Reading · Foundation – Level 4

Reading that speaks first, so beginners can play alone.

Structured, phonics-first reading built on a careful sound-by-sound progression. Every prompt is spoken aloud - perfect for pre-readers and early readers.

Try the free reading check How it works

A Ziado reading round: tap to hear the word, then choose the matching word tile, with Numi encouraging

Audio-led by design

You can't read the instructions… if you can't read yet.

That's the quiet flaw in most reading apps. Ziado speaks every prompt, every word and every sound aloud, with a big friendly replay button. A five-year-old can complete a round without a grown-up reading over their shoulder.

For read-aloud practice, your child reads to you - and a grown-up taps to confirm. Little moments of reading together, built right into the quest.

Match the sound

Hear a sound, find its letter or digraph - sh, ch, th and friends.

Build & segment words

Blend sounds into words, then break words back into sounds.

High-frequency words

The words that appear everywhere, until they're instant.

Read aloud together

Your child reads to a grown-up, who taps to confirm - practice with a hug built in.

What's covered

Six strands of structured reading.

Phonological Awareness

Hearing and playing with the sounds inside words - rhyme, syllables, first sounds.

Phonics & Decoding

Matching sounds to letters and blending them into words, in a careful order.

Fluency

From sounding out to reading smoothly - including read-aloud practice with a grown-up.

Vocabulary

Growing the bank of words your child knows, understands and can use.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding what was read - who, what, why, and what might happen next.

Morphology

Prefixes, suffixes and word families - how words are built, and how to unlock new ones.

Coming next: Spelling. The same engine, pointed at spelling - it's on the way. Keep an eye on Guides for news.

Where would your child start in reading?

Take the free adaptive check - about 10 minutes, no account needed.

Try the free check

Worried about a specific hurdle? Our parent guides cover reading milestones, struggling readers and phonics vs sight words. Comparing apps? Our guide to interactive reading apps explains what to look for, and our guides to Reading Eggs alternatives and Studyladder alternatives compare the options.

Parent guides

Browse all reading parent guides, or see what your child should know in reading: Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5. Also see Ziado Maths.