uses rhythm and rhyme in its music videos to teach vocabulary words and multiplication tables. Kids will enjoy watching the videos.
PERSUASION MAP by ReadWriteThink (READWRITETHINK.ORG) — an organization endorsed by both the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association — is a graphic organizer that will help kids master persuasive writing by turning their thoughts into visuals.
SCRATCH (SCRATCH.MIT.EDU, produced by MIT) and ALICE (ALICE.ORG, produced by Carnegie Mellon University) help kids learn basic computer coding, an important skill to have these days. Computer coding provides practice in logical thinking and applied math.
LEXIA (LEXIALEARNING.COM), SEEING STARS (LINDAMOODBELL.COM/PROGRAM/SEEING-STARS-PROGRAM), and READING HORIZONS (READINGHORIZONS.COM), which is Orton-Gillingham-based, are excellent programs for kids struggling with reading.
PICMONIC (PICMONIC.COM) helps students take advantage of strengths in visual processing to recall important science concepts and terms. Picmonic creates digital “flashcards” that pair visual mnemonics with scientific information.
BRAIN QUEST (BRAINQUEST.COM) makes question-and-answer games that have been beloved for years. Kids as young as two enjoy learning with these trivia-style card decks.
