# Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 — English

> Phonics-based spelling app for improving literacy and confidence. (iPhone/iPad app by Pyxwise Software Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-phonics-1/id481553580 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Pyxwise Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/456744015)
- Category: Education, Games, Family, Word
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 4.10/5 from 22 App Store ratings · 43 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 209 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2011-12-03
- Data updated: 2026-09-06
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-phonics-1/id481553580/reviews.md

## What is Simplex Spelling Phonics 1?

Scientifically validated as a highly effective approach to improving spelling skills through our phonics approach. A published study revealed that students demonstrated an average spelling improvement of 1.9 grades among children in a classroom setting who regularly used Simplex Spelling over a 18 week period. The largest student improvement observed over the same time period was 4.4 grade levels as assessed by administering the Schonell Spelling Test.

Linda Chmiliar, "Improving the Spelling Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities using Apps on the iPad", International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education, pp. 962-971. Special Issue Volume 3, 2016. 

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 teaches a full year of spelling curriculum with over 450 high frequency words divided into 42 lists that are organized by spelling patterns and difficulty levels. Each of the 42 lists comes with a lesson that teaches one of the basic building blocks of spelling in the English language. These basic building blocks include the different phonograms, sounds, and spelling rules. 

Our spelling lists focus on some of the highest frequency words in the English language to help students establish a base foundation of literacy and confidence with spelling and reading.

Students learn a new concept for each lesson building on the skills learned from previous lessons. Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 guides the student and acts as a personal spelling coach with every word, while teaching "how to spell" English words.
  
Memorization may be sufficient to pass a spelling test, but it often does not transfer into good long term reading and spelling skills. Our goal with Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 is to not only teach a list of words, but to teach students “how to spell” these words, thus building long term skills that can be used for over 84% of the words in the English language that follow phonetic patterns.

Many studies show that students who learn to read through phonics have a higher level of literacy than students who learn to read by using flash cards and the whole word approach. Also, that not all readers are good spellers, but almost all good spellers are also good readers. This is why Simplex Spelling's comprehensive unique phonics approach to spelling really works to create both better spellers and better readers.

Note: Now supports both North American and British accents.

Note: You can not create your own spelling lists.

Features: 

- Over 450 high frequency words to help build literacy. 

- A starting assessment/placement test.
- Review lists.
- 42 instructional lessons teach phonics, phonograms, and spelling rules. 

- A full “reverse phonics” approach that includes sounds made by all the different letter combinations. 
- Contextually relevant spelling rule hints that help explain “how to spell” English words.

- Letter by letter feedback system provides immediate feedback. 

- Guaranteed success on every word. 

- Support for 40 user accounts. 

- Export and email student progress reports.
- Remembers each user’s progress in every list.
- User stats screen to see mastered words and words that require further practice. 

- Supports both upper and lower case letters.

- Supports both alphabetic and QWERTY keyboard layouts.

- Supports US, UK and Canadian English spelling of words.

- Featured previously by Apple in New & Noteworthy, What's Hot, Words for the Wise and Spelling & Grammar. 
- Honorable mention in the 2012 Best App Ever Awards  - Best Special Needs App.
- AppsforHomeschooling (5/5, Golden App Award, 2011 Readers Choice Award)
- Academics' Choice Award
- Parents' Choice Award

Privacy Disclosure: 
- No 3rd party ads 
- Does not share any data 
- No In-App purchases 
- Contains child protected links in app to developer's website for additional information, support and teaching tips.
- Contains child protected link to developer email support. 

COPPA Compliant 
https://pyxwise.com/privacy-policy/

## Key features

- 450+ high-frequency words
- 42 instructional phonics lessons
- Spelling pattern and difficulty organization
- Reverse phonics approach
- Contextual spelling rule hints
- Letter-by-letter feedback
- Starting assessment test

## Recent user reviews (10 of 43)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-phonics-1/id481553580/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Needs attention by developers

*2022-02-22*

If you type a letter in incorrectly, but then immediately correct it and type the word correctly and it checks it, it says great or flawless, but then at the end marks it as a missed word even though it was spelled correctly. The child has to be hyper vigilant to never accidentally hit the wrong letter and be perfect even though they know the word. This is not an app I would recommend for children with dyslexia as they sometimes don’t catch the letters they turn around until they type them and need to correct them. Either developers need to change it so the submitted spelled word is evaluated only or this is not a good app and will promote confusion and frustration because the child did in fact spell it correctly but it wasn’t counted.

**Developer response:** Thank you for your response and feedback!
 
Simplex Spelling does present students instant feedback when typing. The benefit of the instant feedback is that the student knows instantly when he or she makes a mistake. However, if you believe the end of list scoring may discourage one of your students, the scoring can be easily turned off on the lesson box at the beginning of each lesson. 

Simplex Spelling does provide the exact type of approach you recommend in the review and assessment lists. Since those modes turn off the letter by letter feedback and use a submission approach instead. The approach in the review and assessment lists gives the student the ability to correct typos before submitting words and provides a more accurate indication of their mastered level.

We're sorry to hear that you've decided not to recommend Simplex Spelling for children with dyslexia. As a research study has validated Simplex Spelling as being highly effective in a classroom setting for students with learning disabilities. We've also received feedback from many educators relating how well they've found our apps have worked for their students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. A number of improvements have been added to our apps, based specifically on feedback from educators working with students with special needs. We’ve taken great care with the details, right down to the custom font our app uses that provides visual differences between often confused letters.

We’re sorry to hear that you don't feel that Simplex Spelling will meet your needs. We’d recommend still trying it with your students. Hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.

Wishing you all the best.
Craig.

### 5/5 — My daughter can spell now

*2020-08-10*

We did the first program and it’s amazing. Wondering if it’s good?We give it the five star check out. Get it if your kid has trouble spelling.

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2020-01-22*

This app has helped me with spelling many words I didn’t even know how to spell. When I finished the last quiz I was sad and I now have to move on to phonics 2.

-Camryn a 4th grader.

### 5/5 — Wonderful!

*2019-04-08*

This is amazing

### 3/5 — Working odd

*2017-02-07*

My son just finished and he got Flawless on 13 words but when we finished it said he missed a whole bunch of words. So what is it, that really messes with him. So frustrating.

### 5/5 — Wonderful!

*2017-01-09*

We stopped using our phonics-based spelling program and continued with this. My 2nd grader went from not spelling much to typing stories in pages after a few months. We plan to continue with all the levels. We love this app!

### 5/5 — Great little app

*2014-03-04, version 2.0.2*

Good little App, my daughter has learning difficulties and the clear pronunciation and help is excellent for her

### 5/5 — Love it!

*2013-12-02*

My second grader needs help with spelling and this program is helping him. It catches him as he is making an error and he is able to think about it again and correct himself. The app keeps track of the words he has missed; it allows the parent to go back and look at the words he has mastered and the words he is still struggling with.  I like the systematic phonics instruction which helps him understand the rules of spelling.  I can't say enough about this app.  I am teaching my son using other phonics books and internet program but I'm finding this one to be the best.

### 4/5 — Great basic spelling program

*2013-07-25*

I purchased this program with an open mind, however it has surprised me! The methods and approach is great! It's easy to use and great at referring back to the rules for sounds. I would suggest it to anyone! The level 2 one has a few features that should be carried over like making scores visible! I would like to see a report after each word list! Showing which ones were missed and all would be great! That way we could leave it to the kid to go about it, and know weather he's actually doing it correct! Overall it's amazing! It's competent worth the money and gets the kids interested! Would love to see some improvements, however it's not bad at all! 5 stars if it has a little more features for the kids, like sounding out the word with them, and if it has a report after each list!

### 5/5 — Awesome

*2013-04-10, version 1.5.1*

This app is so awesom

## Frequently asked questions about Simplex Spelling Phonics 1

### What does Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 do?

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 is an educational app designed to improve spelling skills using a scientifically validated phonics approach. It teaches fundamental spelling patterns, sounds, and rules through structured lessons and high-frequency words to build long-term literacy and confidence.

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

The app includes over 450 high-frequency words, 42 instructional lessons covering phonics, phonograms, and spelling rules, a reverse phonics approach, contextual spelling rule hints, and a letter-by-letter feedback system. It also offers a starting assessment test and supports multiple user accounts.

### How much does Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 cost?

Based on the provided information, this application is a paid app. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or advertisements, indicating a one-time purchase model.

### Is this app compatible with different accents?

Yes, the app now supports both North American and British accents. This ensures a more inclusive learning experience for a wider range of users.

### Who would benefit from using Simplex Spelling Phonics 1?

This app is ideal for children who are learning to spell and want to improve their reading skills. It's particularly beneficial for students who can benefit from a structured, phonics-based curriculum to build a strong foundation in literacy.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.0.0 — 2026-09-04

Updated for iOS 26.6
Added syllables.
Improved app design and layout.
Enhanced student progress feedback.
Minor bug fixes.

### 4.1.0 — 2019-10-10

Updated for iOS 13.1
Fixed screen layout issues on some newer iPhone models running iOS 13.1.

### 4.0.2 — 2019-01-29

Updated for iOS 12.

### 4.0.1 — 2017-12-12

This is a major update that adds British accent support.

### 3.6.2 — 2017-11-12

Updated for iOS 11.

## Apps similar to Simplex Spelling Phonics 1

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Spelling Ace 2nd Grade](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-ace-2nd-grade/id1398459838) | 4.4 (180) | Free | Education |
| [Spelling Notebook: Learn, Test](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-notebook-learn-test/id461225509) | 4.6 (2,631) | Free | Education |
| [Learn Spelling 2nd Grade](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-spelling-2nd-grade/id1485189350) | 4.4 (188) | Free | Education |
| [Math Fact Master](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/math-fact-master/id419411014) | 4.1 (501) | $0.99 | Education |
| [Letter Tiles for Learning](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letter-tiles-for-learning/id1314838376) | 3.3 (88) | $19.99 | Education |
| [Spelling Shed](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-shed/id1264568098) | 4.3 (519) | $2.99 | Education |

## More apps by Pyxwise Software Inc.

- [Simplex Spelling HD](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-hd/id456744012)
- [Simplex Spelling Light](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-light/id465715154)
- [Simplex Spelling Phonics 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-phonics-2/id527299540)
- [Simplex Spelling Phonics 3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-phonics-3/id572136313)
- [Simplex Spelling Phonics CVC](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplex-spelling-phonics-cvc/id580762950)

All apps by Pyxwise Software Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/456744015

## Related topics

[simplex spelling phonics 1](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simplex-spelling-phonics-1) · [simplex spelling](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simplex-spelling) · [simplex spelling phonics 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simplex-spelling-phonics-2) · [simplex spelling phonics 3](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simplex-spelling-phonics-3) · [simplex spelling hd](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simplex-spelling-hd)

---

*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 2026-09-06.*