Learn To Write app for iPhone and iPad

4.2 ( 8032 ratings )

Games Education Educational Simulation
Developer: Justin Hackett Productions

1.99 USD

Current version: 4.1, last update: 7 years ago
First release : 03 Apr 2010
App size: 52.29 Mb

The app educators choose for classroom use, and the only app that records a childs letter strokes for parents and educators to review.

Learn to Write is a fun way for children to learn how to write their letters and numbers, and with the improved playback feature in version 4.1, its easy for the teacher to make sure they do it correctly. This unique playback function, found in Learn to Write, saves the childs writing so you can play it back in real time to see how the child is forming letters and numbers. Children learn the proper strokes with the help of an adjustable-speed-animated ball that they can follow and write along with. With each selection of a letter or number, an audio file says the letter to aid in memorizing the alphabet. Over a dozen unique pen styles are available for tracing.

Parents enjoy the educational value and entertainment this mess-free learning tool provides (after all, who needs crayon, marker, or pencil stains on the carpet, table, or wall?). Also great for long car trips, doctors offices, and other waiting times. Write letters and numbers, or draw on the screen, and push the play-back button to see it all in real-time.

Not only is this a great app for teaching children at home, educators are also choosing this app for classroom instruction. You wont find silly cartoon characters and frustrating feedback that tells children they formed letters incorrectly when they failed to trace exactly as outlined. You help children Learn to Write, and then you can review the strokes of every letter formed for further one-on-one instruction.

Recommended for children 2 years and up.

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No in-app purchases.
No advertisements, popups, or storing of personal data.

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The strokes used in Learn To Write resemble the Zaner-Bloser style, which is also used in Romalda Spaldings The Writing Road to Reading, with the exception that O’s and Q’s are started at the top 12 o’clock position instead of the suggested 2 o’clock position. Not all teachers agree on the proper strokes for some letters. For example, some teachers prefer that the pen or stylus never leave the paper except to cross a t, or dot an i. A persons handwriting often adapts with time to be as efficient as possible, while still maintaining proper form. This application is meant as a guide to children and parents, but your individual curriculum may differ slightly.

Instructions for use:

-Select numbers, or letters in lowercase, uppercase, or mixed case using the segmented control on the settings screen.

-When a letter is selected and the child writes upon the screen, the writing is saved in memory. Pushing the triangle-shaped play button at the bottom of the writing screen plays back the last recorded strokes for each letter. A toolbar button allows the user to erase all of the saved strokes in memory.

-Red number icons on the settings screen give the total number of letter or number recordings.

-The brush button displays a pulldown menu full of usable brush styles. Just touch the brush-style to select it.

-Letter buttons display the letter on the screen and turn orange when there are saved strokes for the letter. At any time the user can draw using ones finger, just like a real pen and erase the drawing with the erase button on the toolbar.

-The toolbar button with a letter and ball activates the animated red ball, which demonstrates proper letter or number formation.

- Adjust the speed of the ball and volume using the sliders on the settings screen.

-Press the home and power button at the same time to take a snapshot of the screen and save it in the photo archive of the device .

Pros and cons of Learn To Write app for iPhone and iPad

Learn To Write app good for

I use this app to teach letter construction. You can change the speed of the ball as it moves to trace the letter. Also have the option of choosing color for print and practicing without a model. I take turns with students selecting colors to practice fine motor movements, print and also for drawing. It would be helpful to erase portions and not the whole slate at a time.

Fun program, my 6 year old loved it. How about adding cursive letters so older kids could use it too?

I dont usually write reviews, but this app (recommended by a friend) really is unique and useful in comparison to other apps. Very educational and hands on. My 4 and 6 year old both like to use it--one to learn on the other as a fun review. Of course there is also a successful fun factor a well--the sound effects and writing fonts/colors are well done. I also like the drawing option as well. Recommended!!

I really like being able to play back my childrens writing. Now I can tell if they did the strokes in the right order. Plus the kids like watching their writing play back on the screen.

I cant wait to have my boys try this out! I love the "trainer" that demonstrates how the letter should be written.

Some bad moments

The line give to draw with are to large. The children can not see the letter or the number after they trace it. It only displays a single number or letter on the line. The developer references Spaulding but does not seem to understand that these type of exercises should be training the young child to be writing left to right. Adding lines to reinforce reading left to right and then down a line would be useful as well. It also would be nice to write all the numbers in order. Another option button of the phonic sounds of the letters would be a bonus.

I am a kindergarten teacher and bought this app for our new classroom ipad. Im disappointed that the ball does not model correct letter formation. Letters always fall down, they dont grow up.

Do not buy. There are very few apps I buy that I feel this way about. This app is a waste of money. Bought the app and used it first day and never again. Wish I could get my money back. There are no lessons or anything to do with the app. It simply shows how to draw a letter, and thats it!! You can find that out anywhere online for free. I really thought there would be exercises or games that you would Learn To Write and be doing something. That is definitely not the case. Waste of money!! DO NOT BUY AND WASTE YOUR MONEY LIKE I DID..............

As a homeschool mom of ages 1-16yr and a teacher its a cute idea. Will keep kids busy or babysit them with electronic animation. We have no problem with adjusting the volume on the iPad. However it teaches incorrect writing of letters! Numbers mostly seem ok. Have not seen how to adjust the line width though so tracing the letters and numbers as the ball is moving is a challenge with the small spacing. Kids must watch the ball and then make letters beside or below. Otherwise its too chunky thick and hard to tell if they even are writing them the way they should. Its cheap. But I dont recommend if you want your kids to learn to print correctly. It needs a fix here or adult supervision to point out the wrong way to kids to direct them the proper way. If kids learn print wrong it can spill over into cursive. Buyer beware.

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