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

What apps do I use most??

My daughter having a Toca Tea Party.

Curious about the apps that my students and I use most often?

Check out my app listing on Technology in (Spl) Education's website. It lists the apps, a description of the apps as well as pricing information. There are many that are FREE or discounted until the first of the year.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Merry Christmas!

~Melanie

Alien Buddies ~Review~

Alien Buddies

"Alien Buddies! I love Alien Buddies" CB, age 4 upon seeing the app icon

"I want ship." MR, age 8 to request the app

Alien Buddies is an entertaining and educational matching app by Artgig Apps (creator of Shake-a-Phrase). Alien Buddies is a PreK-1st grade (ages 3-7) skill level app that focuses on the concepts of direct and auditory matching of colors, numbers, shapes and letters, number order, and creativity skills.  

Matching: The app has several levels and options within the matching section. The user can choose between direct match of colors, shapes, letters (lower to lower, upper to upper, lower to upper), and numbers (1-10, 1-20, 1-50). The user can also develop and practice receptive listening skills through playing the "listen" matching section where the user is given a verbal cue of the expected match. Colors, shapes, letters (lower to lower, upper to upper, lower to upper), and numbers (1-10, 1-20, 1-50) are also options for the auditory section as well.  

Dot to Dot: The Dot to Dot section offers the user a variety of shapes/pictures to create by following the numbers dot to dot. To complete the easiest dot to dot, the user connects numbers 1 to 10 by tracing between numbers or by touching each number in order. The hardest dot to dot consists of numbers 1 to 17. The dot to dot section provides opportunities to work on number recognition, ordering numbers as well as fine motor and visual motor skills.  

Stickers: The last section of Alien Buddies is a great creativity section. The user can choose between a variety of space backgrounds and space 'stickers' to create their very own alien picture. Once placed on the background, the stickers can be resized and rotated using 'pinch to zoom' iOS feature. The user begins with some stickers, but can earn additional stickers as they complete activities in the Matching and Dot to Dot sections. After an alien picture is complete, the user has the option to "take a picture" which sends the alien picture to the photo section on your iPad.

one of the great space scenes created with this app

Alien Buddies is a solid educational app that reinforces several of the common core academic standards for Kindergarten in the areas of reading foundational skills: print concepts, counting and cardinality and geometry. The use of direct match and auditory matching sets this app apart from the other matching apps that I have experienced. The organization of the app is very straight forward. The Parents section was a great addition to the app. It gave a nice overview of the app and what is expected in each section. It provides the needed information about Artgig apps as well as easy access to leaving an iTunes review (which is an important step for consumers to take time and tell the developers what we like/don't like).

I utilized this app with my students (ages 5-8) as well as my own kids (ages 4 and 6). Everyone who used the app enjoyed it! My students were engaged, attentive, and demonstrating matching skills that they often do not show when working 1-1 with me. To my surprise, most users chose the matching or dot to dot section over the stickers section. I thought they would have chosen the more open ended, "play" section over the matching or dot to dot, work" sections. I think this is proof that Alien Buddies disguises an education app as a fun, entertaining app in the eyes of the young users.

Alien Buddies has many IEP applications. Through the use of the direct match section, I can teach and assess students on matching colors, shapes, letters, and numbers. The auditory section can be used to teach and assess the students as well. This section takes the focus off the teacher and allows the students to complete the activities independently. This allows the teacher to take the role of the observer. The dot to dot section provides opportunities to have students work on fine motor and visual motor skills. Lastly, the stickers section can be used as a speech and communication tool. The students can create a alien scene. The teacher can use the scene to elicit language by asking questions or having the students talk about the scene.

As I mentioned before, Alien Buddies presents as a solid, educational app developing the skills of colors, numbers, and letter recognition. From a teacher's perspective, the math and auditory skills reinforced are important foundational skills that students need. It provides the teacher with a alternative to traditional assessments. From a user perspective, this app is so entertaining and engaging that the users did not realize they were reinforcing those important academic skills.

In conclusion, I must share a specific story about using Alien Buddies within my classroom. I have a student who is often difficult to engage with classroom activities. The student has many academic skills, but often does not "show me what he/she knows". This was the case last week. The student did not want to complete the planned activity. In an effort of keep him involved, I pulled out my iPad and turned on Alien Buddies. Within seconds, the student demonstrated that skills of matching colors, shapes, and numbers and remained engaged with Alien Buddies for 10 minutes without losing attention. For an intervention specialist like me, this experience is one of the reasons I continue to utilize the iPad within my classroom and continue to search for the best apps available. I will now add Alien Buddies to that list! For the $1.99 USD price, this is an app I would suggest adding to your wish list as well! Still want to know more about Alien Buddies, check out the short video below.

Did you enjoy this review? Do you have Alien Buddies and have a story to share? Please leave a comment below. I'm interested in knowing what you think!

APP INFO
developer: Artgig Apps
website: http://www.artgigapps.com/
itunes: Alien Buddies
category:education
released:November 29, 2011