# SPELL-Links WordUP!

> Educational app for K-12+ to improve reading, spelling, and vocabulary skills. (iPhone/iPad app by Learning By Design, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-links-wordup/id1118995038 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Learning By Design, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1175764757)
- Category: Education, Games, Word
- Price: $23.99
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 5 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 9.1 · 50 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2016-11-12
- Data updated: 2026-09-05
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-links-wordup/id1118995038/reviews.md

## What is SPELL?

Improve reading, spelling, vocabulary, and oral language skills with SPELL-Links WordUP! This unique educational app from the publishers of the SPELL-Links to Reading and Writing™ curriculum is a fun and effective learning tool for K-12+ students. 

Use for online or in-person instruction, one-on-one, in small or large groups, or at independent work stations. Simply adjust settings and select words to support students at the appropriate level.

Educators and parents use SPELL-Links WordUP! in these ways and more: 

•	For remote learning and in-person classes;
•      To introduce or reinforce new concepts; 
•	As an engaging warm-up activity and during breaks between other learning activities; 
•	As a supplement to classroom instruction;
•	To deliver teacher-facilitated intervention; and 
•	For practice at school or home.

The Catch the Beat! activity develops awareness of syllables in spoken and written words, phoneme-grapheme correspondences, and decoding skills and simultaneously strengthens vocabulary and lexical representations of words to improve reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling accuracy.

The Stress this Mess! activity develops awareness of syllabic stress, phoneme-grapheme correspondences, and decoding skills and simultaneously strengthens vocabulary and lexical representations of words to improve reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling accuracy.

The No Fouls! activity develops awareness of phoneme-grapheme correspondences, orthographic knowledge, and decoding skills and simultaneously strengthens phonological awareness, vocabulary, and lexical representations of words to improve reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling accuracy.

The Build on the Base! activity develops morphological awareness of base words and early prefixes and suffixes, phonological awareness, and knowledge of letter pattern and spelling rules for words containing prefixes and suffixes. Build on the Base! simultaneously strengthens vocabulary and lexical representations of words to improve reading fluency, reading comprehension, and spelling accuracy.

What makes SPELL-Links WordUP! different? Other phonics and word study programs begin with the written letter and teach students how to match the letter to a sound. SPELL-Links WordUP! teaches students to attend to the sound structure of spoken English words first, and then to connect the sounds they say and hear with letters and letter patterns they see in the printed word. And unlike other word study programs that teach skills in isolation, SPELL-Links WordUP! activities promote the integrated study of sounds, letters, and meanings across all grade levels to establish efficient reading and writing neural pathways. This is exactly how the brain works in good readers and writers!

## Key features

- Improves reading and spelling
- Enhances vocabulary
- Develops oral language skills
- Supports K-12+ students
- Flexible for online/in-person use
- Focuses on sound structure and phonics

## Recent user reviews (6 of 6)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-links-wordup/id1118995038/reviews.md

### 5/5 — School SLP

*2024-06-29*

There are so many times when my sessions are cut short because of all the folderol in the school schedules that I use WordUP! as my back-up plan for students working on anything.  It's nice to have a set of grade-level words to utilize at the flick of a...well not a switch but a virtual dial.For my students working on speech sound disorders, WordUP! is usually a part of the therapy plan.

### 5/5 — My Students & Parents Love WordUp!

*2024-06-19*

I have been using SPELL-Links Word Up! iPad App for over five years and I’m excited to report that my students and parents love SPELL-Links WordUp!  I use the WordUp! games at the beginning of sessions and as a quick learning break during our sessions. It’s great for homework.  I have parents who are second language learners who have let me know that the games help them as they work with their children.  These games build the student’s confidence and provide repeated exposures to sounds and letter patterns in words that they are working on and a great review of what they learned during the school year.  It’s an excellent fun way to have some summer review and new learning.  My students love to challenge themselves by working on sounds and letter patterns in upper grades and multisyllabic words.

### 5/5 — Great warm-up activity

*2018-03-13*

As an SLP, this app has been a wonderful, quick, start to my early literacy-based sessions.  My first grade students are quickly engaged with the simplicity of the app (they learned the buttons/options quickly), and they cheer each other when they get an answer right.  My older students are even willing to give it a try. I have noticed progress with their auditory perception of sounds and their ability to link sounds and letters.  Great app!

**Developer response:** Thank you for your review! We are thrilled to hear that you are finding ways to use SPELL-Links WordUP! in a variety of ways with your students.

### 5/5 — Spelling skills booster

*2018-03-06*

I wanted a game for the iPad to boost my son's spelling skills. This app is different than other apps we've tried because it makes my son hear a sound and then pick what letter(s) spell that sound. We have fun with this app and love the sound effects.

**Developer response:** We are glad you found WordUP! Thank you for taking time to review the app.

### 5/5 — Great Practice!

*2017-04-06*

This is a great tool for my students to practice their word level reading and apply what they know about allowable spellings. It's a fun way for them to really think about how words are spelled. I use this at the end of our tutoring sessions and like that I can customize the words for all the different ages and levels of kids who come to our center for tutoring.

**Developer response:** Thanks for purchasing the WordUP! app. We are glad you are having fun using it with your students!

### 2/5 — Buyer beware

*2016-12-13*

This app is misleading and the buyer isn't given enough information before purchase. The child must be able to read many different words and only struggle with the spelling of words. I would not use this with kids under the age of 8. I don't find the app all that exciting for kids. The child can just click on any letter & pretend to read the word, and there is nothing to teach the student if they continually miss the answer. There is no data or feedback for the adult if the child works independently. I expected a lot more from this company and wish I had not spent $20.00! Too expensive for what you get.

**Developer response:** Dear QBinRI,
Our WordUP! app was designed to be both a review/application tool and one that can be used with a teacher or parent to provide instruction in and the discovery of allowable spellings for the sounds in English.  At the application level, students would be expected to be able to read the words that are visually presented and then select the letter or letters that are working in that word to create the chosen target sound.  The words that the student will read can be chosen by target sound, number of syllables, vocabulary level and commonality.  We have found that this gives everyone from our youngest to our more advanced learners plenty of opportunity for appropriately leveled practice and application.  We recently offered a live demo of the app through our SPELL-Link’d online learning community and will have a video on our website soon.  Of course, this app is intended to enhance, not replace purposeful word study instruction and we hope that you’ll be able to connect with a video demonstration to find the best way to leverage the app for your learner(s).

## Frequently asked questions about SPELL

### What age range is SPELL-Links WordUP! designed for?

SPELL-Links WordUP! is designed for K-12+ students, making it suitable for a wide range of learners from kindergarten through high school and beyond.

### How does SPELL-Links WordUP! teach reading and spelling?

It teaches students to attend to the sound structure of spoken English words first, then connect sounds to letters and patterns, mirroring how the brain learns efficiently.

### Can SPELL-Links WordUP! be used for remote learning?

Yes, SPELL-Links WordUP! is designed for both online and in-person instruction, making it a versatile tool for remote learning, small groups, or independent work.

### What specific skills does the 'Catch the Beat!' activity develop?

This activity develops awareness of syllables, phoneme-grapheme correspondences, and decoding skills, while strengthening vocabulary and improving reading fluency and spelling accuracy.

### What is the price of SPELL-Links WordUP!?

SPELL-Links WordUP! is a paid application priced at $23.99.

### How often is SPELL-Links WordUP! updated?

The latest version is 1.8, and the app was last updated on July 21, 2020. This indicates a release cycle of approximately every 1-2 years.

### Does SPELL-Links WordUP! have ads?

No, SPELL-Links WordUP! does not contain advertisements, providing an uninterrupted learning experience for users.

### What devices support SPELL-Links WordUP!?

Currently, SPELL-Links WordUP! is supported on iPads, offering a focused learning experience on tablet devices.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.8 — 2020-07-21

SPELL-Links WordUP! 1.8 is a maintenance release to keep WordUP! current with the newest IOS version.

### 1.7 — 2019-05-14

SPELL-Links WordUP! version 1.7 is a maintenance release which includes a fix for a bug in No Fouls that incorrectly identified certain short vowel combinations.

### 1.6 — 2019-03-30

Two more multi-linguistic word study activity games have been added. Double the learning, double the fun!

### 1.5 — 2018-04-10

A second multi-linguistic word study activity game has been added. Double the learning, double the fun!

### 1.4 — 2017-05-31

SPELL-Links WordUP! version 1.4 is a maintenance update which includes additions to the lexicon and improvements in the app's audio playback functionality.

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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 2026-09-05.*