Apps for All: Learning with Tablets & Smartphones

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Apps for All: Learning with Tablets & Smartphones

June 10, 2014

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WHY?

l  More apps every minute! How can you keep up?

l  Schools investing in iPads l  Smart technology

pervasive in all population sectors, and more popular for Latinos

l  We all see kids using devices

Who we are?

l 2013-14 LSTA grant called “Apps for All”

l FREE apps ONLY!

l Bev Schwartzberg, Adult Literacy Coordinator

l Patty Haddad, Library Assistant/Apps for All Staff

Two Library Audiences

l Adult literacy learners and tutors (what we’ll focus on today)

l Parents of young children (preschool,

elementary school)

Adult Literacy

l Five “Techno Tutor” projects 1.  Using Apps for Learning Phonics &

Pronunciation…which led to 2.   Introduction to Tablets: coaching sessions 3.  Free Apps for Test Prep: GED, Math,

Citizenship 4.  Using Apps for Writing 5.   Grammar & Vocabulary for English Language

Learners

Results for adult literacy pilot?

l Workshops are good, but coaching is better l Having a lab with devices helps l 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)

l 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

SmallTalk: Phonemes sample images

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

Reading Magic

ESL Apps: Vocabulary

Vocabulary: Fry Words by Alligator 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

Word Mover

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:

1.  How Do I Find Great Free Apps for Kids?

2.  See, Hear & Touch: Apps That Develop Music & Art Sense

3.  Creating Stories with Free Apps

4.  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

l Tech “Expert” vs. Tech Researcher l Sharing & Promoting

–  Pinterest –  Keywords to catch an audience

l Less is More l Hindsight is 20/20 for a Nanosecond l Format: Lab vs. Individual Devices

Research and App Hunting Going Beyond Those Wonderful Review Sites

Susan Vega – READ/San Diego

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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/

l Find an image of the letter R using the internet browser on your phone.

l Make the image as large as you can on the screen, then take a screen shot.

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•  Crop photos as needed using the Edit tool

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•  Go to the Photos App

l Find more images that begin with r and have that /r/ sound.

l Take screen shots and crop as necessary

l Alternatively (or additionally), use the phone's camera to take photos things that have an /r/ sound.

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Create an album

In your photos, add an album, name it, then add photos

You can add as many photos as you'd like.

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.

l  Take a photo (or screenshot) of the worksheet. Crop and/or edit as necessary.

l  Open up Penultimate, tap on papers, then tap on the "+" then add the worksheet image.

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(Alternatively, you could import the photo onto the page, but when you erase the 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

Accessibility Speech Selection

Other quick tricks

• Voice memo - record homework, pronunciation practice, etc. • FaceTime - one way for tutoring teams to meet if they can't meet in the same room. • Reminders – doesn't have to be a task list. Learners can keep track of the sight words he or she has mastered in one list.

Questions?

California Library Literacy Services is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. This material is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Share & Share-Alike license. Use of

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