As the UK government unveiled its ambitious white paper “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” last week, setting out bold new targets to transform children’s reading outcomes, education technology company Auris Tech Limited, creator of the Fonetti read-aloud platform, is demonstrating through national data how smart technology can provide a practical solution educators and parents need to meet these objectives.
Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology developed by Auris Tech Limited and powering its Fonetti platform stems from cutting-edge research collaboration with one of the world’s leading experts in speech technology Professor Peter Bell of Edinburgh University.
The timing could not be more critical. According to the National Literacy Trust, only 1 in 3 children and young people aged 8 to 18 reported enjoying reading in 2025, marking the lowest level since the question was first asked in 2005. With the government’s National Year of Reading 2026 now underway, the need for innovative, engaging approaches to literacy development has never been more urgent.
Evidence from the National Read-Aloud Challenge — a free annual initiative founded in 2023 to help reduce summer reading regression — shows that Fonetti’s patented Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) platform is already making a measurable difference in schools and homes across the UK.
The interactive read-aloud app platform provides children with real-time feedback as they read, highlighting words in green when read correctly and offering gentle prompts for mistakes. This immediate, personalised support helps build the confidence and accuracy that are fundamental to reading success.
Since its launch, the National Read-Aloud Challenge has supported 25,000 registered children and generated more than 411,000 recorded reading sessions, equating to over 3 million minutes of structured reading practice. The data referenced in Auris Tech’s latest white paper is drawn exclusively from participation in the Challenge.
The challenge facing the education sector is substantial. Research reveals that only 20% of primary pupils read for pleasure every day, whilst gender disparities show that just 10% of boys aged 14-16 read daily for pleasure, compared to over a third of girls aged 8 to 11. These statistics underscore the pressing need for solutions that can engage all children, regardless of age or gender, in developing strong reading habits.
Kim Antoniou, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Auris Tech Limited, the company behind Fonetti, said, “With 25% of children leaving primary school with inadequate reading skills to meet the standards required for their secondary school education, Fonetti’s proven reading platform is already addressing this challenge both at schools and at home. The persistence of this literacy gap demands scalable, evidence-led solutions. Through the National Read-Aloud Challenge, we have been able to gather large-scale, real-world data showing that when children receive structured, real-time feedback while reading aloud, measurable progress follows. We are leading the way in bringing smart technology to meet the government’s objectives of the UK becoming a powerhouse of children’s reading skills.”
Auris Tech’s Fonetti platform has created a groundbreaking solution to enable reading skills to be enhanced immeasurably.
Fonetti’s comprehensive approach combines an extensive library of age-appropriate books with a motivational rewards system that encourages consistent reading practice. For educators implementing the government’s new reading strategies, the app platform provides valuable insights into individual reading progress, enabling targeted support where it is needed most. Parents, meanwhile, can support their children’s development at home with a tool that makes reading practice both effective and enjoyable.
As schools and families seek practical ways to support the government’s literacy ambitions during this National Year of Reading, Fonetti offers a proven, research-backed solution that addresses the dual challenge of improving reading skills whilst rekindling children’s love of reading.
The Fonetti platform recognises all UK-based accents, including children for whom English is an additional language, ensuring inclusive support across diverse classrooms and communities.
