Wordman Blog
Notes on early reading — phonics, words, and how children learn to read.
Letter Names and Letter Sounds
The difference between letter names and letter sounds, why schools teach sounds first, and when names matter — spelling aloud and alphabetical order.
11 September 2026
Why Our Game Says "I'm Finished"
Why Wordman ends with an equal 'I'm finished' choice, a quiet goodbye screen, and no prompt to carry on — plus a checklist for looking at any children's app.
4 September 2026
Why Clue-Led Word Games Help Children Think About Words
Most word games ask a child to spell a word. A clue asks them to find it first. Why the order matters, and what it changes about what they are practising.
28 August 2026
Playing I Spy with my daughters
I gave my four-year-old the letter name when she needed the sound. What I understood later about saying the sound, and what to say when you do not know it.
14 August 2026
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