Top Apps of 2011

I have noticed a lot of sites doing top app picks for 2011. I didn't want to feel left out so I decided to create a list, well more like LISTS. There are so many great apps that I felt I needed to choose the top apps in a few different categories. All apps have been used by myself and/or students within my classroom. These are the apps that I try to incorporate into the curriculum and daily schedule as much as I can (with the limitation of 1 iPad, 1 teacher, 3 assistants, and 7 students). 


If you would like to see a complete list of the most used apps within my classroom, visit my list at the Technology in Special Education website. I have to admit, with over 850 apps in my itunes account, narrowing these down and keeping them all organized was a little difficult!

Also, check out my special ed counterpart from northern Ohio, Miss Kolis. Here is the list of her top 20 or so apps of 2011. 

Looking for app for older students, check out Golden Communications, LLC's list of apps for older students to enhance language and learning skills. This list was created by an SLP working with students grades 7-12 and is the developer of Enchanted Dictionary (an app worth looking into for vocabulary development and language).


~ Melanie

Top AAC/Speech and Language Apps

** AAC apps are suggestions, it looking for a voice output app/device, please consult SLP or AT specialist to request a AT/AAC evaluation **
SonoFlex- LITE version FREE, voice output app, customizable

Answers: YES NO - simple, easy to program AAC app

Toontasic - FREE, create 'puppet show' videos; add characters, voice, and video is created
Verbally - FREE version, w/paid upgrade available; although I do not have a student that can use this AAC app this school year (as it is word based versus picture based), I had to include it because it made quite an impact for a student at the end of last school year

Top Fine Motor Apps

Bugs and Buttons - app that incorporates fine motor, sorting, patterns, colors, visual motor...I could go on! Great for fine motor, but also works on pre-academic skills as well.

injini - a multiple activity app that is divided into levels within each activity; this is the app I use most within my classroom; it incorporates activities that develop fine motor skills, matching skills, patterning, colors, visual motor....and another app that I could continue to list the benefits; Project Injini website has tracing printables that mirror iPad activities

iLuv Drawing Animals - simple learn how to draw app; takes user through picture step-by-step; great for fine motor development, teaching how to add detail to drawings, great feature - can email completed pictures

Top Book Apps

Cinderella by Nosy Crow - all Nosy Crow apps are amazing, but Cinderella made me feel like a kids again; a timely story, great interactivity, amazing illustrations create this superior book app
Chuck and Friends: Friends for the Long Haul - book app with the characters every little boy loves, embedded activities to reinforce letters, fine motor, and story comprehension; my review of Chuck and Friends
Penelope the Purple Pirate - an adorable story of a little girl who turns into a pirate; had to add it to this list as it is the one app a student requests frequently

Top (Pre) Academic

Alien Buddies - my review of Alien Buddies, great to reinforce letters, numbers, shapes, colors

Junior BINGO - bingo app for younger students; bingo reinforcing letters, numbers, and shapes
Kandy Fish -  great app for sorting by color, fine motor

Top Reading Apps

Word Wizard - my review of Word Wizard, great to use as an alternative to handwritten spelling tests

Word BINGO - great app to use with individual students as an assessment tool or with 2 students as a turn taking activity; my review of Word BINGO

My Word Wall - my review of My Word Wall, great to introduce letters and word families 
Photo Touch Sight Words -  great app to use as assessment tool, very customizable with built in word lists as well as ability to set word lists
 

Top Math Apps 

iLEAP Touch Spot Subtraction and Addition - very similar to "touch math" concept; various levels: learn, explore, apply, practice; gives more concrete meaning to subtraction/addition

Jungle Coins - customizable app with various levels from penny to all coins, including dollar; app is also customizable by other country's coins as well; my review of Jungle Coins and Jungle Time
Jungle Time - customizable app with various time levels of to the hour down to minutes
Candy Count - not a well know app and it does contain an in-app-purchase (IAP) which I am against as a selling point, but the concepts are great; sorting, counting, number order, greater/less than all in one app
iLearn With Poko: Addition - fun app focusing on the math skills of counting, grouping sets, and addition; my review of this app

Top "for fun" Apps

All Toca Boca apps

My Underwear - the only time it is ok to decorate and play with underwear

Top "grown up" games/apps

Scrabble

Battleship

Words with Friends
Angry Birds  
Zite  - personalized magazine
Flipboard - personalize magazine

Word Wizard ~Review~

Word Wizard

I discovered this app while I was on twitter a couple of months ago. Due to 'summer fun' and starting back to work, this review was put on the back burner. But now I am very excited to tell you about Word Wizard by L'Escapadou. 

I was initially interested for a couple of reasons. First, my daughter is a beginning reader and she is now a big kindergartener. I wanted an app that was versatile for both her and my almost 4 year old son. Next, I knew that I would have a couple beginning readers within my classroom this school year. I was looking for something customizable to accommodate the varying academic levels as well as fine motor abilities. The students are so motivated by the use of the iPad that I am constantly looking for apps that will be easily incorporated into the curriculum and IEP goals.

Word Wizard is not just a moveable alphabet. It can be transformed into a great reading, writing, and spelling tool. Word Wizard offers 2 different activities. Moveable Alphabet is similar to magnet letter tiles. The letters are displayed at the bottom (in ABC order). The user can drag the tiles into the open space at the top of the screen. As the letters move, the letter name is said. Once the letter is placed on the board, the letter sound is said. As letters are put together, the letter combinations are pronounced. Once words are formed, they can be moved around board to various spots by using two fingers. This offers great flexibility whether working on letters, spelling simple words, or working on a writing simple sentences. The verbal model (although not the best sounding voice) is a nice feature and takes the prompting off the teacher. The other section is called Spelling Quiz. A variety of word list are already available within the app, such as leveled Dolch words, family members, animals, etc. Word Wizard also allows you to add your own customized lists. The user is given a verbal prompt of a word. Using the same tile set up as with the movable alphabet, the user is expected to move tiles  into top section. When word is spelled correctly, a visual reinforcement is give (stars, sparkles, etc.) and displayed until screen is touched. If word is not spelled correct, no reinforcement is given. This section is great to work on spelling words or creating sentences without picking up a pencil.

IEP applications

The Moveable Alphabet allows the user to explore the letters and the sounds the letters and groups of letter make. This app would be great to use with students who are developing the skills of letter recognition and phonetic awareness. This section would also be useful when having student choose a letter for an activity and it could also be easily adapted into a matching or sorting activity. The Spelling Quiz would a tool for assessing students or doing a modified spelling test without the barrier of paper/pencil or forming letters.

So far this school year, I have used Word Wizard to have students practice spelling own names, practiced spelling reading words which we were reviewing from last year, and I have used it for letter assessments ("can you find the b?"). Word Wizard will also be used as an alternative for handwritten spelling test for a couple of first grade students who have some fine motor challenges. The ability to use the "screen capture" feature on the iPad will allow staff to have documentation of the words spelled correctly and can even quickly email the picture home for parents to see.

A few suggestions...

The content of Word Wizard is great. As mentioned above, I see many uses within the classroom as well a way to enhance development of IEP skills; however, there are a few suggestions:

• Way to create upper case letters in alphabet section so that sentence would be graphically correct. This would be similar to a SHIFT key on a computer keyboard. This would get help when using Word Wizard to practice typing names 
• Limit the time when/how long the reinforcement is given. Some students might fixate on stars or sparkles and not tap to go on  to the next word.

In conclusion, Word Wizard exceeded my initial expectations. It is not just another letter tiles app. The verbal feedback of letter names and letters sounds really helps students focus in on the letter or word when trying to spell. As fine motor and speech challenges are common among the students I work with, I am always in search of apps that can assess the students without the use of traditional methods (paper/pencil, verbal answer, etc.). Word Wizard is great app to do just that. I also really like the option of spelling a word and moving word somewhere else on the board. This would be a great way to do sentence completion activities as well.  For the number of uses I have found for this app within my classroom, I think that price is right! At the price of review, Word Wizard was $2.99.

APP INFO

developer: L'Escapadou

website: L'Escapadou

itunes: Word Wizard

category: Education

recently updated: August 18, 2011