Nessy: Individualized Language Arts for Kids with Dyslexia
Updated on July 10, 2023
This review was written by Manisha Snoyer, the founder and CEO of Modulo, a company that provides resources and support families who are homeschooling their children. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher, Manisha has instructed over 2,000 children of all ages and abilities in three countries and 18 subjects. She has tutored at some of the best private schools in the world and throughout the NYC public school system. Manisha graduated summa cum laude from Brandeis University.
This individualized program for learning language arts is especially great for those with dyslexia since it uses resources like video lessons, fun games and worksheets that include memory strategies to develop a strong understanding of core concepts. This program specifically focuses on memorization strategies or developing mental cues that help kids remember and comprehend information with a logical progression of the difficulty level. This program was founded by Mike Jones who also has dyslexia. He wanted to develop a resource that could be used widely and helps dyslexic kids through a different approach to learning that benefits them. Kids will have to take an assessment, in the form of a game, that will set their learning targets. Then, the students will progress through the 10 islands, each representing a different level of difficulty, by completing lessons and activities and help develop their understanding of reading and spelling. Each lesson includes a rule and a strategy to help remember it. Nessy is a good resource for parents with dyslexic children who can't afford a dyslexia specialist. However, is can be used for any kid. Parents appreciate how the structure of the resource motivates and engages the kids. Some parents think that the supplemental apps (not the website program itself) are more geared towards very early learners, are unnecessarily repetitive, and sometimes have sound difficulties. We strongly urge that parents not help the children on the assessments because it would lead to lessons that are too challenging for their learning level.
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
Cost: The Nessy Reading and Spelling program costs $10.51 per month for one students. The cost varies depending on the number of students and whether there is a monthly or yearly subscription.
Key Features of Nessy
Nessy is a well-known computer program designed to support and enhance literacy and reading skills, particularly for children with dyslexia. While there are various versions and iterations of Nessy, I will outline some of the key features typically associated with this program:
1. Phonics Instruction: Nessy places a strong emphasis on phonics, which is the relationship between sounds and the corresponding letters or letter combinations. It provides systematic and structured phonics instruction to help children learn how to decode words and improve their reading abilities.
2. Multisensory Approach: Recognizing the importance of engaging multiple senses in the learning process, Nessy employs a multisensory approach. It incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements to reinforce learning and make it more accessible to different learning styles.
3. Interactive Games and Activities: Nessy utilizes interactive games and activities to make learning fun and engaging for children. These games are designed to target specific reading and spelling skills, such as phonemic awareness, blending, segmenting, and sight word recognition.
4. Personalized Learning: Nessy adapts to the individual needs of each learner. It assesses the child's abilities and provides targeted instruction based on their strengths and areas for improvement. The program tracks progress over time and adjusts the difficulty level to ensure a personalized learning experience.
5. Orton-Gillingham Methodology: Nessy incorporates principles from the Orton-Gillingham approach, which is a widely recognized and effective method for teaching individuals with dyslexia. This approach focuses on explicit instruction, structured repetition, and multisensory techniques to help children develop reading and spelling skills.
6. Reading and Spelling Support: Nessy offers comprehensive support for both reading and spelling. It provides activities and exercises to improve decoding skills, sight word recognition, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. Additionally, it includes tools and strategies to enhance spelling skills and promote accurate and confident written expression.
7. Progress Monitoring and Reporting: The program tracks and records each child's progress, allowing parents, teachers, and tutors to monitor their development over time. Nessy often provides detailed reports and assessments, enabling educators to gain insights into a child's strengths, weaknesses, and areas requiring further attention.
It's important to note that the features of Nessy may vary depending on the specific version or edition of the program being used, as well as any updates or modifications made by the developers.
Pros and Cons of Nessy
Top 5 most mentioned pros of Nessy:
1. Effective for children with dyslexia: Several parents mentioned that Nessy was beneficial for their children with dyslexia and helped improve their reading and spelling skills.
2. Engaging and enjoyable: Many parents noted that their children found Nessy fun and enjoyable to use, making the learning process more engaging.
3. Individualized learning: Nessy was praised for its ability to adapt to each child's learning needs and provide personalized instruction and support.
4. Progress tracking: Parents appreciated the progress tracking feature in Nessy, which allowed them to monitor their child's learning and see tangible improvements.
5. Supplemental resources: Some parents mentioned that Nessy offered additional printable activities and resources, providing extra practice and extension work for their children.
Top 5 most mentioned cons of Nessy:
1. Compatibility issues: Several parents reported compatibility issues with the app, particularly on certain devices or operating systems, which affected their user experience.
2. Limited curriculum: Some parents felt that Nessy was not a comprehensive curriculum on its own and needed to be supplemented with additional resources or programs.
3. Assessment accuracy: There were a few comments questioning the accuracy of the assessment results in Nessy, particularly in relation to grade level placement for spelling.
4. Price: A few parents mentioned that the cost of Nessy's subscription or program access was relatively high, which may be a deterrent for some families.
5. Technical glitches: Several parents experienced technical glitches or issues with the app, such as crashes, freezing, or difficulty logging in, which impacted their overall satisfaction with the program.
Please note that these pros and cons are based on the comments provided by parents in the Facebook group and may not represent an exhaustive list of all pros and cons of Nessy.
FAQ: Nessy Learning
**Q: What is Nessy?**
A: Nessy is an online learning program designed to support children in improving their reading, spelling, and writing skills. It utilizes a multisensory approach with interactive games, videos, and activities to engage learners and address their specific needs.
**Q: Is Nessy only for dyslexia?**
A: While Nessy is highly effective for children with dyslexia, it can also benefit other struggling readers and spellers. The program's structured and systematic approach to teaching foundational literacy skills makes it suitable for a broader range of learners who require additional support in reading and spelling.
**Q: Is Nessy free for teachers?**
A: Nessy offers both free and paid options for teachers. The free resources include access to specific games, worksheets, and videos. However, the extent of free resources may vary. To access the complete range of Nessy's learning programs and features, a paid subscription is required. It's advisable to check the Nessy website or contact their support for specific details.
**Q: What age is Nessy learning for?**
A: Nessy learning is primarily aimed at children aged 5 to 12 years old. The program is designed to provide a structured and engaging learning experience for students within this age range.
**Q: What level of reading is Nessy?**
A: Nessy offers different levels of reading instruction to accommodate learners at various stages. The program starts with foundational skills and gradually progresses to more advanced reading concepts, allowing students to develop their reading abilities incrementally.
**Q: How does Nessy learning work?**
A: Nessy learning employs a structured and multisensory approach to teaching reading, spelling, and writing skills. It incorporates various activities, including games, videos, and interactive exercises, to engage learners and reinforce their understanding of key concepts. The program also provides progress tracking features to monitor students' performance and offer personalized feedback.
**Q: What is the Nessy assessment?**
A: The Nessy assessment is a component of the program that helps identify a student's specific areas of strength and weakness in reading and spelling. It provides insights into the student's abilities and determines their appropriate starting point within the Nessy program. The assessment assists in creating an individualized learning plan tailored to the student's needs and skill level.
OTHER DETAILS
Key features
Type of Tool: App, Website, Video game
Time required: For the best results, kids should spend 80 hours per week.
Special Needs: Dyslexia, generally those with memory difficulties.
Literacy Requirement (does a child need to know how to read): No
Screens
Screens: The tool requires a computer/electronic device since it is a website, but there are also printable worksheets available on the site.
Online requirement: You need to be online to complete the lessons but you can use the printable worksheets as a supplement.
Time
Parent/Caregiver Involvement: Yes, kids can use it with no help from a parent, teacher or caregiver
Prep Time: This can be used individually since it is automatically guided program but teachers can change the targets to use this resource as a supplement.
Other characteristics
Modality: Audiovisual, Multimedia
Adaptive: Yes, it includes personalization
Educational Philosophy: Based on the Orton-Gillingham Principles
Other characteristics: Inclusive of diverse viewpoints and perspectives, Fun and entertaining, Mastery-based learning
Accountability
Assessment: Yes, there are built in assessment tools
State Standards: It aligns with K-5 common core standards
Teacher Accounts:
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Purchase: https://www.nessy.com/uk/product/nessy-reading-spelling/