# Phonograms by SEI

> Learn phonograms for reading, writing, and spelling proficiency. (iPhone/iPad app by Spalding Education International.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonograms-by-sei/id934525008 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Spalding Education International](https://appshunter.io/developer/934525007)
- Category: Education
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 1.80/5 from 220 App Store ratings · 91 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 13 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2014-12-02
- Data updated: 2026-08-22
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonograms-by-sei/id934525008/reviews.md

## What is Phonograms by SEI?

Welcome to The Spalding Method ™ Phonograms app!
NOTICE: Upon installing this mobile application, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions.
This Spalding Phonograms app is designed for helping students learn the phonics connection between speech sounds and written symbols that represent those sounds (phonograms). Learning the phonograms is essential for accurate and automatic reading, writing, and spelling. Teaching all the sounds of the phonemes represented by an alphabet letter or combination of two, three, or four letters (phonograms) enables students to read, spell, and write high-frequency words quickly. Students who learn the phonograms well expand their vocabulary and are able to use effective and creative communication skills in writing. Critical thinking is involved in learning the appropriate phonogram placement within words for accurate spelling and for applying information learned during phonogram reviews to pronounce unfamiliar words. 
The Spalding Phonograms app is for students that need additional practice, including home schooling, ESL (English as a Second Language), ELL (English Language Learners), ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students, and those with dyslexia or other learning disabilities. The school and home connection is encouraged through collaboration and communication with the teacher, parent, and student for practicing the phonograms appropriately and adequately. The Spalding  Phonograms app aligns with the core reading foundational skills required by state and national standards that are most crucial to the development of early reading success and reading comprehension, including:
•	Phonemic awareness
•	Feature recognition
•	Letter recognition
•	Sound-symbol relationships (decoding)
The Spalding Phonograms app provides the following options for all 87 phonograms.
•	Phonogram Introduction by selected group – The student sees the phonograms in order of instruction in The Writing Road to Reading, listens to the teacher say the sound(s), and then says the sound(s).
•	Oral Phonogram Review – A random phonogram card is show, followed by a pause. The student says the sound(s) and then listens to check accuracy. 
•	Written Phonogram Review –The student hears the phonogram sounds, followed by a pause; the student repeats the sound(s), listens for a cue, if needed, and then writes the phonogram on lined paper. The card is immediately shown so the student can check for accuracy.
•	Differentiated Practice – Specific phonograms (from all 87) can be selected that need more practice. These phonograms can then be practiced in Phonogram Introduction, Oral Phonogram Review, or Written Phonogram Review.

## Key features

- Learn phonogram sound-symbol relationships
- Phonogram introduction by group
- Oral phonogram review with sound check
- Written phonogram review with writing practice
- Differentiated practice for specific phonograms
- Supports phonemic awareness and letter recognition

## Chart rankings

- #5 in Top Paid · Education (US App Store)
- #85 in Top Paid (US App Store)

## What do users think of Phonograms by SEI?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- ✅ Effective for learning phonograms and improving reading skills
- 🎯 Differentiated practice allows selecting specific phonograms
- 🔊 Clear audio narration when functioning properly
- 📱 Works well on multiple devices (iPhone, iPad)
- 💰 Affordable price point at $3.99-$4.27
- 📚 Useful supplement to school curriculum
- 🎓 Supports Spalding language arts method
- ✍️ Written review feature unique for practice verification

**Cons**

- 🔇 Sound frequently doesn't work or is inconsistent
- 🐛 Written practice shows blank/black screen
- ⚙️ Poor app design and user interface
- 🔧 Requires phone settings changes to function properly
- ⏱️ Slow performance and long loading times
- 🎨 Incompatible with dark mode display settings
- 📋 Cannot select individual phonograms easily
- ❌ No customer support or help documentation
- 🔄 Inconsistent functionality across devices
- 😤 Frustrating troubleshooting with no guidance

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Sound not playing despite volume settings being correct
- Written phonogram review displays blank screen
- App requires phone ringer to be off silent mode for audio
- Letters not visible in dark mode display
- Written practice button 'Show Me' displays nothing
- Inconsistent sound functionality requiring app restart
- Phonograms not displaying in correct font style
- App crashes frequently on older devices
- Cannot advance to next phonogram in some cases
- Sound cuts out after partial completion
- App stops functioning after updates
- Slow download speed for phonogram files

**Most requested features**

- Save selected phonogram lists for future sessions
- Allow writing directly in the app instead of on paper
- Add FAQ or troubleshooting guide
- Implement dark mode compatibility
- Enable sound to work while phone is on silent
- Add feedback system like Duolingo for practice
- Provide cursive and print writing options
- Allow random phonogram selection without sequential playback
- Improve visual design and user interface
- Add multiple differentiated practice lists per user
- Include audio cues for writing instructions
- Create lesson overview or search functionality

## Recent user reviews (10 of 91)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonograms-by-sei/id934525008/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Does not work

*2026-08-12, version 1.4.3*

The sound does not work. The written section does not work if dark mode enabled. Not sure if anyone is still pushing updates to this app or if they have given up.

### 1/5 — No Sound? Try This.

*2026-08-11, version 1.4.3*

I purchased this app because my daughter’s kindergarten class needed it. After 2 hours of checking all my phone settings I got the sound to work. The trick is to take your ringer off of silent or vibrate. Then you’re going to hear it just fine .

### 1/5 — Does not work

*2026-04-28, version 1.4.3*

The sound does not work AND it doesn’t show answers when it’s supposed to during the written portion.

### 1/5 — no sound

*2025-10-29, version 1.4.3*

I tried turn off Bluetooth, still no sound

### 1/5 — Differentiated practice barely works

*2025-10-28, version 1.4.3*

When I set up for the weekly phonograms for my daughters weekly practice it takes about 15 minutes to setup and only works about half the time

### 1/5 — Volume not working

*2025-10-01, version 1.4.3*

This app doesn’t work very well. The volume button within the app doesn’t work and we can’t hear the sounds of the phonograms. Wish I didn’t pay for this. I asked for app help and the website was invalid.

### 1/5 — No sound

*2025-09-24, version 1.4.3*

The point of practicing phonograms is to know it’s sound! The app has no sound, you press replay sound and you can not hear nothing
I want my money back

### 2/5 — Updates needed but okay

*2025-08-21, version 1.4.3*

This app needs to be updated. I’ve had it for 7 years and it crashes all the time and when in written practice, it doesn’t allow students to check their answer. If this app was periodically updated, then they would catch the bug. Frustrating!

### 5/5 — Instructions  needed

*2025-07-30, version 1.4.3*

Thanks to all the reviews I was able to figure out how to use this app. Here is what I learned:
Make sure your phone ringer is not on silent (because even if you raise the volume while the switch is on silent the app will not play the sounds for you during the oral review).  Make sure your brightness is not on dark mode because the letters will not appear in the written review section. Lastly in the differentiated practice you can select the specific letters you want to practice versus the entire set.

### 2/5 — Doesn’t make sounds?

*2025-07-19, version 1.4.3*

I was under the impression that this would make the phonogram sounds and we could practice together. 

It doesn’t seem to make the sounds despite it saying replay sound? There are no sounds?

## Frequently asked questions about Phonograms by SEI

### What does the Phonograms by SEI app do?

The app is designed to help students learn the phonics connection between speech sounds and the written symbols that represent them, known as phonograms. This is essential for developing accurate and automatic reading, writing, and spelling skills.

### What are the key features of this phonics app?

Key features include phonogram introduction by selected groups, oral phonogram review with accuracy checks, written phonogram review that includes writing practice, and differentiated practice options to focus on specific phonograms needing more attention.

### Is this app free to use?

Yes, based on the provided information, this application is available for free. There are no mentioned costs or in-app purchases associated with its use.

### Who is the target audience for this app?

This app is intended for students who require extra practice with phonics. This includes students in homeschooling environments, English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Language Learners (ELL) students, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students, and individuals with dyslexia or other learning disabilities.

### How does this app help with reading and spelling?

By teaching all the sounds represented by letters or combinations of letters (phonograms), the app enables students to read, spell, and write high-frequency words more quickly. It also involves critical thinking for correct phonogram placement in words, aiding in accurate spelling and pronunciation of unfamiliar words.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4.3 — 2022-01-29

Bug fixes

### 1.4.2 — 2022-01-26

Fixed audio issue and randomization of sounds

### 1.4.1 — 2022-01-16

Fixed bugs related to iOS14

### 1.4 — 2022-01-10

Support for iPad mini

### 1.3 — 2020-08-17

Support version iOS11 to iOS13

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## Related topics

[phonograms by sei](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/phonograms-by-sei) · [phonograms](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/phonograms) · [phonogram sounds](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/phonogram-sounds) · [spalding phonograms](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/spalding-phonograms) · [phonics with phonograms](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/phonics-with-phonograms) · [pocket phonograms](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/pocket-phonograms)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-22.*