About Magic Penny
Overview - Magic Penny Reading (MPR) is a comprehensive phonemically-driven reading and literacy program that is used in schools internationally. This MPR app, Magic Penny 1, will help a child to develop phonemic awareness and an understanding of the most common sound/letter relationships of the 9 sounds (letters) taught in Level B of the Magic Penny Reading Program TM. This MPR app can be used to differentiate instruction and reinforce skills for children already in the MPR program, or, it can be used as a stand-alone skill development program for children 3 -6 years of age. Teachers and parents have the flexibility to choose the “Teacher Mode “ button and use the System Unlock Password “magicpennyreading” to provide directed instruction at any level. The app automatically relocks when the teacher or parent taps the “End Session” button and then confirms .
The follow-up Magic Penny apps focus on the rest of the sound/letter relationships, and the building of reading and comprehension skills. Children learn their foundational reading skills and apply them while reading short and colorful Magic Penny storybooks. The advanced Magic Penny apps apps will teach the rest of the English phonemes and their various spellings while developing advanced reading, writing , and vocabulary skills as they read fairy tale chapter books about the Adventures of Peanutbutter and Jelly.
Our goal is to teach phonemic decoding to the point that it is automatic. Automatic phonemic decoding allows the child to focus on reading comprehension. The MPR program is a one-rule system that teaches that the sounds of English can be spelled differently. This elegantly simple and highly effective program is developmentally-appropriate even for very young children.
Headphones - Please use headphones whenever the room is not quiet or when the acoustics are bad. Adjust the volume on the upper right side of the iPad and always listen to the sound level BEFORE giving them to the child to use.
Screen Brightness - Please make sure your ‘screen brightness’ is set to maximum. Tap ‘settings’ icon on iPad home screen. Then select ‘Brightness & Wallpaper’ and move slider control all the way to the right.
Teachers/Parents - If you are working with a child using this app…when sounds or letters make a word…please do not tell the child what the word is….be patient and guide the child to decode (sound out) the word. The child needs to develop the phonemic awareness and beginning phonics skills that will empower them to lay the foundation for reading and spelling all words.
Pause/Practice - The “Demo” item at the beginning of each new play format will usually be enough to get the child playing successfully. However, please show the child how they can use the “Pause/Practice” button to pause and practice. In “Pause/Practice”, the depressible sound buttons will make sounds or words and the sound buttons are moveable so you can practice the correct answer and the resume play.
Helpful Hint: If you want to disable the buttons while you are talking to the child, discreetly keep your finger on the jungle background until you want to ‘enable’ the buttons.
Player Progress - The logic in this app allows the child to move quickly through simpler activities while they listen to the correct (American) pronunciation of the speech sounds (phonemes). If the child gets 70% of the items correct, they proceed to the next level. To complete the level, 90% accuracy is required. When the child scores less than 70% correct, they cycle back to the earliest level that was not ‘completed’ (90%). The app automatically keeps track of each child’s progress and chooses the next level of play for each player. An overview of the child’s progress can be viewed on the Progress Report screen. Detailed results can be viewed by tapping on the individual level buttons.
Quick Start for Parents – By choosing this mode, a parent can bypass password protection. The app will automatically select the next play level and record progress. Parents who want to provide directed instruction will have to choose ‘Quick Start for Teachers’ and unlock the app by choosing ‘Teacher Mode’ and entering the ‘master password’.
Quick Start for Teachers – When this mode is chosen, Magic Penny 1 uses a simple password system that is designed to help teachers or parents manage the app with multiple children by preventing a child from inadvertently working in another child’s profile or editing their own profile.
Default Password - The Default Password is “mpr”. This default teacher password will allow the teacher to 1) select a player and authorize them to play; 2) add a new player; 3) edit an existing player.
Choosing New Password – You may create a new teacher password by 1) choosing the Change Password button in the Password Pop Up window; 2) typing “mpr” when asked for your password; 3) following the prompts to create your new password.
Master Password and Teacher Mode - To unlock the app, tap the Teacher Mode button and use the Master Password “magicpennyreading”. When the app is unlocked, the teacher or parent can provide group or individual instruction at any level. The app automatically relocks when the teacher taps the “End Session” button and confirms. Teachers can move from level to level while still in the Teacher Mode by tapping the “End Session” button and then tapping the “Select new sub-level” button.
Forgot Your Password? - Choosing the “Forgot Password” button and then entering “magicpennyreading” will enable you to reset your password.
Free App Support Games and Activities – Visit Ozzie the Orangutan’s Tree House as well as Resources for Teachers/Free Downloads at www.magicpennyreading.org for free printable completion certificates, Sound Sorting board and card games, skill reinforcement booklets, story starters, etc. These materials can be used with one child or small groups of children needing the same skill development.
Student Assessment – Visit www.magicpennyreading.org and select “Parents & Homeschoolers/Where Do I Start?” to use our Magic Penny Phonemic Awareness Assessment. It will enable an adult to diagnose a child’s skill levels and prescribe activities that will strengthen identified skills.
App Technical Support – Go to http://www.magicpennyreading.org and select “Reading Apps/Troubleshooting” if you experience technical problems with this app. However, you might want to try rebooting your iPad. To ‘power down’, press and hold the on/off button on top/right of iPad; then drag the ‘slider’ to far right as indicated on iPad screen. To turn back on, just press the on/off button again.
Next Apps - Please check our app development progress at http://www.magicpennyreading.org.
Print Materials –Visit www.magicpennyreading.org to order the complete Magic Penny Early Literacy Program. The materials are colorful and fun for children and easy to understand and use for teachers and parents.
Magic Penny Early Literacy Institute
140 Behm Road
West Falls, NY 14170
United States of America
1-800-873-0396
Fax: 1-888-728-0754
How do I install my app?
1. Connect to the Internet from your iPad.
2. Go to the iPad App Store
3. Click the blue button to download the app you want to install on the iPad.
4. Login to your iTunes account when asked to.
(from iTunes)
5. Download the app you want to install to iTunes.
6. Login to your iTunes account when asked. If you don't have one, you should create one when prompted after clicking on the buy or free download button.
7. Connect the iPad to your PC and iTunes will automatically install the downloaded apps to your iPad.
How do I remove my app?
1. Tap and hold the desired app until it starts to wiggle.
2. Tap on the X button to delete the app.
How do I rearrange an app on my home screen?
You can re-arrange apps on your home screen or other screens by dragging and dropping them. You can also add additional screens that way.
How do I sync my new app to my iPad?
Plug the cable into the iPad dock connector and into your computer's USB port and it will automatically sync.
I bought your app and I can’t find it on my iPad!
It's possible you didn't download the whole app. Try downloading it again. Apple will NOT charge you a second time, but you must be sure you're using the same account.
Have you synced it? You need to transfer it across via sync and make sure you tick the box where the app is.
What does “Phonemic Reading” mean?
Magic Penny Reading™ (MPR) is a comprehensive phonemically-driven reading and literacy program that is used in schools internationally. This MPR app, Phonemic Reading 1, will help a child to develop phonemic awareness and an understanding of the most common sound/letter relationships of the 9 sounds (letters) taught in Level B of the Magic Penny Reading Program™.
Who should use the Phonemic Reading 1 app?
This Phonemic Reading 1 app can be used by teachers and parents to differentiate instruction and reinforce skills for children already in the MPR program, or, it can be used as a stand-alone skill development program for children as young as three years of age.
What is the “Pause/Practice” button for?
Pause/Practice. The “Demo” item at the beginning of each new play format will usually be enough to get the child playing successfully. However, please show the child how they can use the “Pause/Practice” button to pause and practice. In “Pause/Practice”, the depressible sound buttons will make sounds or words and the sound buttons are moveable
Why is my child repeating a level that she/he already played?
Player Progress. The logic in this app allows the child to move quickly through simpler activities while they listen to the correct (American) pronunciation of the speech sounds (phonemes). If the child correctly completes 70% of the items at each level, they proceed to the next level. To complete the level, 90% accuracy is required. The app automatically keeps track of each child’s progress and chooses the next level of play for each player. An overview of the child’s progress can be viewed on the Progress Report screen. Detailed results can be viewed by tapping on the individual level buttons.
What is the difference between the Quick Start options?
Quick Start for Parents – By choosing this mode, a parent can bypass password protection. The app will automatically select the next play level and record progress.
Quick Start for Teachers – When “Quick Start for Teachers” is chosen, Phonemic Reading 1 uses a simple password system that is designed to help teachers or parents manage the app with multiple children by preventing a child from inadvertently working in another child’s profile or editing their own profile.
I am having Password trouble.
Default Password - The Default Password is “mpr”. This default teacher password will allow the teacher or parent to:
1) select a player and authorize them to play
2) add a new player
3) edit an existing player.
Choosing New Password – You may create a new teacher password by: 1) choosing the Change Password button in the Password Pop Up window 2) typing “mpr” when asked for your password 3) following the prompts to create your new password.
Master Password and Teacher Mode. To unlock the app, tap the Teacher Mode button and use the Master Password “magicpennyreading”. When the app is unlocked, the teacher or parent can provide group or individual instruction at any level. The app automatically relocks when the teacher taps the End Session button and confirms. Teachers can move from level to level while still in the Teacher Mode by tapping the “End Session” button and then tapping the Select new sub-level button.
Forgot Your Password? Choosing the “Forgot Password” button and then entering “magicpennyreading” will enable you to reset your password.
Ozzy Certificate - Congratulations! You have completed the Phonemic Reading 1 App and you are now a member of the Ozzy Club!
Ozzy's Card Games - Play these card games to practice your phonemic awareness!
Sound BINGO - Use these cards in many different ways! Practice beginning sounds, ending sounds or blending sounds together into words.
Beginning Sound Booklet - This booklet is great for practicing beginning sounds with your child!
Fish Score Card - Use this card to keep score as you play games with your child.
Sound Sorting Mat - This mat will help you to teach a child to separate a word into its sounds.
Penny Dare Game - This is a fun game for developing thinking fluency.
Pickle in the Middle Game - This game will help your child to improve their auditory memory as they identify rhyming words in sentences.
Number BINGO - Use this game to guide children to recognize the numbers 1 - 10.