My Word Reader: Are Whales Smart, or What?

My Word Reader: Are Whales Smart, or What? is the second in a series of apps developed by Wrinkled Pants, following My Word Reader: Are Bees Smart, or What? which I reviewed here.

Are Whales Smart, or What? follows the same format, using a high interest, reader-friendly story to engage readers ages 8-16 who struggle with reading.  It is based on a true story about Skana and Bella, Orca whales at the Vancouver Aqaurium.

I especially like the feature that will read any word tapped out loud, and then place that word in the Word Bucket for later review.  As with Bees, words highlighted in blue will show a picture of the word when it is tapped.  These two features allow a student to read/listen to the story on their own.

The activities focus on consonant blends, consonant digraphs, word recognition, spelling, blending with short vowels, and reviewing key words.  I personally found the Wheel of Fortune and the Genie games very entertaining. The host on the Wheel of Fortune cracks me up with his gestures and throat-clearing hints.  And just wait until you see what happens when the young boy gets his wish!

I would like to see a function that would let the student record themselves reading the story and reviewing the words in the Word Bucket.  I would also like to see a feature that would save the sentences that students create after completing the activities. Both of these functions would allow the teacher to review a student’s work if s/he isn’t able to work directly with the student while they are using the app.

The website does have a  tutorial that suggests how teachers can use the app with students, including an excellent section on ‘debriefing’ with a student after they’ve finished the story.

Are Whales Smart, or What? addresses a variety of educational standards, such as determining two or more main ideas in a text, and explaining how key details support them, using the text as a reference.  Another standard is drawing on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question. Other standards that apply focus on word recognition, decoding, and fluency.

I especially like this option for extending the learning:

“Dr. Selma Wassermann would love to hear from students who have used the Whales app and would like to tell her their ideas about it.  Students may contact Dr. Wassermann directly on the website: www.wrinkledpants.com or by direct email:  selma_wassermann@sfu.ca.    This not only allows for a culmination of the learning experience, but also extends the students’ literacy skills in a new medium.  All students who do write, will receive a response.”

I think that is a really exciting opportunity for the students.

My Word Reader: Are Whales Smart, or What? is available on iTunes for $4.99.

*I received a complimentary copy of the app in order to write my review.

Cinderella by Nosy Crow Truly Shines on the iPad

Nosy Crow has done it again!  Their app, Cinderella, continues the excellence that started with The Three Little Pigs.  The developers have a strong foundation in what books and storytelling are all about, and it shows in Cinderella.

From the colorful illustrations, to the charming voices of the children who tell the story, to the clever animation, this app is a winner.

Cinderella is not just another version of the famous fairy tale.  There are all kinds of wonderful little touches that bring it to life.  I discover more every time I read it with my three-year-old grandson.  Last week, I finally noticed that as the Prince  sets out on his search for Cinderella, he passes parts of her carriage strewn along the path.

Cinderella appeals to all ages. My daughter couldn’t help laughing when she saw herself in the magic mirror as she read the story with my grandson. He may not get the humor of the Prince asking Cinderella, “Can I text you?” when they are dancing at the ball, but I do. Then there’s the fairy godmother who says, “I always cry at weddings.”

The color of Cinderella’s ball gown can be changed with the touch of a finger.  With another tap, a child can help Cinderella put another log on the fire, stack the invitations to the ball, or help assemble the carriage.  Tap on the musical notes as they float across the page and change the dance music at the ball.

Check it out!

This article, from The Guardian, explains how the creators brought their background in publishing children’s books to the development of iPad interactive books.

Check out the free Lite version, and I guarantee you’ll want to download the whole book!  Cinderella is available in the iTunes app store for $5.99.

*I received a copy of Cinderella from the developer in order to write my review.

I Found It!! An iPad app for Creating Books!

I’ve already added the book my nephew is writing with me to Book Creator, and the first three chapters are on my iTunes bookshelf!

This app is SO intuitive and SO easy to use, you have to buy it if you want to make your own books with your kids or students, or even for yourself.

Review to come after I’ve used it awhile and can describe it in detail.

*I received a promo code for Book Creator from the developer.

Update on Dexteria app

Dexteria is now available as a universal app. I think it is ideal for the iPad, but it is nice to have it on the iPhone and iTouch as more people have access to it with those tools.

I wasn’t sure if the activities would work on the smaller screen, but they did.  The letter- writing activity is easier for me on the iPhone; I seem to have better finger control making smaller letters. The pinching game was harder, as my thumb and forefinger felt like they were fighting for space, as I tried to pinch the crabs. Eventually, I improved, though.  For the tap-it game, I had trouble calibrating at first, mainly because I didn’t read the directions! It was a little crowded trying to fit all my fingers on the screen, but it worked.

Having Dexteria available in more formats is, if you’ll excuse the pun, handy!

$4.99 in iTunes, free update to your other devices if you already own it.

iPlanLessons app

I’ve been in a never-ending search for the best format for writing lesson plans ever since I became a teacher in 1974.  I’ve used plan books, Word templates, online lesson planners, calendars, and combinations of these. I’m still looking!

However, iHomeEducator is getting close to ending my quest, with its latest app, iPlanLessons.

The first thing you should know is that iHomeEducator continually strives to improve their apps, taking user feedback seriously, and quickly incorporating suggestions, such as a recent one to color-code subject areas.

The next thing you should know is that no lesson plan book, program, website, or app will fit all your needs.

The third thing you should know is that iPlanLessons goes a long way toward getting and keeping your lessons organized.

The latest version, 1.5, includes a Calendar View in addition to the lesson, resources, and class views.  This is helpful to me as a tutor, so that I can see what’s coming up each day.

My favorite feature, by far, is the Resources tab.  I’ve never found a truly useful way to organize all my resources. As a tutor, I have materials at several grade levels and for several subject areas.  Now, each time I use one, I enter it in the Resources section.  I can include notes on what I use it for, and information about the publisher.  I can also see which lessons I’ve used the resource for.  The resources are alphabetized, making it easy to locate them.

When the Lessons function is open, I can name the lesson, select the subject area (which is then color-coded), choose the date the lesson begins, and how many days or weeks it covers.  There’s an option to select the resources and assign the lesson to a class or student. The final section includes an area for objectives, standards (can’t wait for a list of standards in future versions!), a journal section for lesson notes, and an assignment box.

After a lesson, I can email the information to myself and/or the parents. It provides a handy record of progress.

The Reports function allows me to email lesson reports based on subject, day, or week options. See a sample of various reports, here.

All information can be saved to a database and backed-up on iTunes File-Sharing.

Features I would like to see in future releases (I know, I know! I want the world at my fingertips!):

• the ability to customize which columns are in my reports.
• the inclusion of journal notes in the reports section.
• the ability to color-code by student OR subject (very helpful for me as a tutor)
• a bank of state standards or Common Core Standards to link to lessons
• the ability to create my own bank of goals/objectives to link to lessons
• really cool would be the ability to link resources to standards, goals, and objectives in addition to lessons
• it would be wonderful to have a “library” resource, just for the books used.

Just so you know how much I value my iPlanLessons app, it’s on the front page of my iPad, right next to Words With Friends and Bejeweled!

iPlanLessons is available on iTunes for $9.99.  Well worth the price, especially because it just keeps getting better and better.

*The developer provided a copy of their app for the purposes of this review.

Odd One Out by Punflay

Odd One Out is a simple little app–at first glance, that is.  But spend a little time with it, and you’ll discover many possibilities.

There are three game options: shapes, colors, and fruits.  Follow the clearly spoken directions for which object to tap (the square, the red beetle, the strawberry) and earn a star.  Collect five stars, and advance to the next level.

Odd One Out has a practice and a challenge mode.  The practice mode was challenging for my 3 year old grandson, but should be just right for kids who are a little bit older.

Punflay describes their app as a way to sharpen critical thinking and decision-making skills.  It is that, and more.

As a special education teacher,  I find that Odd One Out can also be used to address the following areas:

Impulse Control–Waiting for the right color, shape, or fruit to move across the screen.

Eye-hand Coordination–Seeing the right object and tapping on it without touching the wrong objects.

Visual Figure-Ground–Finding the correct object from a field of several similar objects.

Following Directions–Listening to one, two, and three step directions.

Processing Speed–Completing the task within 60 seconds.

Wishes for Updates:

More levels!

Ability to select a level, or pick up at the last level played.

All in all, this deceptively simple app is terrific learning tool.

Odd One Out is available on iTunes for $.99–a great bargain!

*I received this app from the developer in order to write my review.

 

Watch for Upcoming App Reviews of…

I’ve been busy testing and playing with several apps, whenever I can get the iPad away from my grandson.  Here’s just a few that I will be reviewing this weekend.

iPlanLessons from iHomeEducator

Cinderella from Nosy Crow

Dexteria for the iPhone from Binary Labs

Are Whales Smart, or What? from Wrinkled Pants Software

Odd1Out from Emantras, Inc.

Phonics Genius from Alligator Apps

*The developers provided the apps for me to review.

Clarification about Sosh!!!

You don’t have to download it in the next seven days to get the free trial.  Whenever you download Sosh, it will be the full app and it will be free for the first seven days you have it; then you can convert it to a Lite version with limited features.  Or upgrade to the full paid version!

This is so exciting!  Free access to the full app for seven days!! Check out my review, here.

From the developer:

“We are thrilled to announce the release of Sōsh Lite tomorrow (8/18/11), a free version of Sosh that allows EVERYONE 7 days of the full Sosh app for trial and review before converting to a Lite version with limited features. We hope this gives everyone an opportunity to see what people love about this app to improve social skills and make an informed purchasing decision. Please help us get the word out. Thanks for your continued support! Happy downloading!”

Dyslexia Quest: Are You Ready to Climb Yeti Mountain?

Dyslexia Quest is a collection of games that can help you discern your strengths and weaknesses, in areas that frequently cause difficulty for people with dyslexia.  The games focus on working memory, auditory memory, phonological awareness, processing speed, visual memory, and sequencing skills.

There are short videos of several of the games on the Dyslexia Quest website.

Once you’ve completed the quest, you can see an analysis of your results, and whether they show any of the typical signs of dyslexia. The results are categorized as very low, low, average,  high, or very high.  You also receive a score ranging from 0% to 100%. After you’ve played all the games and received your results, you can return to the quest to work on improving weak areas. Your original scores and your improvement will be on the results page.  A useful feature is the ability to email results to yourself or to other interested parties.

In addition to seeing your scores, you can read a brief description of the skill.  For example, the app explains that a weakness in Working Memory can affect reading and spelling, as well as cause difficulties with attention to verbally presented material.   There are also tips to make use of any learning strengths that are detected. As the developer of the app says, however, you would need to be professionally tested to confirm a diagnosis of dyslexia.

There is also a short quiz about skills such as remembering the sequence of phone numbers, losing your place when you read, spelling, and forgetting what you’ve just read. The quiz is also a feature of a free app called What Is Dyslexia? In addition to the quiz, What is Dyslexia features tips for parents and schools, as well as a narrated comic strip about what it’s like to have dyslexia.  This ends on a positive note, with brief mentions of successful people with dyslexia.

Currently, Dyslexia Quest can be used by only one person at a time.  Once that person has completed the quest and/or continued practicing the games, a new user can be created.  The developers hope to address this in a future version.

Dyslexia Quest and What is Dyslexia are from the company Nessy, which is based in the UK. They have developed many educational software titles.  They collaborate with the Bristol Learning Centre to ensure that their products are helpful for dyslexics.  Dyslexia Quest, as well as other Nessy apps, are available  in the iTunes store 

Speech With Milo: Interactive Storybook

I know an app is a good one when my 3 year old grandson returns to it, over and over again, coming up with new ways to interact with it every day.   Speech With Milo: Interactive Storybook  is one of those apps!

The first time through, my grandson was fascinated by the ability to make characters swing, change color, talk (an adorable little voice speaks Milo’s name), spin, and more.

The next time, he listened to the story about Milo going to the park and meeting his friends Melvin and Maggie.

After that, he enjoyed hearing the recording I made to go along with the story.

My grandson also likes pointing to objects after I name them, so he can hear the sounds such as the sheep bleating, the birds chirping, or the bees buzzing.

His latest variation is opening Talking Tom on my iPhone and playing Milo’s Storybook on the iPad so that Tom will repeat what he hears (either the story or the various interactive options).

Next week he’ll probably want to record himself telling the story.

The apps from Speech With Milo were created by Poorani Doonan,  a speech therapist, as portable learning tools for her clients, as well as for parents who want apps that help teach language skills such as predicting, retelling, answering questions, problem-solving and more.

The teacher or parent can also use the record feature of the Interactive Storybook to ask questions and/or think aloud about what’s happening in the story, thus providing support as the child reads/listens to the story when the adult isn’t right there.

The questions can be changed as the child develops the ability to respond to more involved questions.  In addition, the child can record questions for the adult to answer.

If a child has IEP goals addressing parts of speech, verb tenses, expressive or receptive language, etc., the Speech With Milo Storybook can be used to address those, too.  A neat feature would be some way to track progress and/or to email results to others involved in the child’s education.

Speech With Milo: Interactive Storybook is another delightful app that isn’t just for speech therapy! It’s a bargain at $1.99 in the iTunes store.*

For a preview of the book, check out the developer’s YouTube video here.

*disclaimer: I received a promo code from the developer for this app.