Ooka Island

Where Children Become Confident Readers

7 min readOct 20, 2015

Hello!

Like many, Medium is one of my favourite places to read and learn about new, interesting stories from all over the world. But it starts with our ability to not only know how to read, but how to retain and comprehend that which we have just read. Regardless of being ‘smart enough’ or our desire to read, if we have not learned to read properly, reading can become a chore. For many children and adults, the brain works so hard to get the words off the page, there is very little mental energy left for comprehension and retention.

According to Statistics Canada, nearly half of Canadians aged 16 to 65 fall below the minimum reading level required to function well at work and in daily living (IALLS, 2005).

How does this happen? Reading is actually a very basic skill, but like any skill, be it playing piano or snowboarding, it must be learned. This is easier for some than others: 32% of children will learn to read without any issues; 25% will learn to read but be slightly below grade level; and 42% will struggle. Everyone can learn how to read well, but it’s the kids in the latter category who, without the proper time and support, fall through the infamous cracks.

Unfortunately, there is a rather small window of opportunity to learn how to read. For kids who aren’t strong readers by the end of grade 2, learning to read grows more daunting. New subjects are introduced and higher vocabulary enters the picture, making everyday life discouraging . Kids go into survival mode, mentally exhausting themselves simply trying to keep up. The majority of children who do not learn to read well by the end of grade 3 are unlikely to ever catch up (KidsCount Special Report, 2010), putting them at a high risk for continued failure throughout school, behavioural problems, and a host of other negative outcomes once they reach adulthood.

One of the surest ways to become an avid reader as an adult, is by becoming a confident reader early on in life. When children learn to read well early, they will be able to effortlessly retain and comprehend what is being read. If this occurs by grade 2, we know that their opportunities of success in education and employment, as well as their overall health and well-being GREATLY increases.

Being able to read easily opens up new worlds of learning through books and articles. It opens up new worlds of the imagination through novels and stories. Reading is the foundation for good writing and communication skills. Reading is not just about getting good grades and landing a successful job (though it will help with both of those things too). A love of reading will enrich your entire life.
— Rebecca Cuneo Keenan, of Playground Confidential

We launched Ooka Island to help young children learn to read, so they can read to learn and take on the world.

Thanks for reading about our Ooka Island app launch. We’d love to hear what you think. (Please send emails to [email protected])

Thank you,

Joelle & the rest of the team @ookaisland / https://ookaisland.com/

P.S. You can find all of the images below here.

What is Ooka Island?

Built on 25 years of research, Ooka Island is a scientifically-proven, game based reading program which teaches your child the skills needed to become a confident reader.

Science has proven learning to read is a complex process requiring mastery of five foundational reading skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Together, these skills enable us to read effortlessly.

Learning to Read is Child’s Play

On Ooka Island, each child is a hero tasked with finding missing books and helping the Ooka Elves learn how to read. Over the course of one year, children unlock 85 books and play 1000’s of educational games — like summiting Alphabet Mountain or spelunking in the Cave of Sounds. Children as young as five can graduate at an early grade 2 reading level.

Personalized Learning

There are 6,695 steps on the path towards becoming a confident reader — our adaptive learning platform ensures each child takes every one of them. It continually analyzes a child’s progress and plots a personalized path to ensure they learn at their own pace and if needed, receives interventions and accelerations.

A Weekly Reading Report Card

Each week, we send parents progress reports which provide a detailed snapshot of where their child is excelling or having difficulty in reading. This actionable information empowers parents to maximize a child’s learning off the island and to have meaningful and productive dialogue with teachers.

Make the Most of Screen Time

As a team of parents and educators, our goal at Ooka Island is to provide the best learn-to-read program for raising a reader. Whether it’s replacing a morning cartoon or designating a family reading routine, time on Ooka Island is time well spent. Send your child to the island for 30 minutes, 3 times a week and they will graduate a confident reader in one year.

The Ooka Method

Ooka Island is the culmination of 25 years of passionate research and determination by Dr. Kay MacPhee to teach all children, including her own profoundly deaf son, how to read. After years of research, Dr. MacPhee launched SpellRead, a reading program for older children and adults. Dr. MacPhee’s program was ranked ranked #1 for developing reading comprehension by the Institute of Education Sciences.

Building on her scientifically proven reading concepts, Dr. MacPhee shifted her focus to tackle the root of the issue: helping children build a strong foundation for reading at an early age with Ooka Island.