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Discover free apps for adult literacy, phonics, grammar, pronunciation, and more! Explore educational tools to improve writing and language skills.
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Apps for All: Learning with Tablets & SmartphonesJune 10, 2014
WHY? • More apps every minute! How can you keep up? • Schools investing in iPads • Smart technology pervasive in all population sectors, and more popular for Latinos • We all see kids using devices
Who we are? • 2013-14 LSTA grant called “Apps for All” • FREE apps ONLY! • Bev Schwartzberg, Adult Literacy Coordinator • Patty Haddad, Library Assistant/Apps for All Staff
Two Library Audiences • Adult literacy learners and tutors (what we’ll focus on today) • Parents of young children (preschool, elementary school)
Adult Literacy • Five “Techno Tutor” projects • Using Apps for Learning Phonics & Pronunciation…which led to • Introduction to Tablets: coaching sessions • Free Apps for Test Prep: GED, Math, Citizenship • Using Apps for Writing • Grammar & Vocabulary for English Language Learners
Results for adult literacy pilot? • Workshops are good, but coaching is better • Having a lab with devices helps • How to lead people to resources: • Graphite.org and other review sites • SBPL Apps Pinterest page: http://www.pinterest.com/sblibraryapps/boards/ • App lists available online (coming soon) • Curriculum available online (coming soon) • Websites can be better than apps (e.g., www.pumarosa.com)
Phonics and Pronunciation:Sounds and Letters PRONUNCIATION: video instruction to illustrate lip and tongue production. We recommended two apps from Lingraphia: SmallTalk: Phonemes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smalltalk-phonemes/id384170714?mt=8 (caution: uses International Phonetic Alphabet so symbols may be different than English dictionary) Small Talk: Consonant Blends https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smalltalk-consonant-blends/id384174024?mt=8
Phonics and Pronunciation: Sounds and Letters ALLITERATION: develop awareness of the beginning sounds in words (free version: s, l, a, t, and p). Here’s a kid apps from Doc Ruth: Profs’ Phonics 1 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/profs-phonics-1/id511712292 PHONEMIC AWARENESS: activities to practice blending, segmenting and reading basic sound combinations. Here are two from Preschool University: Reading Magic 1 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/abc-reading-magic-1-short/id416896853?mt=8 Reading Magic 2 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/abc-reading-magic-2-consonant/id432526055?mt=8
ESL Apps: Vocabulary Vocabulary: Fry Words byAlligator Apps by Innovative Mobile Apps Flashcards that teach the most common words in the English language https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fry-words/id470926345?mt=8 Alphabet Organizer by ReadWriteThink Build phonemic awareness. Visual. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/mobile-apps/alphabet-organizer-b-30995.html Duolingo by Duolingo Learn languages including English for free. For Spanish speakers learning English! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/duolingo-learn-languages-for/id570060128?mt=8 Learn English with Lingo Arcade by Innovative Mobile Apps Learning how to read, speak, and write English. Free, but to upgrade cost $4.99 for all levels. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learn-english-lingo-arcade/id574623456?mt=8 Oh Noah! by PBS Kids Excellent website that requires Flash. It is meant to teach Spanish, but the website is bilingual. http://pbskids.org/noah/
ESL Apps: Grammar Mad Libs by Penguin Group USA & Sparkle Fish by Whosagoodboy Partners: fun story creation game—a nice break from workbooks! Mad Libs: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mad-libs/id326885152?mt=8 Sparkle Fish: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sparklefish/id432462341?mt=8 Word Mover by ReadWriteThink Create lessons to use over and over again. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-mover/id572997152?mt=8
Writing Fundamentals: Grammar and Sentence Structure Read on Sight Free by tApps https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-blocks/id434349833?mt=8 Description: cute kid’s voice, basic game; interesting sentence examples. Free version is VERY limited. Sentence Reading Magic by Preschool University https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sentence-reading-magic/id454581599?mt=8 Description: simple, but effective: Noun + Verb; Noun + Verb + Object sentence patterns. Vocabulary Spelling City by Spelling City https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spellingcity/id538407602?mt=8 Description: vocabulary games based on sample lists or lists created on their website. The experience is not overly intuitive, but fun once it’s set up. Website: http://www.spellingcity.com/. The website is tied to common core standards. Sentence Maker by GrasshopperApps.com https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sentence-maker-free/id518347992?mt=8 Description: Photos and word tiles used to practice sentence structure. The free version is limited, but still good and the paid version is only 99 cents.
Writing Fundamentals ORGANIZATION: RWT TimeLine by International Reading Association https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rwt-timeline/id724817238?mt=8 Description: “Timeline allows students to create a graphical representation of an event or process by displaying items sequentially along a line.” Details are then added to create a paragraph, essay or story. Venn Diagram by International Reading Association https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/venn-diagram/id666981188?mt=8 Description: can be used in a variety of ways, but its primary intention is to help individuals “organize their information logically.” Adding Details: Character Development, Events, Etc… Trading Cards by International Reading Association(APPLE ONLY) https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trading-cards/id555742821?mt=8 Description: a great way to create and store the details of characters, vocabulary, events, objects, etc. Write About This by Robert Armbrister NOT COMPLETELY FREE http://www.lighthouse.org/accessibility/design/accessible-print-design/effective-color-contrast Description: pictures and prompts to help start the writing process. Stories can be written from custom pictures or using uploaded photos. A recording option allows for a read aloud option. One con is that there are no built in editing tools. And an even bigger con is that the free version offers only one saved story at a time. The paid version costs $3.99. Graphite gives this app high ranking.
Parent workshops about apps for kids Four workshop titles: • How Do I Find Great Free Apps for Kids? • See, Hear & Touch: Apps That Develop Music & Art Sense • Creating Stories with Free Apps • Good Cents: Free Apps That Take a Child Beyond the Piggy Bank All these will be posted online as well!
Example: Finding Good Apps • Spring 2014: iPad rollouts and purchase plans in four local schools • Introduction to review sites like graphite.org (apps review site of Common Sense Media), readingrockets.org, littleelit.org • Introduction to our Pinterest page (link) • How to use reviews, especially on the App Store • Caution and safety: in-app purchases • What We Found: • Some people want to know device basics or which device to purchase
What We Learned • Tech “Expert” vs. Tech Researcher • Sharing & Promoting • Pinterest • Keywords to catch an audience • Less is More • Hindsight is 20/20 for a Nanosecond • Format: Lab vs. Individual Devices
Research and App HuntingGoing Beyond Those Wonderful Review Sites
Keep in mind… • Not all apps are available for both Android and iOS • Not all iDevices can use iOS apps • Not all iphones can use iphone apps • Not all ipads can use ipad apps • Not all devices that use Android can use Android apps
Four Tricks Using the apps you already own and one free one
Tip 1 Using Photo Albums
Sounds for /r/ • Find an image of the letter R using the internet browser on your phone. • Make the image as large as you can on the screen, then take a screen shot.
Crop photos as needed using the Edit tool • Go to the Photos App
Find more images that begin with r and have that /r/ sound. • Take screen shots and crop as necessary • Alternatively (or additionally), use the phone's camera to take photos things that have an /r/ sound.
Create an album In your photos, add an album, name it,then add photos
Options Demonstrate prepositions Language scouting Sight word stack
Tip 2 Worksheets
Making worksheets This requires a drawing program (one where you can manipulate layers), but you can do this with the Penultimate app). Purpose: create worksheets for practice...especially if you don't have a copy machine handy. Best for larger tablets, not as ideal for iPhones.
Take a photo (or screenshot) of the worksheet. Crop and/or edit as necessary. • Open up Penultimate, tap on papers, then tap on the "+" then add the worksheet image.
(Alternatively, you could import the photo onto the page, but whenyou erasethe page, the photo disappears)
Options A way to proofread (correct on the screen) Practice cursive (a stylus is very helpful) Lots of possibilities!
Trick 3 Using Guided Access
Trick 4 Speech Selection