Getting 20-30 minutes of reading in every night as part of elementary school homework can be a bit of a challenge. Getting kids to comprehend what they are reading can sometimes seem impossible for parents and discouraging for kids.
Every now and then, it would be nice to say, “There’s an app for that.”
Well, there is…sort of. Nearpod is a mobile app that allows teachers to engage students with interactive content, collect and share student responses instantly, and track comprehension in real time. The app has a desktop version, and offers some free ready-to-use lessons.
Sounds like a winner. Except, it is only available to educators.
What the app lacks is the ability for parents to take advantage of the service. The student app only works in conjunction with the teacher app. Parents, the other element in a child’s educational development, could see just as much benefit as teachers if allowed to use the app. For those parents who are trying to understand why their kid is unable to answer simple questions about what they read, or looking for ways to help their kids improve on reading comprehension, Nearpod could be an excellent option.
WebMD states kids “read to learn” at ages 11-13. In reality, if kids are studying subjects like math, science, and social studies in 3rd and 4th grades, they are reading to learn much earlier, which makes reading comprehension more important early on.
Collaborating with Apple to feature the app in a commercial using traditional television and online through YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook, would be excellent ways to create buzz and awareness about the app.
Videos detailing the personal experiences of parents and kids, similar to the Nearpod Love video could be used to attract the every-day parent to the app.
Nearpod could definitely attract a larger audience if it would just expand the app to parents.