Songbird Reader
A free sing-along reading app for autistic children
Yuvan is autistic. Reading didn't click for him the usual way. Then we tried a program that teaches reading through singing, and his reading took off.
Not every family can pay for a program like that, or find one at all. So we built our own: Songbird Reader, free for every family with an autistic child.
Where we are now: 306 sung stories from Kindergarten to Grade 5, each one a calm eight-step lesson. For now the songs are sung by the device's own computer voice. Real singing voices are next.
What's inside
- 306sung stories
- K–5six grades, Easy, Medium and Hard
- 8steps in every lesson
- $0for families, no ads, no accounts
Every song is a lesson modelled on what helped Yuvan: listen twice, learn the key words, sing three times, read it alone, then play a word game. Repetition is the point, and it never feels like a drill.
Also in the app
- Printable certificates for every finished song
- Teacher mode: a whole class on one tablet, with a progress table
- A progress page for parents, with "tricky words" to practise
- Comfort settings: bigger text, calmer colours, quieter sounds
- Works offline once installed, and nothing leaves the device
What's next
Done
306 songs, eight-step lessons, certificates and teacher mode, working in any phone or tablet browser. Yuvan tries everything first.
Next
Real singing voices for the songs, and families testing the app with their children. We fix what doesn't work.
Then
Word meanings, short quizzes, and more songs as we learn what helps.
Always
Free for every family, for good.
Our promises
- The app is free for every family, for good.
- No ads, no accounts, nothing to buy.
- We will never sell or share a child's data. Progress stays on the device.
- We test with families before calling anything ready.
Questions
Does it cost anything?
No. Songbird Reader is free, with no ads, no sign-up and nothing to buy inside it. We pay its small running costs ourselves.
Is this the same as TUNE into READING?
No. Yuvan used TUNE into READING, and it helped him. Its makers now run the program through a nonprofit, Sing Out and READ. Songbird Reader is a new, separate project inspired by what singing did for Yuvan. We're not connected to Electronic Learning Products or Sing Out and READ, and we don't use their songs or software.
Why does the voice sound like a computer?
Today the app uses the singing voice built into each phone or tablet. Real sung recordings are next. The app already knows how to use them, and fades the singer down in each singing step so the child's voice takes over.
Does singing really help children read?
Many children, autistic or not, find words easier to remember with a tune and a beat, and singing gives a natural reason to repeat them. Research on sing-along reading is encouraging but still small, and very little of it is about autistic children. That's why we're testing with families instead of making big promises.
Are there other programs like this?
Sing Out and READ is a registered nonprofit that gives its singing-based reading program free to qualifying families with children aged 6 to 12.
How can I help?
Tell other families about it, or try it with your child and tell us what worked and what didn't. Singers, songwriters, reading specialists, speech therapists and autistic adults who'd share advice are very welcome too. Email us.