Navigo reading game app

Reading and writing are core skills that will influence educational achievements, future career development, and social interaction throughout your life. UNESCO reports that there are almost 800 million illiterate people across the world and this is not a problem confined to developing countries; 25% of young adults in England are classed as having poor literacy skills, 1 in 10 children are regarded as struggling readers when taught by traditional methods, and according to the International Dyslexia Association, 74% of 8 years olds who are poor readers will not have improved by the time they reach 14. Early intervention in supporting young children to develop comprehensive reading skills is therefore hugely beneficial to their future development.

iRead are a consortium of designers, education researchers and industry partners working together to develop personalised technology that supports primary children in developing their reading skills. As a member of iRead we produced Navigo, a game app that helps children in years 1 -3, and struggling readers across the primary curriculum, develop their accuracy, fluency and reading comprehension.

Educational activities are presented as fun games and puzzles to be solved

Navigo is available in English, German, Greek and Spanish, and can additionally be used as a tool to teach English as a second language.With 16 mini-game mechanics and more than 900 games available, the content and activities adapt to the child’s game play providing a personalised learning experience.

The feedback is designed to support the child’s understanding of their errors and encourage further attempts, and the aesthetics mirror the gameplay style of recreational games that the child may play. By personalising the content and enabling it to adapt to the child’s abilities, we have endeavoured to make sure that the gameplay is motivating and rewarding, encouraging greater engagement which means greater recall, thereby enhancing their education as they play.

The mini-game mechanics incorporate auditory and visual learning tools

The Navigo app has been designed for supervised use in the classroom and learning at home. It was recently judged by the Department for Education’s ‘Hungry Little Minds’ campaign as effective in supporting children’s literacy and language skills in the home, and was a Serious Games Society GaLA winner.

Children can customise their own avatar, receiving new items to use as they progress through the game