Speech therapist Erica: "Readioo is a favorite among children with language disorders"

Speech therapist Erica Domeij has always preferred the analog, in the form of physical books and live conversations, because children develop language best through interaction with others. At the same time, she understands the importance of children being able to explore technology in our contemporary world and sees that this can be done in many different ways, not solely through screens in preschool. When she introduced Readioo to the program, she wasn't just pleasantly surprised by the result. She was impressed.

Erica started using Readioo's materials with children with language disorders, and it quickly became a big favorite. The children call the reading pen "the magic pen" and voluntarily come into her office to ask if they can borrow it and read a book. They want to sit down for a while, tap on the books, and listen. For many children, it becomes a way to unwind and recharge. Especially for the slightly older preschool children, who have the patience to listen to entire stories, it works perfectly to let them explore the material on their own.

– Readioo is a great complement to other language development work, says Erica, who feels that children become more active and exploratory when they use the reading pen. Often, full-screen reading works well, e.g., with a projector, so that larger groups of children can see the entire spread during the reading session, but Erica finds that children don't always follow the plot on the full screen. Readioo is a fine complement where children are offered more interactive support. The text is read aloud page by page, and children are encouraged to tap on the images themselves, listen to lines multiple times, and discover sound effects that deepen their understanding of the content. This strengthens concentration, contributes to richer language development, and makes it easier for them to follow the story. The fact that the children also turn the pages themselves makes them more involved and engaged in reading.

Erica works at a language preschool with a high staff-to-child ratio, but she is well aware that conditions are different in many other preschools. She believes that Readioo can be valuable support when resources are limited, for example, due to illness or when staff are unable to read individually with a child for other reasons. In addition, Readioo can help in situations where staff speak Swedish with an accent, by giving children the opportunity to listen to stories and words with correct pronunciation. This makes it easier for children to perceive and learn Swedish speech sounds. In this way, a stimulating and engaging reading experience with a physical book is created even when an adult is unable to be present or fully master the language themselves.

Among the favorites are the books about Bamse and Pino. Children follow the stories in the correct order by tapping on the text from left to right and on the images to hear dialogue and sound effects. The combination of storytelling, interactivity, and sound awakens both a love of reading and curiosity in the children. The sound effects particularly impress Erica.

– They are significantly better than what I can imitate myself, she says. Animal sounds, water lapping, and the click of a flashlight sound very realistic and contribute to children's language comprehension as it reinforces the content and aids in vocabulary acquisition for the different concepts in the book.

Usually, an adult sits with the children when Readioo is used, creating direct interaction with them. Particularly appreciated is the Letters book, which helps children learn letter sounds. Erica highlights that the book not only strengthens children's phonological awareness and supports the learning of sounds and letters, which is the foundation for reading and writing acquisition, but also serves as concrete support for educators.

– The book is well thought out, says Erica. It not only shows what to say but also how sounds are produced in the mouth in an easy-to-understand way. I don't think the average educator reflects on this in everyday life, and here both children and adults have the opportunity to learn together. The illustrations are also beautiful, simple but with details that awaken children's desire to explore and their curiosity.

Erica also sees potential for further developing the material, for example by including short vowels, but she believes that the balance in the existing material is very well calibrated.

Another strength she highlights is the ability to strengthen and expand children's vocabulary and conceptual understanding. In many of the books, children can tap on images for individual words and hear what they are called. In combination with conversations about the meaning of words with an adult, language development is further enhanced. It becomes a bit like a picture book where children tap on the words with the pen and have them read aloud.

And Erica's best tip?

– Talk to the children about what's happening in the book, she says. Ask questions and relate it to their own experiences connected to the content. This often sparks wonderful conversations where language develops. Readioo enhances the reading experience with sound and interactivity, and in combination with dialogue with an adult, excellent conditions for children's language development are created.

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