PREDICTIVE. PERSONALIZED. EASY.
Vocab learning made easy
The only vocabulary tool that pairs with your favorite books.
Enhanced Comprehension
By learning the words before you read, you prime the Reticular Activating System (RAS) for better comprehension & retention.
Predictive & Customized
WordFlow evolves with you, learning your unique patterns to predict unfamiliar words with remarkable accuracy.
Immediate Reinforcement
Forget memorizing lists or looking up words mid-sentence. WordFlow reinforces learning within the context of your favorite book.
PAIR WITH YOUR FAVORITE BOOK
Simple Steps.
Big Impact.
Step 1. Find your book
Step 2. Select chapter
Step 3. Get primed
Step 4. Read with flow
READY. SET. READ.
Reading is at risk
Americans are reading fewer and fewer books and our vocabulary is shrinking. This is true regardless of education level.Having a larger vocabulary is linked both to academic success as well as career advancement. Investing in your vocabulary can have a tremendous impact on your life!
GOODBYE BORING LISTS. HELLO TAILORED VOCAB LEARNING!
Seamless and Enjoyable Reading
Experience fluid reading without the interruptions of constant pausing. Enjoy faster, smoother sessions with WordFlow.Say goodbye to learning overwhelming lists and pausing mid-sentence to look up words. Say hello to a tailored, efficient way to improve your vocabulary.
Our Origin Story
Created by book lovers, deep thinkers and and life-long learners
It all started with some really frustrating words...
Picture this: a professional with a strong scientific background who is accustomed to academic rigor, suddenly finding themselves tripping over words in a historical fiction novel. That was me. As someone who has long overcome a brain injury, every cognitive challenge is a deeply personal one.Reading was a chore. I encountered unfamiliar words on every other page. My e-reader defined them, but their meanings slipped away. It was like trying to hold onto smoke. And instead of immersing myself in the story, I was being constantly pulled out of it.It’s no wonder that so many of us don’t enjoy reading. I nearly gave up!But then, I stumbled upon a concept from the realm of memory coaching – the Reticular Activating System (RAS). It’s our brain’s spotlight that tells us what to focus on. Ever seen a brand's logo pop up everywhere after you first hear about it? That’s your RAS at work.I wondered … What happens if we apply the same concept to reading?Long story short, it worked. By priming your RAS with definitions before reading, you can grasp and remember them better. And the reading experience? Fluid and uninterrupted!It was also clear this wasn't just my challenge.That’s how WordFlow was born.
We're glad you joined us!
We're on a mission to stop the decline in vocabulary and make reading an enjoyable, fluid experience
The gradual fading of our collective vocabulary isn’t merely my tale – it's a silent epidemic. We've begun to sideline words, relying on photos and videos to tell our stories.This not only erodes your ability to read. It erodes your ability to think, remember, and express.But there's hope. Together, we can rekindle the art of storytelling, paint our memories with vibrant words, and ensure future generations inherit a world resplendent with verbal color.Join our movement. Relish reading again with WordFlow.Best,
The founding team
Matt combines his healthcare background with an entrepreneurial history, marked by two successful exits in health tech. Now focusing on transforming vocabulary learning, his unique perspective as both a healthcare professional and a Brain AVM survivor enriches his understanding and passion for brain health. An active Angel investor, Matt is attuned to the innovative pulse of new businesses.He holds a Pharmacy Doctorate from Wingate University. Outside work, Matt is a dedicated father to two young boys, cherishing their shared world of adventures.
Matt Johnson
Favorite book: Shōgun by James Clavell
Andy
Book he wishes he could read for the first time again: The Wheel of Time
Within the agile landscape of startups, Andy emerged as a standout full-stack engineer and leader, driving critical projects for major healthcare enterprises with strict security demands. Balancing the vigor of startups with the complexity of large-scale operations, he's mastered the art of delivering innovative Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing solutions.His recognition as a finalist in Microsoft's Imagine Cup underscores his technical acumen. Outside the boardroom, Andy's passion finds expression as he mentors budding coders, celebrating shared growth and innovation.
As a life-long learner and polyglot, Anna is no stranger to boring vocabulary lists. She taught herself 8 foreign languages (the hard way) and wishes something like WordFlow existed back then.Anna is an expert at revenue strategy for SaaS businesses, and builds high performing marketing and sales organizations.She used to read about 1 book per week, but lately it's up to 3 per day (though the genre has changed from self-development to children's books with lots of pictures).
Anna Lergaard Jensen
Most recently read: Curious George (my kids favorite - we read it al least once every night)
the science and nerdy stuff
How it works
Why priming the reticular activating system is key, and why reading is at risk today.
Let's start at the beginning
Most vocab tools lack context
Do you remember having to memorize lists of words in school? Or maybe learn words completely out of context?Though lists aren't bad, they're not the best way to retain and give you enough context to actually use the word. Because let's be real: why else would you learn new words unless it was to use them!We immediately thought of books as a way to expand our vocabulary within the context of a story, but to our surprise, we couldn't find an app that was actually connected to books.The word look-up features in e-readers, for instance, were somewhat helpful. But they made the reading experience choppy and unpleasant - especially when reading advanced books or historical fiction.
Priming is key
The Reticular Activating System
You may already have heard about priming the Reticular Activating System (RAS) from memory coaches. Your RAS is basically the brain's filter that determines which information to focus on.By asking yourself questions before reading, you activate your curiosity and engage this filter. It's the same mechanism that makes you notice a brand or product more frequently only after just recently learning about it.Similarly, by reviewing a word's definition before encountering it in your reading, you become curious about how it will be used in the upcoming content.
Putting it all together
WordFlow's predictive vocabulary builder
WordFlow combines contextual learning through books with priming of the Reticular Activating System.Without all the jargon, what this means is that WordFlow predicts which words are unknown to you before you start reading. So, before you start each chapter, you're prompted to learn unfamiliar words. The more you read, the better WordFlow becomes at predicting unfamiliar words.These brief priming exercises can have a surprising impact on our reading experience, flow, and retention of new words.
More interesting stuff about reading
vocabulary predicts success
Cognitive benefits of reading
Not only is an increased vocabulary tied to both academic success and faster career advancement. It also has some significant effects on your brain.Reading can improve your memory and keep it sharper longer as you age. Additionally, it enhances connectivity in the brain, improves sleep, and reduces stress.We hope WordFlow will be a tool to assist you on your reading journey, just as it has been for us!
The reading wars
The sad truth about US literacy
Not only are we reading fewer books and experiencing a shrinking vocabulary. Twenty-one percent of adults in the US were considered illiterate in 2022. Additionally, 54% of adults have a literacy level below sixth grade.Low literacy doesn't only impact the individual; it costs Americans up to $2.2 trillion every year.
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Contact the WordFlow team
Questions?
Contact support@wordflo.co or check out our FAQ below.