Reader Modes Explained
Read to Me, Read Myself, and Duet — what each mode does, when to use it, and how to switch between them.
Three Ways to Read
Every story in StoryKind can be read in three different modes. You can switch between them at any point — even mid-story.
Read to Me
The narrator reads every word aloud. Each word is highlighted on screen as it is spoken, so your child can follow along.
Best for:
- Children aged 3–6 who are not yet reading independently
- Any child who finds decoding (sounding out words) tiring
- Stories where the vocabulary is at the upper end of what your child can manage independently
- Bedtime reading, when a tired child still wants a story
How it works: Press the play button to start narration. The narrator reads naturally, with appropriate pacing. Tap the screen to pause and resume. Use the speed control (0.75× / 1× / 1.25×) to adjust pacing for your child. Use the seek bar to move to a different point in the narration.
Note: Narration is available on Monthly, Annual, and Family plans. Free accounts have text-only stories.
Read Myself
Your child reads silently at their own pace, without narration.
Best for:
- Confident readers who want independence
- Older children who prefer reading without audio
- Practice for school reading tasks that are done silently
How it works: Tapping any word in the text plays its pronunciation — a short audio clip of just that word. Your child can tap any unfamiliar word to hear how it sounds and continue reading. No word is a barrier to the story.
Scroll through the chapter at your own pace. Tap Done reading → when you finish the chapter to proceed to the quiz.
Duet
An echo-reading mode where the narrator reads a sentence, then your child reads the same sentence back. The app listens through the microphone and scores fluency.
Best for:
- Children actively building decoding and fluency skills (typically ages 5–9)
- Reading practice that is more structured and measurable than silent reading
- A shared reading session with a parent sitting alongside
How it works: The narrator reads a sentence. A prompt appears: "Your turn!" Your child reads the same sentence aloud. The app records and scores the reading (words per minute, accuracy). After completing the chapter, fluency scores appear in the parent dashboard.
Microphone permission: Duet mode requires microphone access. If you see a browser permission prompt, tap Allow. If you previously denied permission, you'll need to enable it in your browser or device settings. See the Microphone Access help article if you need assistance.
Switching Modes
You can switch modes at any time from the reader screen using the mode selector at the top. Switching does not reset your progress or quiz answers.
Some children naturally prefer different modes for different situations — Read to Me at bedtime, Read Myself for a focused afternoon session, Duet when a parent or carer is available to listen.
Still need help?
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