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App Guide

We hope you can find answers to your questions below but if you can’t please click here to contact our support team.

To download the app, click here.

OVERVIEW
The Oxford Phonics World: School Edition app from Oxford University Press is a three-level phonics course for children aged three and up who are learning English for the first time. Each level has nine units, and each unit has eight games that motivate children to discover and remember the connections between sounds (phonemes) and the letter or groups of letters (graphemes) that represent those sounds. At the end of each unit, children earn a Star from Super Seal and unlock an Extras unit that contains a fun picture-making game and more.

Children completing all three levels of the app will gain:

• knowledge of the English alphabet
• an understanding of sound-symbol correspondences
• the abilities of blending and segmenting
• the ability to decode and encode key phoneme-grapheme relationships

In short, children will learn to read and spell English words.

Words, of course, are the building blocks of English, and as children work through the app they will learn over 200 words in a fun and memorable way. And crucially, their increasing knowledge of the phonics toolkit will help children read and learn words wherever they see them.

Level 1 • The Alphabet • 9 Units • 8 Games Per Unit
In this level children learn the 26 letters of the alphabet, their sounds, and how to trace the letters. They will play over 80 games, learn over 100 vocabulary items, and lay the foundation to recognize letters, their sounds, and how they combine to form words.

Level 2 • Short Vowels • 9 Units • 8 Games Per Unit
In this level children learn how the “short” sound of individual vowels combines with consonants to form more complex and useful sounds (e.g., am, an, up, ub, ip) and words (e.g., ram, can, cup, cub, tip). Children will begin to recognize, remember, and spell words. It’s a magical moment for parents and teachers.

Level 3 • Long Vowels • 9 Units • 8 Games Per Unit

This level introduces different spelling variations of long vowel sounds (such as those in rain, seed, night, bow, and cube) and the concept that two or more letters can combine to represent a single sound. This level further enhances children’s ability to read and spell a wide range of words, from bee to window, and introduces over 75 new vocabulary words.

THE GAMES
Oxford Phonics World has 14 game types, each with variations depending on the level and the target language. You can see some examples in the images on this screen. The games are engaging and educational and make use of over 200 animations. Parents and teachers will often find that children don’t want to stop learning—they’re too busy playing games, solving puzzles, watching fun animations, and getting Smileys, Stars, and Trophies.

THE EXTRAS
Once the eight games of each unit have been completed and children have received their Bronze, Silver, or Gold Star from Super Seal, a special Extras unit appears in the Extras section. Here children can make pictures using the words they have learned (and send their pictures to friends and family), practice tracing letters as much as they like, or use their ability to read words to tap and watch their favorite animations as many times as they like.

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Oxford Phonics World uniquely combines serious learning with fun for kids. With 3 levels, 27 units, 216 games, 27 sets of Extras, and 200 animations, Oxford Phonics World provides learning that is thorough—and a real delight for kids.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I play the games?
To start a game, tap on the character to the left of the screen. If you’re still not sure what to do, then tap Super Seal in the top right and he will give you instructions.

It says there are eight games in Unit 1 but I only see one.

In Standard Mode you must complete the games in order. When you complete a game, a Next button drops down and allows you to continue. This is because Oxford Phonics World has been designed so that each game and unit builds on the one before it. If you want to play the games in any order, you can change to Free Access Mode. To do this, tap the Grown-Ups tab and then select Unit Access and Free Access Mode.

What are Extras?
Extras are additional games that are available for each unit once the unit has been completed. These games include Picture Maker, Unlimited Letter Trace, and Animation Gallery. You can access them via the Extras button on the Main Menu.

What are the Stars?
After you complete a unit in Standard Mode, you get a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Star. If you are not happy with the Star you got, you can try to improve your score. To do this, click on the unit on the Main Menu and choose Test.

What are the Trophies?
Once you have finished all 9 units of a level, you will get a Trophy Certificate. You can send your Trophy Certificate to your family and friends by email.

Can I play this app with my child?
Yes! This is a great app to play with your child. You can take turns guessing words and letters, as well as solving puzzles, and you can add your own explanations as you play.

I can’t hear the audio!
Check that the Mute function at the bottom left of the Main Menu screen has not been activated. If the problem continues, make sure the audio is not muted on your device. You can also try restarting the app and restarting the device.

How do I reset the app so I can play again?

Go to the Oxford Phonics World: School Edition website, sign in, and go to Manage Users. On this page, find the user you want to reset and click Edit. At the bottom of the next screen, click Reset User. The user will now be able to play Oxford Phonics World from the beginning again.

How do I switch between users in the app?
To switch between users, tap the Grown-Ups tab and then select Users in the top left corner. You can then choose from the users registered to your account.

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How do I contact you with other questions / comments?

We welcome your feedback and questions. Get in touch here.