Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP. Over 36 years experience in AAC. OMazing Kids AAC and app consulting. Creator of several AAC Feature Matching resources (https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links/). Includes info about unique features to support Gestalt Language Processors
{Make Articulation Dice} Wanna shake up those articulation drills to make them more fun? Check out this FREE app. Because ads are distracting to my patients, I purchased the .99 IAP to remove the ads, uploaded a plain wooden background and then made customized articulation dice using pics from the Smarty Symbols Image Club (https://smartysymbols.com). You can import any pictures you want from the Camera Roll into the app or take pictures with the iPad or iPhone camera. You can either use the app in “rolling” mode or leave them wiggling so dice can be flicked or tapped off the screen as the child says the target words. Even saw the option to e-mail your dice creations (that person will need an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch) running iOS 3.2 or later and a copy of the Photo Dice app installed to open the file).
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Update: I realized that it was even easier to use the Custom Boards- Premium app by Smarty Ears (https://appsto.re/us/1hHNB.i) to make pics for the dice. I used the 5 x 6 template, saved it as a picture in my Camera Roll and then cropped out each pic to upload into the dice.
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Thanks Tech ‘n Talk SLPs for sharing this fun idea in this video over on Instagram:
{App Reviews} The Zones of Regulation & The Zones of Regulation : Exploring Emotions apps
Most of the patients that I see have Autism or other special needs that make emotional self regulation challenging for them. It’s the main reason that I sought out training in kids yoga several years ago and why I am always looking for additional tools in this area. When kids are experiencing either extreme of the zones, it is very unlikely that they will learn or gain much benefit from anything I may have planned for that session. Here are two new tools that I’ve recently added:
This older app is a nice overview of the types of emotions, situations, triggers & tools associated with each of the four zones of regulation. I love the inclusion of self regulation breathing techniques (lazy 8 breathing & six sides of breathing) and that you can go directly to each of them. I also like picture studio and the game-like feel to the app. The match the face activity was helpful but also a little frustrating at times since it seemed a bit too rigid on emotions that could really fit in more than one zone. I was excited to see wording about expected vs. unexpected responses and info about “size of the problem” but then was disappointed that there was no way to directly to the “size of the problem” illustration and explanation later. It would be very helpful for this to be added either to this app or to their more recent app since that is a very frequent issue that I have to address with patients. It should also be noted that this original app doesn’t have any voiceovers so a child either needs to be able to read or have an adult read the content to them.
I really liked this second app as an extension of the concepts introduced in the original app. This newer app has bright graphics, high quality voiceovers, explanations of all aspects of the app, a less rigid interpretation of where certain situations might fit within the zones and often gives examples of how they would fit in multiple zones, the ability to set up multiple users, the option to add or delete tools to fit individual needs, a fun basketball game that can be easily unlocked by playing through other areas of the app, and is full of common situations that kids may encounter and several convey the importance of helping others and feeling empathy. I also liked that you can tap a star in the corner of many scenarios for a reference of where to look for additional information and the ability to graph zones across the day. I especially liked the repeated message that all zones are a natural part of life. A wish for a future app update would be the ability to toggle off the food fight scenario, skip past it or to have it replaced with something else. I also hope they add content regarding “size of the problem” since it was briefly mentioned in the original app and this is a very common issue that I deal with in sessions.
FYI… at the time of this post you can get both apps in a bundle for $12.99: The Zones of Regulation : Complete Bundle by Selosoft, Inc., https://appsto.re/us/YVxaab.i
Each app includes 18 animals, is $1.99 and is a universal iOS app.
Get the best deal by getting all 3 apps in a bundle: Peekaboo Suite by Kenneth Walter King, https://appsto.re/us/hmakfb.i, $4.99
I love the catchy intro song in each app, the bright colors and cute large illustrations, that it provides a visual cue on the first animal screen, the ability to reveal the animal a little at a time, that you have to tap an arrow to go on to the next hidden animal (this allow time to talk about the parts of that animal or other things related to it), that it randomizes the order each time you open the app and has an intuitive interface. These are three apps that will be fun to use as tools to target goals on inferencing, part-to-whole & vocabulary.
My only wishes for future updates for all three apps would be to add an option to toggle off the background music after the intro song has played but still allow the voiceovers. Many of my patients become overstimulated by constant background music no matter how subtle it may seem. It would also be fun to have all 18 animals appear together on a closing screen at the end of each app. I noticed that the app developer has free printables on their website so it would be super cool if they created some free printables to go along with each of these apps!
Here are the animals included in each app:
Tail: 18 animals (my patients found this app to be the easiest of the three)
Squirrel
Owl
Snake
Deer
Kangaroo
Rabbit
Mouse
Duck
Fox
Horse
Pig
Cow
Hippo
Fish
Elephant
Lobster
Monkey
Goat
I love wordless & minimally worded books! Most have amazing illustrations and are fabulous for targeting goals on inferencing, storytelling, descriptive language, social skills & more.
Here are a few of my faves:
– Carl’s Summer Vacation (there are numerous books in this series)
– Chalk
– Draw!
– Flotsam
– Fossil
– Fox’s Garden
– Good Night, Gorilla
– Journey
– Little Mouse
– Moo!
– Mr. Wuffles
– Pancakes for Breakfast
– Quest
– Red Hat
– Red Sled
– Return
– Snowman’s Story
– Stick
– Stick!
– The Three Pigs
– The Tortoise & The Hare
– The Treasure Bath
– The Typewriter
– Tuesday
– Wave
And a few wordless book apps:
– David Wiesner’s Spot by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, https://appsto.re/us/BRzC5.i (8/14/22: no longer available)
– Imagistory: Schools Edition – A Storytelling App by Imagistory Publishing Ltd., https://appsto.re/us/r3Z_2.i (8/14/22: no longer available)
– Lil’ Red – An Interactive Story by Brian Main, https://appsto.re/us/swTDH.i (8/14/22: no longer available)
{App Reviews} Twinnery & Sound Salad apps by Funny Yummy Studio
Both of these apps are fun and unique new tools to add to my SLP toolbox! 😊
Twinnery – Spot the Twins, https://appsto.re/us/DToPfb.i, $1.99 {but currently FREE for a couple of days so get it quickly)
I love the cute illustrations and owl avatars, that the matching is “face up”, options for single or two player mode, options for easy level (fields of 12 in single player mode or fields of 6 on each side in 2 player mode) and difficult level (fields of 18 in single player mode or fields of 9 on each side in 2 player mode), options to win at finding 10 matches or for whoever finds the most matches in a specified timeframe (3 minutes for single player, 5 minutes for 2 player). This game is more challenging than it first appears since the “twin” pictures often vary slightly in size and in orientation.
Wishes for a future update:
– to be able to toggle off the background music but leave the sound effects on. Many of my patients become overstimulated by constant background music no matter how nice it may seem to the adult. The ability to toggle this music off is a key feature in making an app special needs friendly.
– add an even easier “super simple” level (field of 8 in single player mode and field of 4 on each side in 2 player mode and for the pictures to be presented in identical orientation). The current “easy” level was a bit too hard for many of my patients.
I love the introduction and the concept of needing to help Mr. Ear unmix the sound salad, the handcrafted look of the illustrations, the options for fields of 2, 3 or 4, the option for a timed mode, easy mode (tap each note and then drag to the item that makes that sound) and advanced mode (all of the sounds are presented and the you have to remember the sound each note made and drag it to the correct picture) and the way that Mr. Ear goes up the contraptions as you complete each level. I will likely be using the easier options in this app with my patients but it’s cool to have the more challenging options when needed.
Wishes for a future update:
– to be able to tap a note again to hear the sound replayed on the easy level. Many of my patients have attention and processing problems so having the option to replay a sound would make this app more accessible to them.
– option to toggle off the back arrow (I used Guided Access to prevent kids from tapping there. It takes you back to the beginning and you have to start all over again)
– option to save where you are and resume the game later.
{App Review & Giveaway} I have 1 iOS promo code to giveaway for the full version of the LetterSchool – learn to write letters and numbers app by Letterschool Enabling Learning B.V., https://appsto.re/us/oBn9z.i, $4.99, iOS Universal
The full version of this app had been on my wish list for quite awhile so I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to try it out. A couple of you had recommended that it be added to my blog post about apps for SLPs. I love the large size of the letters, the voiceovers for the letter name and sound, sound word association, the progression in tracing the letters, cool animations, options for setting up three users, choices of upper and lowercase & choices of three common fonts. This app would be fun to work on early literacy skills. It could also be used in articulation therapy as a fun way to introduce a sound.
My only suggestions for improvements in a future app update are to have the words associated with each letter be a single sound rather than a blend. Also the lowercase letter g is currently associated with “giraffe”… would be better as a /g/ sound (ex: game, go, goat) and the lowercase w is currently associated with “whale”…. would be better associated with a true /w/ sound (ex: water, win).
I tested the app on an iPad Air running iOS 10.1.1 and did not have any problems with glitches or crashing but I saw a few reviews on the App Store mentioning crashes. Although the last update is shown as October 2014 there is a comment in the app description from September 2016 indicating the bug causing the crashes had been fixed.
They also have a free lite version of the app: LetterSchool Free – Learn to Write the ABC Alphabet, Letters & Numbers by Letterschool Enabling Learning B.V. https://appsto.re/us/CkiRC.i (but be aware that it has an IAP. If you like the app it would be better and cheaper to purchase the full version rather than upgrading via the IAP in the lite app).
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3) sending a private message to the OMazing Kids Facebook page mentioning “LetterSchool”
Entry Deadline: Today, Saturday, 1/21/17 at 7:00pm CST. Depending on the number of entries received, it may take a day or so to verify them and to announce the winner/distribute the code to the winner.
#AppGiveaway
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I’m loving the progression from very simple to very challenging problem solving, the realistic graphics and sound effects, the ability to easily go directly to any level & especially the option to build your own levels. This app will be a fun way to target goals for problem solving and the social skills of working together.
{One Book + Interactive iPad Activity: Target Several Goals} I’m loving the newest book in my Winter collection… The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming! It’s a fun twist on the familiar tune The 12 Days of Christmas. I made an interactive activity to use on my iPad (iESLp app for the win…. zero printing, cutting or laminating). I used the book & activity in several sessions this week to target goals for plurals, possessive ‘s endings, colors, following directions, sequencing, quantity concepts, /s/- blends & more. Too hilarious that one of my patients figured out why the snowgirl was getting all dressed up….. to go on a date with her boyfriend Frosty. Ummm I hadn’t even noticed the tiny detail in the background on the last page… lol!
I used an app to create .png images of the red cap with a gold snap and the orange berries mouth by erasing the background from some orange beads. Glad I grabbed the app when it was free awhile back: Aftercut : Background Eraser & Easy Photo Editor, https://appsto.re/us/FeIt4.i.
{App Review} English Idioms Trainer Professional by Education Terra
As I was writing my post about apps for SLPs I noticed that there were only a few for idioms. So I was excited to receive a copy of the full version of this app to try out. I like that it has lots of idioms (284 in the version reviewed for this post), that they are sorted alphabetically, that there is a quiz and that you can choose which letter category of idioms to include in the quiz. I also like that the background music can be toggled off. This app will be helpful for those patients who have mastered the simple / more common idioms included in most card decks but who still struggle with this type of figurative language. The app doesn’t include any pictures so it would likely be a bit too challenging when first introducing idioms.
The only suggestion I have for the app developer is the price. Based on the pricing history on AppShopper, the app was initially priced at $2.99 and has been on sale as low as $1.99. The $1.99-$2.99 price range seems more in line with the features of this app than the current price of $9.99.
OMazing Kids AAC Consulting 