A child's brain is a growing brain and it tries to grasp as many new things as it can. So why not educate that child in such a way that it is easy for him/her to grasp things fast, easily and in an enjoyable manner. Michael Rachap, the founder of Readeez, creates educational videos that combine spoken as well as written words. What your child sees is he/she hears!

As the written and spoken words go simultaneously in the video, there are very appealing visuals and delightful music that catches the eyes and ears of your child. Subject for these videos are chosen carefully that interests a child. Readeez's mission says 'Learning disguised as smiling' that absolutely justifies the concept of Readeez. So, what are you waiting for..show your child a 'Readee' and soon you'll hear him/her humming the tunes and singing the songs! Let's learn more about Readeez in the interview below from its founder himself. Here it goes:


Michael, let's start with your brief introduction for E-junkies.

I created a series of entertaining/educational videos called Readeez. So far I've produced more than 100 of these short videos. We've released three collections, which we sell as both DVDs and downloads. We've also released a compilation of original music, called "Songeez." Oh, and my last name is pronounced "Ray-shap."


































Tell us about the fascinating concept of Readeez.

There are several unique things about Readeez videos. First, text is the main element onscreen. Also, the words you see are synchronized syllable-by-syllable with the words on the soundtrack, a technique I call SyllableSync.™ Lastly, the videos feature original music and characters, both live-action and illustrated, making them really enjoyable. Probably the best way to understand Readeez is to watch a few:


 









As you can see, the videos don't "teach" reading in a conventional sense. There isn't the usual dull recitation of phonemic facts (the "C" says "cat"; "B" is for "ball" etc.). It's more a function of immersion. And the song form gives you natural repetition—all three of the songs above feature repeated words and sections—which is a must for language learning. The words onscreen are large and clear, and you see and hear them at the same instant. In a way it's like a succession of flash cards. And when you add the element of music, the learning becomes even easier, more "sticky." People naturally learn well with music. Imagine trying to learn the alphabet without a tune. It's much easier if you put a melody behind it.


 


How did the idea for Readeez strike you? Tell us about its inception.

Readeez evolved from several of my interests. First, I was dissatisfied with the video available for my young daughter. Second, I really enjoyed reading children's books to her. In fact, I wished the videos I saw could be more like the books I was reading. And third, I've been a musician most of my life, but didn't have an outlet for that. In fact, Readeez are a kind of "stealth delivery mechanism" for my songwriting. I don't think most Readeez songs are necessarily "kids" songs. They're more like family music, like Woody Guthrie, or, say, the Disney songs in a movie like "Mary Poppins." The song "The Land Of I Don't Know," just to take one example—that's got some pretty grown-up concepts. But the language is simple and the tune is memorable.


I watched some of the very entertaining videos on Readeez.com. How do you choose the concepts of videos?

Well, they come one of two ways -- consciously or unconsciously. The idea for "Chandelier" just sort or popped into my head as I was gazing up at a light fixture. But all of the songs in our Money Math Folderful were written specifically to teach kids (or foreigners) how to do math using U.S. coins. I've had a number of teachers, as well as parents, suggest ideas for Readeez songs and videos. I love getting that kind of input.


I saw some really warm feedback from parents on your website. Any favorites?

Oh, I can think of a few -- ones that aren't on our site. Recently on our Facebook page, a mom reported that her son, who has Down syndrome, sings himself to sleep at night listening to Songeez on his iPod. Also, a mom in Taiwan posted a video on YouTube of her daughter singing along with Julian and Isabel (two Readeez characters).


Did you ever think Readeez would be as famous as it has become now?

Actually I expected Readeez to become instantly huge, which sort of surprised me by not happening. But it makes it more gratifying that now, years after starting it, they're catching on. This month our DVDs will be released for the first time in Malaysia and also Singapore, a country that's at the forefront of educational innovation.


What is your vision for Readeez? Would you like to share your future goals/plans with us?

There are so many things I want to do with Readeez -- more math, more grammar, some art. I'd like to see Readeez more widely available. I plan to produce a huge assortment of content, for kids at all levels. I'm also working on a separate project with my wife that will apply Readeez-like techniques to teaching music.


What message do you have for our readers?

If you're interested in producing something different or creative, be prepared to work hard on it for a long time, without much to show for it, before people notice. I happen to love the process of making Readeez, otherwise I would have given up long ago. Also, a big "thank you" to E-junkie for making it so easy to sell physical and digital goods around the world. Y'all rock.

And here's one more Readee:






























Michael, thanks for this wonderful interview. Readeez uses a great concept and I am sure it has a long way to go! Wish you all the very best! 

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