Launched in the U.S. in 2026, PELE Reading brings 25 years of reading fluency expertise into families’ homes through personalized technology.
-- When Keren Barkat discovered that her 12-year-old daughter was reading at approximately a second-grade level despite years of specialized reading instruction, she never imagined the experience would lead her to launch an educational technology company.
Six months later, after consistent practice using a method called Echo Reading, her daughter's reading speed had nearly doubled, her reading errors had dropped by 80%, and she had advanced three grade levels in reading fluency.
For Barkat, a former senior marketing and sustainability executive at PepsiCo, the experience became a personal mission: to make the method that had helped her daughter accessible to children everywhere, across languages and geographies, at a price families can afford.
Driven by that mission, Barkat partnered with Galit Basok, M.S. in Reading, who founded and has led a private reading center specializing in Echo Reading for more than 25 years. Over that time, Basok has helped thousands of children struggling with reading develop greater fluency and confidence, including Barkat's daughter.
Together, they founded PELE Reading, an EdTech startup that launched in the United States in 2026, bringing guided, personalized, and measurable reading fluency practice into families' homes.
“Watching my daughter struggle wasn't just about schoolwork,” said Barkat, Co-Founder and CEO of PELE. “It was watching a bright child begin to lose confidence in herself, simply because reading was so difficult. When her reading improved, what mattered just as much as the numbers was seeing her confidence return. I wanted other families to have access to that opportunity.”
Breaking the Cycle of Reading Frustration
For children who struggle with reading fluency, reading can become a frustrating cycle. They need regular practice to improve, yet the effort and repeated setbacks often make them avoid reading altogether.
PELE addresses this challenge through Echo Reading, a guided oral reading method in which a child listens to a fluent narrator while following highlighted words on screen, then reads the same sentence aloud, like an echo.
The narrator acts like training wheels for reading, providing support as children build fluency and confidence. Rather than asking children to struggle through a text and then correcting their mistakes, the method gives them a model of successful reading before they attempt it themselves.
“Children who struggle with reading often spend years being reminded of what they get wrong,” said Basok, Co-Founder and Head of Pedagogy at PELE. “Our approach starts somewhere different. We give them the experience of reading successfully, with support, and build from there. When children begin to feel capable, they're more willing to practice. And consistent practice is essential to improving fluency.”
Bringing Evidence-Based Reading Practice Into the Home
Reading difficulties remain a major challenge in the United States. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 40% of U.S. fourth graders performed below the NAEP Basic level in reading.
PELE's approach aligns with the Science of Reading, drawing on established evidence supporting guided oral reading and repeated reading. The U.S. National Reading Panel found that guided repeated oral reading has a significant positive impact on word recognition, reading fluency, and comprehension.
Alongside this research, PELE builds on Basok's 25 years of practical experience with thousands of children. According to internal progress data from her reading center, children who practiced consistently showed an average 34% improvement in reading fluency over six months.
PELE brings this methodology into a digital environment, combining narrated reading, synchronized word highlighting, personalized books, and progress monitoring.
Children can choose books that match their age and interests, even when their technical reading level is below their grade. An initial reading assessment establishes a starting point, while ongoing monitoring helps parents track practice and improvements in reading speed and accuracy.
The goal is to make consistent reading practice accessible and engaging for children, without requiring parents to become reading instructors.
Now Available to Families in the U.S.
PELE is designed for children in grades 1–9 who have acquired foundational reading skills but continue to struggle with fluency, including children with dyslexia. The program complements foundational reading instruction and other educational support rather than replacing them.
“Our vision is simple,” said Barkat. “Every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident, fluent reader, and to discover what they're truly capable of.”
PELE Reading is available in the U.S. for $19.99 per month or $192 annually, covering up to three children per family, with a seven-day free trial that requires no credit card.
Learn more: https://www.pele-reading.com/en
About PELE Reading
PELE Reading is an EdTech startup founded by Keren Barkat and Galit Basok, M.S. in Reading. Combining decades of hands-on reading fluency expertise with personalized technology, PELE helps children build fluency and confidence through guided, measurable at-home reading practice.
Contact Info:
Name: Keren Barkat
Email: Send Email
Organization: Pele Reading
Website: https://www.pele-reading.com
Release ID: 89207664
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