# Spelling.live: Handwriting — Real spellings, real writing > Real spellings, real writing (iPhone/iPad app by Manoj Shah.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellinglive-handwriting/id6769309590 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Manoj Shah](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896648711) - Category: Education, Games, Word - Price: Free - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 2 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-05-30 - Data updated: 2026-07-27 - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellinglive-handwriting/id6769309590/reviews.md ## What is Spelling.live? Spelling.live turns your child's school spellings into real handwriting practice, on screen or on paper. No generic word lists. No typing drills. The real words, by hand, with feedback as they go. When a child starts correcting their parents' spelling, you know something is working. Built by a father of two, one in early years and one preparing for 11+, one with SEN. Spelling Live exists because no single app met all of it. THE SMART PART Get a word wrong and the app doesn't just say no. It works out why: a mixed-up sound, a missed mnemonic, letters in the wrong order, then gives a tip built from that mistake, not a generic hint. WRITE BY HAND, ON SCREEN OR PAPER Practice doesn't need a screen. Write the spelling list on ordinary paper, take a photo, and the AI reads the handwriting and marks each word. You review and fix anything it misread before it's saved, so nothing wrong slips into your child's record. It feeds the same progress reports as on-screen work. AI SPELLING COACH When a word goes wrong, the coach explains it: how to say it, a memory trick, a sound-by-sound breakdown, or a fix aimed at the exact mistake made, built from what your child actually wrote, not a generic list. FORMATION REPORTS Early years get a letter-by-letter grid showing which letters are well formed and which need work. Older children get a fluency score out of 100 that tracks handwriting quality over time. FLASH MODE Tap Flash and the word fills the screen, then disappears before writing begins: the digital version of look, cover, write, check. Parents set how long it flashes for. HOW CHILDREN PRACTISE Four ways in: multiple choice to warm up, typing for quick daily runs, saying the word aloud letter by letter, and handwriting it on screen with instant AI marking. Mix and match by mode or mood. PRACTICE MODES Play through the current list at their own pace, run dedicated 11+ test practice, or build a list in seconds by photographing a spelling sheet from school. PROGRESS TRACKING Every word lands in Mastered, In Progress, or To Revisit. Mark a word difficult and it comes back first. PRACTICE EARNS THE FUN Practice is the only way to earn. Correct words pay out points, which raise rank and avatar level, and coins, which buy plays of the arcade games. Games never hand out coins, and each purchase buys a set number of plays before it re-locks, so the only way back in is more practice. THE ARCADE Twelve games, unlocked with coins from real practice: Balloon Pop: pop the balloon with the correct spelling. Spell Buzz: neon cards fly past, tap the right one. Spell Sprint: an endless runner, dash through the correct next letter. Word Search: find every list word hidden in a letter grid. Word Builder: drag list words onto a board to connect them. Word Lock: spin letter drums until the word clicks into place. Ring: spin rotating rings to dial in every letter. Whac-A-Word: whack the letters in order as they pop up. Crossword: solve a crossword built from your child's own list. Letter Climb: climb girders grabbing the right letters, dodging barrels. Letter Maze: steer a maze collecting letters, dodging ghosts. Boggle: trace connected letters to find as many words as you can. CHALLENGE A FRIEND After almost any game, share a link. A friend plays the exact same words and layout, no account needed. A bit of competition with a grandparent, sibling, or classmate keeps the habit going. PARENT CONTROLS A parent unlock code keeps settings and purchases out of small hands. Each child has their own profile, list, games, and reports, so siblings practise independently. A Low-pressure mode toggle removes game timers, streak badges, and leaderboard prompts for a child who freezes under pressure. BUILT FOR REAL SCHOOL ROUTINES Photograph Friday's spelling sheet, and by Monday's test your child has practised those exact words, on paper and on screen, not a random list that happens to be in an app. ## Version history (last 3 releases) ### 2.01 — 2026-07-17 Thanks for using Spelling Live! This update brings together everything we've added recently - new games, smarter practice, richer progress reports and lots of accessibility improvements. EASIER TO GET STARTED • Reworked first-time setup with a simpler, friendlier onboarding • A rebuilt guided tour that adapts to your child's level • Faster, snappier app loading NEW WAYS TO PRACTISE • Paper practice: photograph a marked spelling sheet and get instant results • Dictation test: the app reads words aloud, your child writes on paper, then you photograph it to mark automatically • Handwriting analysis from paper photos, with letter-formation scoring • AI word list generator: create a spelling list on any topic, matched to your child's year group (Years 1-2, 3-4, 5-6) and chosen length • Create, rename and manage your own custom word lists • Remove individual words from a list while keeping all progress MORE GAMES • Spell Sprint: an endless-runner spelling game with 3D visuals and jump/slide obstacles • Boggle word-hunt with spelling-list bonuses and challenges • Challenge mode: compete with friends via shareable links across Letter Maze, Letter Ladder, Word Builder, Word Search, Ring and Word Lock • Original background music in Letter Climb and Letter Maze that changes each level SMARTER HELP FOR EVERY WORD • AI-generated picture hints for each word • Crossword-style clues and a friendly "Meaning" button • "Say each letter separately" Sounds button for phonetic spelling • Speech playback speed control (Normal / Slow / Slower) • British English audio throughout BETTER PROGRESS REPORTS • "Recurring patterns" groups repeated mistakes by type - letter swaps, doubled letters and phonics mix-ups • See which practice mode and which game each attempt came from • Tap any word for a full breakdown and a recent-attempts timeline • Handwriting formation report shows common issues and confused letters • Game attempts are shown separately so they never skew spelling accuracy • Weekly progress report emails are on by default (turn off anytime) ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION • Low-pressure mode hides streaks, leaderboards and timers in games • Dyslexia-friendly options: dyslexia font, colour overlays, letter/line spacing - synced across devices • Screen-reader friendly games and improved VoiceOver support • Adjustable text size, even before signing in • SEN mode with gentler corrections and handwriting trace overlays HOME & SETUP • Redesigned home screen with clear Practice, Reports, Skills Check and Manage sections • Switch a child between Early and Fluent levels anytime - progress comes too • "Share this app" and "Get the app" links on the home screen PRIVACY & TRUST • Self-service account deletion and full data export (GDPR/SAR) • AI transparency page listing every sub-processor • Report button on any AI-generated text shown to children • DPIA complete and ICO registered FIXES & POLISH • The "Meaning" hint no longer accidentally reveals the word • More accurate handwriting recognition, including doubled letters in cursive • Correct spellings are no longer occasionally marked wrong when writing by hand • Every practice attempt is now recorded reliably • Pinch-zoom no longer gets stuck; writing screen no longer sticks mid-scroll • Faster, more reliable performance across the app We'd love your feedback - please leave a review or get in touch from the app. Happy spelling! ### 2.0 — 2026-07-11 A big update, with smarter progress reports and much stronger support for children who find spelling hard. RECURRING PATTERNS Progress reports now group repeated mistakes by type, letter swaps, doubled letters, sound mix-ups like "ph" read as "f", so you see the shape of a mistake, not just the count. The handwriting report now shows common issue types and commonly confused letters too. ACCESSIBILITY AND DYSLEXIA SUPPORT A new Low-pressure mode turns off streaks, leaderboards, and timers for children who find them stressful. Dyslexia-friendly reading options, font, colour overlays, letter and line spacing, are now set per child. Speech plays at Normal, Slow, or Slower anywhere a word is spoken, and a new Sounds button spells words out letter by letter. AI WORD LISTS Build a spelling list on any topic in seconds. Difficulty matches Years 1-2, 3-4, or 5-6, with a word count from 5 to 20 and quick-tap topic ideas to start. ALSO IN THIS UPDATE New arcade music in Letter Climb and Letter Maze, a redesigned home screen, auto-suggested leaderboard nicknames, and easier ways to share the app with a friend. Thank you for the reviews and feedback. They shape what we build next. ### 1.0 — 2026-05-30 No release notes. --- *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 2026-07-27.*