Cambugs 3: First Words 2.1

Cambugs 3: First Words is the latest addition to the Cambugs series, designed to assist children in mastering essential vocabulary for successful reading. It marks the final stage of their journey towards becoming proficient and confident readers, following the previous releases, Cambugs: Letter Sounds and Cambugs 2: Phonics. With this installment, young learners are introduced to 25 new bugs and an enhanced bug collection experience on iPad.

Developed by educational psychologists and parents, Cambugs emphasizes the collaborative efforts of parents, teachers, and children in the learning process. The app is tailored for pre-readers and older readers facing reading challenges, incorporating evidence-based techniques proven to enhance reading skills. Through engaging in extensive repetition activities, children can effectively retain new words introduced in the app.

The emphasis on fluency is evident as children are tested on their ability to recall words quickly and confidently — a crucial skill for proficient reading. Cambugs 3: First Words boasts several features that set it apart:

• Developed by educational psychologists utilizing proven teaching methodologies.
• Focuses on building confidence and fluency in reading skills crucial for comprehension.
• Promotes joint learning activities where adults guide children through their vocabulary acquisition, resembling a shared storytelling experience.
• Rewards children with 'Cambugs' upon learning new words, featuring bug designs created by children themselves.
• Includes a statistics screen to monitor your child's progress in word recognition and acquisition.

The app features four key activities:

1. Sorting: Customizes the learning experience by categorizing words based on familiarity.
2. Learning: Introduces new words alongside familiar ones using interleaved learning techniques for enhanced retention.
3. Fluency Test: Challenges children to quickly recall words, with an option for a timed challenge to add a competitive element.
4. Bug Collection: Allows children to interact with and collect bugs as they learn new words, fostering engagement and playfulness.
Cambugs apps adhere to the educational principles put forth by renowned researcher John Hattie PhD. Hattie emphasizes that computer-assisted education should align with traditional learning principles, emphasizing that technology should complement human teaching rather than replace it. The blend of effective teaching techniques and interactive digital mediums makes Cambugs 3: First Words a valuable tool in fostering language development in young readers.