Squeebles Spelling Test - How It Works / FAQ

Below is an outline of how the various parts of our Squeebles Spelling Test app work, as well as some frequently asked questions. If you are still unsure about anything, then please e-mail us on info@keystagefun.co.uk and we'll do our best to help.

Overview

Squeebles Spelling Test allows you to set your own, completely customised spelling tests for your children as well as download any of the pre-recorded tests we've created for you to use. Your children hear the words spoken out loud and they then have to try to spell them. The app records stats for each child that you can use to see how they're doing and which spellings they're struggling with. A fun reward system keeps children motivated to keep working hard at their spellings.

How Do I Create My Own Tests?

We have a video tutorial available that shows you how to set up a new test here: https://youtu.be/RUZwcZ_vcfU

  • Open the app and go into the Parent / Teacher zone
  • Tap the "Your Custom Tests" button
  • Tap the "Add a Test" button in the bottom right of the screen
  • Give your test a name and then save
  • Tap the "Add Words" button on the following screen to begin adding words
  • Enter each word, save and then record an audio recording of the word in our own voice
  • Repeat the previous step until all the words are added

How Do I Share Tests Between Devices?

We have a video tutorial available on our YouTube channel that takes you through this process step by step: https://youtu.be/I1zRWo3m7WI

You can share any spelling tests you create on any device between up to 10 devices by saving them to the Squeeble Cloud and then downloading them onto other devices. To do this, you need a KeyStageFun account. You can sign up for one of these free of charge by visiting www.keystagefun.co.uk/register/ (make sure you click the confirmation link in the registration e-mail to validate your account).

Once you have an account, you can share a test as follows:

  • Open the app and go into the Parent / Teacher zone
  • Tap the "Your Custom Tests" button. You will see a list of all your tests
  • Tap the "Share / Backup" button next to the test you want to share
  • Enter your KeyStageFun account details and follow the instructions to upload your test to the Squeeble Cloud

Now, open the app on the device you wish to share the tests to and do the following:

  • Enter the Parent / Teacher zone
  • Tap the "Your Custom Tests" button
  • Tap the "In Squeeble Cloud" tab
  • Tap the "Sign In" button and enter your KeyStageFun account details
  • You will now see a list of all the tests you have stored in the Squeeble Cloud. Tap the "Download" button next to the test you want to download or to download multiple tests, tick each test you want to download and then select the "Download" option in the drop down list at the top of the page.

 

How Do I Download Your Pre-Recorded Spelling Tests?

We have created nearly 150 pre-recorded spelling lists for you to download and use, each with full audio for each word. Details of these can be found here as well as within the app. These are based around the UK National Curriculum and feature UK English spelling. You can of course change any words you need to and re-record the audio if you should so wish. To access these lists, just do the following:

  • Open the app and enter the Parent / Teacher zone
  • Tap the "KeyStageFun Tests" button
  • Tap the "Downloadable Tests" tab
  • Select a category and you will see a list of tests within that category
  • Tap the "Download" button next to any test you want to download to your device or to download multiple tests, tick each test you want to download and then use the drop down list to select the "Download" option.
  • Downloaded tests will then appear in the "On Device" tab and be accessible to all players to attempt without the need for an internet connection

Prior to version 4.5 of the app, a KeyStageFun account was required to download spelling tests. We would strongly recommend upgrading to version 4.5 or above.

 
Other Spelling Share / KeyStageFun Account Questions
My KeyStageFun username and password don't seem to work. What should I do? If you've forgotten your login details, visit www.keystagefun.co.uk/forgot to retrieve them. Remember, the username and password you need to use to log in to share tests are your KeyStageFun account details. These are not the same as your Apple ID, your Google Play or Amazon login details or your e-mail address. We would never ask you to enter any of those things into our apps. You can sign up for a KeyStageFun account free of charge by visiting www.keystagefun.co.uk/register/
We're a school and we're getting an error message when trying to download or upload tests. Why? Some schools have security settings that block our app from connecting to the internet by default. E-mail info@keystagefun.co.uk and we'll give you the address you need to add to your "safe list".
I want to be able to share between more than 10 devices... If you are a school and want the device limit for sharing increased from the default of 10 then please e-mail us on info@keystagefun.co.uk. Family users must stay within the limit of 10 devices. You can deregister old devices at any time by logging into your KeyStageFun account online and removing them.
Why do I have to download your pre-recorded tests. Why can't they just be included in the app to start with? Including the audio, all the tests put together would use up a lot of space on your device. This is space you may want for music, films or other Squeebles apps! Many people only want access to a selection of the tests, depending on the age and stage of learning of their children, so putting all that content in to start with would use up space you might not want using up. This way you choose what you download.
I've reached my device limit. What should I do? By default we allow all users to share spelling tests between up to 10 devices. If this limit is reached, devices can be deregistered from your account (up to a limit of 3 per year) by signing in to your account on our website. Schools can have their device limit increased to accommodate their class sizes by e-mailing us on info@keystagefun.co.uk
Can I share tests between different types of device (Apple to Android for example)? Yes, but depending on the exact combination of devices involved, the audio might need to be re-recorded on the device you download to. This is because different operating systems support different audio file types. All the words, the test title and the test settings would still be transferred correctly though. For 100% certainty that all the audio will play correctly, stick with Apple to Apple transfer or Android to Android transfer.
Does the whole "sharing" thing allow me to share the app between devices? No. The sharing service we offer allows you to share spelling tests between devices that already have the app installed on. This is to save you the trouble of having to re-record the same test over and over on each device you own and is particularly useful for schools, where whole classes may need access to the same test. Having said that, all the outlets we sell through allow you to install any purchased app on more than one device, as long as you use the same account you used to purchase the original app to download it on any subsequent devices. There is usually a limit, but this depends on whether you're buying via Apple, Google Play or Amazon.
Can I share my child's progress and stats between devices? Not at the moment. This is something we're looking into but at present, you can only share spelling tests between devices. Any progress and stats are specific to the device they were recorded on.

Other Frequently Asked Questions
We want to buy multiple copies of the app. Do we get a discount? This depends on who you're buying through. Apple offer a volume purchase programme for schools and other educational institutions that gives you 50% off participating apps. Visit this page for more information.
I can't record the audio for words. Why not? All devices should ask permission for individual apps before accessing the microphone. This is to protect your privacy. The first time you launch any app that needs access to the microphone to work, you are asked if you want to allow access. You should say yes, but a lot of people miss this. So, to allow access to the microphone later, simply open the Settings app on your device and then depending on your device type, navigate to

- APPLE (newer iOS): Settings > SqueeblesSP > Microphone
- APPLE (older iOS): Settings > Privacy > Microphone
- ANDROID: Settings > Apps (or Applications) > SqueeblesSP > Permissions
- AMAZON FIRE: Settings > Apps (or Applications) > SqueeblesSP > Permissions

Please note that on Amazon Fire devices, updating the app to a newer version may require resetting the privacy settings again.
I deleted the app. Can I get my progress back when I reinstall it? When you delete any app, all data associated with it is deleted too. The only exception here are any spelling tests you saved to the Squeeble Cloud. They are stored on our servers and can be accessed again when you reinstall the app.
I / my child set a passcode for the Parent / Teacher zone. What is it? We don't know your personal passcode as this is stored on your device, but you can use the override code, which is 6791. Once logged in you can then reset or remove your existing code.
How do I set a word to be visible to my child for a few moments before they attempt to spell it? Go into the Parent / Teacher zone, tap the "Players" tab and then tap the "Settings" button next to the player for whom you would like to change this setting. You can set the word to be visible for 2 seconds, 5 seconds, an unlimited time or not at all. There is also an "Adaptive" setting which changes the time they see the word for depending on whether they spelled it correctly last time.
How do I set the keyboard to allow accented characters so my child can use the app to learn French, German, Spanish etc? In the most recent version of the app, accented characters are always available and are accessed by holding down the "root" letter for a moment. For example if you hold down the "e" for about a quarter of a second, you will see all the accented "e" options.

In older versions of the app, these were accessed via a separate key on the keyboard that was optionally displayed on per-child basis. To enable this option, go into the Parent / Teacher zone, tap the "Players" tab and then tap the "Settings" button next to the player for whom you would like to change this setting. Accented / foreign characters can be set to be on or off. They are off by default to avoid confusing younger children who may tap the button to switch to this keyboard accidentally.
How can I change the font my child spells in so it displays cursive writing? (v4.5 and above) Go into the Parent / Teacher zone, tap the "Players" tab and then tap the "Settings" button next to the player for whom you would like to change this setting. Cursive font can be set to be on or off. It is off by default.
I want to switch the spell check on / off for when I'm adding words to tests. How do I do that? Go into the Parent / Teacher zone, tap the "Settings" button and select the type of spell check you want to work. Options are "off", "UK" or "US". Incorrectly spelled words will be underlined in red when you enter them. This obviously doesn't feature when the children do the tests!!!
When I record a word, the audio quality isn't very good or the volume is low. Why? This could be down to a number of things. Firstly, check you haven't muted the audio on your device or turned the volume down low. It may be that its recording fine but playback is quiet or muted. Secondly, check you aren't obstructing the microphone in any way whilst recording. This could muffle the recording. Thirdly, some older / lower cost devices had poorer quality microphones making sound recording less clear than on other devices. To maximise recording quality on these devices, speak loudly and clearly with no background noise to affect the sound.
How many beans make five? Two beans, a bean and a half, half a bean and a bean...