Wordchain is part of Agility With Sound
The Wordchain Apps are the software part of Betsy Sewell’s Agility With Sound, a comprehensive programme for building confident capable readers.
Betsy’s programme is a product of her many experiences: as a teacher, as a research anthropologist and as a mother of dyslexic children. From those careers she developed a disciplined, systematic, scientific way of breaking down barriers to reading competency.
She has worked with hundreds of children who struggled with reading: teaching them, listening to their stories and to the anguish of their parents and care-givers, the bewilderment and powerlessness of their teachers. Her passion has seen her create Agility With Sound as a fundamental tool in helping so many children achieve reading success!
Reviews
Wordchain has been through an extensive testing process in schools and home.
Here’s some delightful feedback from educators, parents and users!



When children begin using this app you might hear comments like:
“Now I get it!”
“So that’s what gun looks like,” and
“Can we play the penguin game?”
Wordchain, while appearing simple, makes how to crack the code easier for the kids who use it. It instructs in a structured and systematic way, providing immediate constructive feedback and repetition to reinforce, just like the experts recommend.
Sue McMillan
Resource Teacher of Literacy
Dunedin
I work daily with children who are ‘Well Below’ in literacy. The biggest problem I have with Wordchain is getting them off it! They love it.
Having a kiwi accent really helps and I found it perfect for my kids because I could target their weak areas e.g. a/u confusion. I have used it with children from 6-10 and they love it.
This would be great to use at home to help build sound letter knowledge, knowledge of word families and build spelling skills.
Bronwyn Fennessy
Resource Teacher of Literacy
Southland
WordChain 1 is very good for students working at the most basic level who have persistent decoding issues and need frequent repetitions to give the connection between sound and letter combinations. It provides a structured approach to learning that means they get a sense of progress and tackle one decoding task at a time.
The children I have worked with have found WordChain engaging and motivating as they move through the levels; this includes older students.
Kathy Boyland
HOD Learning Support
Rangiora High School
I have found Wordchain particularly useful to use with students who have poor phonological awareness and have not yet developed an understanding of the alphabetic principle.
Some students benefit from being able to ‘check’ the sound of the letter/digraph by touching it before deciding which letters are needed for the word they are making and this helps them to develop the letter-sound knowledge.
The children I have worked with have found Wordchain engaging and motivating as they move through the levels; this includes older students (year 5 & 6).
Jo Anderson
Resource Teacher of Literacy
Central Canterbury
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
If the topics below don’t answer all your questions, fire a query to support@wordchain.co.nz!
Is Wordchain only for simple words like 'cat' and 'sit'? Is it just for little kids?
Wordchain 1 is very good for students working at the most basic level who have persistent decoding issues and need frequent repetitions to give the connection between sound and letter combinations. It provides a structured approach to learning that means they get a sense of progress and tackle one decoding task at a time. The children I have worked with have found Wordchain engaging and motivating as they move through the levels; this includes older students.
I'm not great with technology. Is this thing hard to use?
Why are there four apps?
Why should I buy Wordchain?
Can I get it for PC or Mac?
Why isn't Wordchain $1.99 or even $5.99?
Why does the Apple Store say '9+ -mild horror/profanity'?
What is 'Teacher Mode'?
I really like deep discussions about literacy. Where can I find out more?
In Wordchain, 'el', 'il' and 'ol' are coloured like vowels. Why??
Which Wordchain Do I Choose?
These tabs should help outline which Wordchain will best suit your needs:
Can the student read these words accurately and easily?
peg lag rod bun fib chum shod mutter hopped rigging winner mossy baggy rubbed chuck fled span smug grab brim tacked rocky
Can the student spell these words?
chin gosh pith bitter saggy batting pegged snob prop flan trap drag picked check
The student should be able to read all the words with relative ease. If s/he makes more than 3 errors in the spelling, or if getting them right takes considerable concentration, then Wordchain 1 is where you should start.
Count mis-spelling ‘ck’ as one error, and using a single consonant where it should be a double as another. These patterns will be further practiced in Wordchain 2. It is better to get a solid foundation in the basics than to leap ahead too quickly.
Can the student read these words accurately and easily?
clump fend brunt lisp split blend trigger frothy mantle spanner shingly trinket flinger flicker swilled plumper thicken speckled snigger crumple stricken
Can the student spell these words?
stump blond crisp scram skilled grumbling simple bluster swindle crumpet frilly slacken tackle bungled frankly bluster splinter flickered
The student should be able to read all the words with relative ease. If they make more than 3 errors in the spelling, or if getting them right takes considerable concentration, then Wordchain 2 is where you should start.
These patterns are not adequately covered in Wordchain 3. It is better to get a solid foundation in the basics with Wordchain 2 than to leap ahead too quickly.
Can the student read these words accurately and easily?
welt wilt smelter slate swede prone snide splice tinge bony bonny biter smitten stripped striped brail reed gorge spoof loam mundane
Can the student spell these words?
swelter filtered drape stoke stale cheap (or cheep) freed riper ripper croak scorched frighten trail force
The student should be able to read all the words with relative ease. If s/he makes more than 2 errors in the spelling, or if getting them right takes considerable concentration, then Wordchain 3 is where you should start.
These patterns are not adequately covered in Wordchain 4. It is better to get a solid foundation in the basics with Wordchain 3 than to leap ahead too quickly.
Can the student read these words accurately and easily?
shroud dredged tribute spurn blotched yearn statute furtive mirth laird wearily macaw shrew foible taut furze
Can the student spell these words?
smudge earnest slouched immune urge clutched squirm repair bearded flawless screw embroider launch protrude exclude burden
The student should be able to read all the words relatively easily, and spell most of them. If not, then Wordchain 4 is for you!
Wordchain Videos
See Wordchain in action.
In this first video, developer Minty Hunter from Nectarine gives a quickstart guide to Wordchain.
For a more in-depth guide, see these four videos by reading expert and ‘Agility with Sound’ programme creator Betsy Sewell.
Extra features
If you’re a teacher, parent or guardian, email teachers@wordchain.co.nz for further information, and definitely contact us to learn how to unlock the extra admin features of Wordchain (for instance, the ability to add and remove student names and change programme preferences).
In these four videos, reading expert and ‘Agility with Sound’ programme creator Betsy Sewell explains how Wordchain works to build capable readers, and what the differences in the Wordchain apps are.
Get Wordchain
Wordchain is currently only available with New Zealand pronunciation. Other accents will follow soon.
Wordchain features four apps, each focusing on particular areas that can cause reading difficulties.
NOTE: Wordchain is best used on tablets (iPads or Android tablets); it will run on phones, but the screen needs to be large to easily view the content.
Schools: 50% discounts for purchases of 20+ units – More info
CHROMEBOOK USERS, PLEASE NOTE:
Wordchain will only work on your Chromebook if it allows Google Play Store apps. Some schools have this capability locked down.
To check, go to “Settings > Apps > Google Play Store”. You should see a button to the right of the “Google Play Store” label that says “Turn on”. If you don’t see that setting or cannot turn it on, check with your IT support to make sure the Chromebooks support apps from the Google Play Store.
Schools: 50% discounts for purchases of 20+ units – More info!
SINGLE USER VERSIONS
These Single User versions are are cheaper than the original Wordchain versions, but they only support a single user on a single device as opposed to the 30+ users of the full versions.
MULTI-USER IPAD, ANDROID and CHROMEBOOK VERSIONS
These original Wordchain full versions for iOS and Android allow for 30+ users on a single device.
Note: this does not mean 30 users using 30 devices at the same time! It’s one purchase per device.

Wordchain 1 provides practice in mastering:
* starting sounds
* e / i confusions
* tricky consonants
* ing, ed, y and er endings
* ck – sh – th endings
* initial blends
* ay, y and ow words

Wordchain 2 provides practice in mastering:
* word endings
* ng words
* ck, ng and ll
* final blends
* triple blends
* blends and endings
* double endings

Wordchain 3 provides practice in mastering:
* el, il, ol and ul words
* el, il, ol and ul with endings
* v
* c or cc
* ee and ea
* ai, igh and oa
* or, ar and oo
IOS / IPAD BUNDLES
* A NOTE ABOUT BUNDLES:
Many NZ schools use Apple’s School Manager. Unfortunately, it does not support bundles.
It does provide a 50% discount on volume purchases.
These bundles are for the full versions of Wordchain that allows for 30+ users to be saved.
Schools: 50% off for purchases of 20+ units!
iOS (iPads)
Apple’s Volume Purchase Programme for Education plan allows us to offer a 50% discount on purchases of 20 or more apps.
This is applied to the price at purchase time, so if we’re having a sale, you can get 50% off the sale price!
Android (tablets and newer Chromebooks)
Unfortunately, Google discontinued their Play Store Volume Discount. We’re trying to convince them to bring it back!
In the meantime, you can contact us directly using this form and we’ll sort out a bulk discount: