A spelling app for this week's list from school (no typing)

Do I have to type the words in?

No. Many spelling apps and websites let you add your own words. That is the right idea: the test is on the teacher's list, not on a generic list for the grade. But adding your own words usually means typing them in, one by one, every week. Some tools also ask you to type a sentence for each word.

That typing is a chore on a weeknight, and the list is already on paper, on the fridge or in the homework folder. SpellOwl starts from that paper. One photo becomes a practice list, and you check it before anything else happens. You can fix a misread word, remove one, or add one the scan missed.

Typing stays possible when you prefer it, or when there is no paper list this week. The practice is the same either way, and nobody has to read the list aloud.

How does it work, step by step?

1. Snap the list. Frame the words on the paper list, not your child's name. SpellOwl reads the words from the photo. No paper list? Type the words, or pick a ready-made list: Dolch sight words, Fry words (301 to 500), or the National Curriculum word lists for England. Ready-made lists are read word by word, without a sentence.
2. Check the words and the sentences. Every scan ends on a review screen. SpellOwl then writes a short sentence for each word, and you read them before your child hears anything. Words that sound like other words, such as "their" and "there", are flagged so you can check their sentence.
3. Your child practices. Your child taps to listen and hears the word, a sentence, then the word again, and spells it on the in-app keyboard. A miss brings a hint and another listen. Missed words can be practiced again in a short round.

You set the test day when you add the list: Friday, any other day, or none at all.

What does the parent see?

You see one number: how many of this week's words are ready, for example "11 of 12 words ready". A word counts as ready when your child has spelled it right in the last two sessions that included it. The words still missed sit in a "To review tonight" card, with one button to practice just those.

Your child sees stars and encouragement, never a letter grade or a percentage. They do see a plain count of their round, such as "10 out of 12 words".

The parent area sits behind a 4-digit code, so the settings and the lists stay yours. When you add a list, you choose which child it is for, so brothers and sisters with different lists each practice their own words.

What does SpellOwl not do?

• It does not pick the words. Practice uses the list you photograph or type; ready-made lists are there only if you choose one.
• It does not play a sentence you have not seen. You read each one before your child hears it.
• It has no ads, no chat, and no way for your child to message anyone.
• It does not ask for your child's birthdate, age or real name. A child profile is a nickname and a school level.
• It does not sell your data, or your child's.
• It does not run without an internet connection: reading the photo and playing the voice both happen online.

Only a parent can create an account. The full list of what is collected, and which services process it, is in the privacy policy.

Who is it for, and what does it cost?

SpellOwl is for parents whose child brings home a spelling list. It covers Kindergarten to 5th grade in the US, and Year 1 to Year 6 in the UK. You pick the school system at setup, and the level names and the voice follow. It fits a week with a list on Monday and a test a few days later, but it does not need that rhythm.

SpellOwl is free for 7 days with everything included, for first-time subscribers. After that it is $39.99 a year or $4.99 a month, bought through the App Store or Google Play. Your local price is shown before you confirm. One subscription covers up to 10 children, each with their own profile. To stop before you pay, cancel in your store subscription settings before the trial ends. On iPhone, turn off renewal at least 24 hours before the trial ends.