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GraphoGame

GraphoGame

Pedagogical competencies

STEM

Mathematics

GraphoGame is a research-based literacy learning game designed to help children master reading through a proven phonics approach.
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Last updated: January 30, 2025

Overview

Learning objectives

GraphoGame teaches kindergarten, primary and early secondary -aged students the fundamentals of literacy using an evidence-based phonetic approach.

Evidence of impact

STRONG

Cost structure

3 Pricing models

Widely adopted in 150 countries

14 languages

Target audience: Educators and teachers, Students, Institutional or administrative staff, Parents or guardians

Category: Assessment tool, Learning activities, Learning content and

Grade: Early Childhood, Primary, Lower Secondary, Non-formal

Full offline functionality

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The information presented is provided by the company, and reviewed in good faith. Learning Cabinet is not responsible for inaccurate content.

How this product was evaluated?

Product Details

Data protection and privacy

Privacy

  • Privacy Policy icon
    Privacy PolicyOpen info in a new page
  • Terms of Service icon
    Terms of ServiceOpen info in a new page
  • Product alerts users of significant changes to the privacy policy icon
    Product alerts users of significant changes to the privacy policy

Data Sharing

  • Product does not share data with third parties icon
    Product does not share data with third parties
  • Product does not show external advertisements icon
    Product does not show external advertisements

Data Origin

  • Product utilizes AI icon
    Product utilizes AI
  • AI has been trained using product datasets icon
    AI has been trained using product datasets

Information security

  • Cybersecurity program in place icon
    Cybersecurity program in place
  • Technical best practices in place icon
    Technical best practices in place
  • Threat detection in place icon
    Threat detection in place
  • No self-assessments conducted icon
    No self-assessments conducted
  • No third party assessments conducted icon
    No third party assessments conducted

Safeguards

  • Product does not allow interactions between users and users cannot create content icon
    Product does not allow interactions between users and users cannot create content
  • Product does not use AI to generate content icon
    Product does not use AI to generate content
Theory

Developed in 1992 by Prof. Heikki Lyytinen, the GraphoGame methodology originated as a dyslexia screening tool. It evolved into a global project involving 30 universities, with over 300 publications and 20 PhDs. Key collaborators include the University of Cambridge, Yale's Haskins Laboratories, and Beijing Normal University. The GraphoGame Research Steering Committee includes experts like Prof. Usha Goswami (Cambridge) and Prof. Elena Grigorenko (Yale).

Strong evidence of impact

Impact 3/3

GraphoGame shows a proven positive impact, backed by at least one experimental study that shows a statistically significant positive impact on the intended learning outcomes.

Different levels of research evidence indicate the reliability of the proof of positive impact. The tools featured in the Learning Cabinet range from:

  • Strong: Backed by at least one experimental study that shows a statistically significant positive impact on the intended outcomes.
  • Moderate: Backed by at least one quasi-experimental study that shows a statistically significant positive impact on the intended outcomes.
  • Promising: Supported by correlational or pilot research that indicates positive or promising results on the intended outcomes.

Evidence
External Evidence
Randomized Control TrialsOpen
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Both GraphoGame Rime and Phoneme improved reading, spelling, and phonological skills in 6–7-year-olds with reading difficulties. Gains were greater than in the control group and sustained after four months.

External Evidence
Randomized Control TrialsOpen
Open link icon

An RCT of GraphoGame Rime, targeting low-literacy Year 2 students, showed no significant impact on reading or spelling compared to standard support. Teachers found the tool engaging for implementation, but additional progress was not observed.

External Evidence
Randomized Control TrialsOpen
Open link icon

Analysis of GraphoGame Rime RCT data for higher-performing 6–7-year-olds (95 children) showed positive effects for subgroups, including those with Individual Education Plans and younger children, showing targeted benefits in English phonics learning.

Engagement
Icon representing engagement statistics

Recommended use

Early Childhood, Primary, Lower Secondary, Non-formal

Recommended use for optimal results is 3 times a week up to 15 minutes a session. Students can play simultaneously in a classroom or multiple children can share a device, as each account is personalised. No adult or teacher supervision required. The app is effective without an adult in the room.

Recommended use for optimal results is 3 times a week up to 15 minutes a session. Students can play simultaneously in a classroom or multiple children can share a device, as each account is personalised. No adult or teacher supervision required. The app is effective without an adult in the room.

Icon representing engagement statistics

Target audience

School administrators, Students, Teachers
Extensive
reach
75%
User growth rate
150
Countries

Learning Objectives

GraphoGame teaches kindergarten, primary and early secondary -aged students the fundamentals of literacy using an evidence-based phonetic approach.

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Curriculum

  • Adaptable to different curriculums

Information about curriculum

GraphoGame’s curriculum is based on a phonics-first approach, teaching foundational skills like letter-sound recognition and word decoding, and is adapted for each language in collaboration with researchers (e.g., Cambridge for UK English, Yale for US English). The game’s adaptive design lets children progress individually, introducing complex phonics as they advance. Data insights help teachers track progress and make informed interventions, and each version aligns with national literacy standards for effective literacy development.

Pedagogical design

GraphoGame combines educational theories with cognitive neuroscience to enhance literacy through explicit phonics instruction. Each language version is developed with top research institutions, ensuring alignment with phonological features. The program includes real-time analytics for monitoring student progress and timely interventions. Supported by over 300 peer-reviewed studies, GraphoGame features a gamified interface that adapts to each child’s learning pace, making literacy learning engaging and accessible.

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Additional Details
Flexibility
The product allows learner agency (e.g. it provides flexibility for the learner or teacher to make choices, take actions, or influence their learning outcomes and experiences).
The product supports adaptive personalized learning, including tailoring instruction and content with feedback to the unique needs, preferences, and goals of each learner
Learner engagement
The product has elements that raises the level of affection in learner (e.g. pedagogically meaningful narrative, characters, etc.).
The product has interactive design where a learner can interact with the content via different actions, like for example solving problems.
Creativity
The product includes problem-solving activities
Collaboration
Instructor to learner (homework, guidance, intervention based on data)

User Experience

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User interface
GraphoGame is designed to be used by students who cannot read and without adult support. The interface is designed to allow for a student to create an avatar and begin learning with GraphoGame without needing to read. We use large intuitive arrows and icon highlighting to urge users to press the correct buttons without needing to write or read. The game itself is full of instructional sound files where a voice actor explains the cognitive aspects of the learning activity (i.e. “Choose the syllable that rhymes with the sound you hear”). We have improved our user interface in the past by reducing the amount of actions users need to take to enter learning content. We also added a tutorial mode to help users understand the user interface elements.
Open Product Screenshots
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Data-driven product development
Using the interaction data logs that GraphoGame produces we are able to see which content types and in-game levels tend to cause the most issues or are passed with no errors. This interaction data has allowed us to see which levels are too difficult or too challenging for most students. Using these insights we engage our partner researchers who we optimize the content with to be motivating, yet appropriately challenging.
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Geographic focus
The content of each language version of GraphoGame has been developed, curated and researched by universities and researchers in multiple regions. For example, the Spanish version of GraphoGame has been researched in Araucania, Chile, as well as Peru. The French GraphoGame has been researched in schools in Provence. The UK English version has been researched in Randomized Controlled Trials in Cambridgeshire and Ahmadabad, India. We seek to research the effectiveness of our multiple apps in the contexts they will be used in.
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Ensuring content quality
Expert Review: Content is reviewed by subject matter experts.
Educational Standards Alignment: Content aligns with educational standards.
User Feedback Incorporation: Regular updates are informed by user feedback.
Evidence-Based Content: Content creation is based on current educational research.
Quality Assurance Processes: Implementation of rigorous quality control measures.
Editorial Oversight: Editorial teams oversee content development and accuracy.
Licensing and Accreditation: Use of licensed and accredited content sources.
Language Accuracy: Content undergoes professional linguistic and grammar checks.
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Supervision and communications
This product requires supervision or specific skills
This product is primarily designed for classroom setting
The product includes communications capabilities.

Infrastructure

  • Device compatibility
    Smartphone, Tablet, Desktop/Laptop, Chromebooks
  • Designed for low-cost devices
    Yes
  • Environment
    Web-Based (Accessible via a web browser without requiring installation on a device), Device Installable (Requires installation on a device to be used, i.e. a mobile or desktop app)
  • Offline availability
    Full offline functionality
  • Integration with 3rd party
    Education/Learning Data tools, Single Sign-On or other secure login tools, User data/metrics platforms, LMS platforms

Support

  • Training materials
    Video tutorials, User manuals, Interactive guides, Webinars, Online courses, Live training
  • Training material languages
    English, Finnish, French, Greenlandic, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Uzbek
  • Training material target users
    Educators and teachers, Students, Institutional or administrative staff, Parents or guardians
  • Technical support

    Image for Technical support 1
    Email Support

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    Live Chat Support

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    Phone/Call Support

Local Adaptability

  • Curriculum / educational content can be customized
    Yes
  • Visual / audiovisual content can be customized
    Yes
  • Content can be customized
    Yes
  • Current languages
    Chinese Traditional, Cinyanja, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Greenlandic, Icelandic, Indonesian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish
  • Possibility to translate the product to new language
    Yes
  • Current writing systems
    Chinese, Latin Alphabet
  • Licensing information
    • The solution is proprietary

Data import/export

  • Export data capability
    CSV, JSON, API
  • Exportable data types
    Product usage data, User performance and progress, Assessment results, Usage statistics
  • Import data capability
    User data, Educational content
  • Automation
    Individual upload/onboarding, Classroom or school level upload by administrator, Large-scale upload at a ministry/institutional level
Affordability

Affordability Card

Business model icon
Business model
  • Business to Consumer (B2C)
  • Business to Government (B2Gov)
  • Business to Business (B2B)
Pricing model icon
Pricing model
  • Freemium/Premium
  • One-time payment
  • Subscription
Pricing tiers icon
Pricing tiers
  • District based
  • National
  • Per student
  • School based
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Starting price

1 USD/year

  • Flexible pricing available
Ask for details
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Pricing Strategy

We have three pricing strategies that are aligned with the markets and regions we work in. Freemium is offered is more challenging economic contexts, where paying for the app or purchasing a subscription is highly unlikely and thus accessibility to literacy content is affected. One-time payments are used for individual GraphoGame app licenses in countries such as Canada, United Kingdom and Finland. Subscriptions are offered to schools and municipalities who want to purchase the GraphoGame app with a server connection and our online teacher analytics platform.

Adjustable Pricing Options

Yes, we have country-specific pricing models on Apple App Store. For example, in India our app costs 1 USD and in Europe 2.99 USD. Our national agreements with governments also include discounts based on economic indicators, such as GDP per capita and Human Development Index.

Organisation and Operations

Organization Details

Developed in
Finland
Type of organization
Business enterprise
Stage of organization
Growth Phase
(since 2018)
Number of employees
5-10
Developed in
Finland
Type of organization
Business enterprise
Stage of organization
Growth Phase
(since 2018)
Number of employees
5-10
Developed in
Finland
Type of organization
Business enterprise
Stage of organization
Growth Phase
(since 2018)
Number of employees
5-10
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Experience with large projects

  • Open link iconNationwide government projects
  • Open link iconRegional or state government projects
  • Open link iconLocal government projects
  • Open link iconPartnership models with national institutions

Large implementation example

We launched GraphoGame Iceland in September 2024. In 24 hours, it became the most downloaded app in the country. In 6 weeks, GraphoGame has been downloaded by over 15% of the entire population of Iceland. In Finland, we launched GraphoGame English when English language studies started for all first graders. In only 3 weeks, all of them had started to use GraphoGame. Our market penetration in Norway is about 75% of children who are learning to read. The Analytics Dashboard is gaining popularity in the City of Oslo, which started using it for 3,000 students in September 2024 as our first customer. Expansion steps are being planned and other municipalities have indicated strong interest to deploy as well. In Brazil, the Ministry of Education started a TV campaign to encourage families to download GraphoGame Portuguese. As a result of the campaign, over 2,5 million users downloaded the free version of GraphoGame.

Accessibility of Design

Users with disability have been taken into account in the design of the product.
Success iconGraphoGame fulfils the WCAG 2.1 level AA requirements
Tool tested with:
successPerson with disability

Equity of access & Gender

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Product usage between genders
We have noted in several research projects in the Global West, where boy literacy is falling, that GraphoGame is exceptionally effective with boys who have not attained reading skills by 1st grade. This is likely due to gamification and game-based learning.

Get in touch with the organization

Contact Person picture
Mervi Palander, CEO
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Expert Review of GraphoGame

Evaluated using the Learning Cabinet’s rigorous EdTech for Good Framework to ensure safety, learning impact, scalability, and inclusion for all learners.

EdTech for Good Framework

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