Talking Fingers Review

Due to our oldest son’s special needs he has had challenges with reading so although he is 9 and Read, Write & Type is geared for K-2, I knew this was something that would be ideal for him to try! This program from Talking Fingers Inc. covers spelling, phonics, reading and typing. It has special features for those that have reading difficulties as well as learning disabilities and even English as a second language.

Talking Fingers Review

For our Talking Fingers Review we received a one-year subscription to Read, Write & Type. It is accessed online, and all account information is saved online, so it can be accessed from anywhere, and you can pick up right where you are. We’ve used it on both a Windows PC and Windows Laptop with Windows 10, and everything has run well. Students and parents each have their own account log-ins.
In the parent dashboard I have access to add students as well as manage our account. There is a User Manual which was helpful for getting everything set up for our son. There is also an Administrator Guide, which seems it would be most helpful for those that will have more than one Administrator and students. We only needed one Administrator, of course.
From the parent dashboard I can also edit settings for Brayden. I can choose the times and days he is allowed to log in as well as the pass level. The pass level is set at a default of 70%, which I’ve kept. If he were to fall below the 70% it would send them back to previous games to practice and improve those skills. Each setting has a little “?” beside it that you can hover over to learn more about what that setting is or does.

When the student logs on to their account, it goes straight to a start screen. I found this to be a little confusing because I have used many online programs that have a student dashboard as well. I felt like I was doing something wrong, but that is the only screen it goes to and there aren’t any other options. So, now we just know and click Start. It starts with a fun, exciting song for a fun introduction.
I do find the student area to be a bit confusing. There are different things to click on, but it isn’t really intuitive. There is a little box with a star on it as well as letters they have finished that can be clicked on where we can see and print out his certificates. I believe you have to be logged in to the student’s account to view and print the certificates because I haven’t found this option in the parent dashboard, and I’m glad we found it on his account! The certificates are really easy to print as you just have to click on the printer icon.

Brayden has been learning how to type while also learning to spell. Typing is taught using the correct fingers and style. Letter sounds are emphasized as well, which I think would be perfect for younger kids. If your child does need to jump ahead, it can be adjusted in the parent area. I debated doing this but wanted to get a feel for the program first, so he’s been working on it from the beginning, which I actually think is good for him so he can learn how to type correctly.
Overall, I do feel this is a good program for beginning and struggling readers. I do find that both the parent and student areas are tricky to navigate, and there is a learning curve until you get used to the setup. Brayden has really been liking the program, and each lesson can be finished in less than 10 minutes. Generally we only do one lesson per day, but he could easily do two or even three at one time.
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I can’t personally attest for the ESL component of Read, Write & Type, but many different members of the Schoolhouse Review Crew reviewed it. They have been using it with different age children as well! Be sure to check out their reviews by clicking on the button below!