iPad Literacy and Disciplines for the Elementary Classroom

In previous entries I have discussed iPad use for the classroom.  Here I will specifically analyze several iPad apps and features regarding literacy, presentations and disciplines for the elementary level student.

Preparations
The dictionary app I chose to look at was one by Merriam Webster.  As a free app, you have to deal with pop-up ads, but otherwise it is a great tool to have handy for students.  The search bar has an auto-finish feature with options to choose from when looking up definitions.  Many of the basic functions found in a hard-back dictionary are also in the app such as: alternate forms and word uses, synonym/antonym feature, pronunciation guide and examples of the word used in a sentence.  Some extra features are the "playback" mode, voice search tool, and ability to cross reference certain words within the definition.  The "playback" mode would be great for ESL students as it correctly pronounces the word in English for the student, however, not all word entries have this option.  Another great feature is the "word of the day" which posts a new word each day to build a broader vocabulary.

I chose to look at the My Spelling Test app for a non-dictionary preparational tool.  I fail to see the ability to use this app for actual classroom testing unless all students have assigned tablets.  However, for providing feedback to the teacher as an assessment tool, individual student practice or in test preparation this software would be great.  Basically the teacher pre-records spelling words with sentence examples.  When the student takes the test, your audio recording is played back for them as they type in their answer.  The app will let the student know if their answer was right with corrections if not.  The app also stores student answers that can be viewed later by the teacher.

Presentations
I looked at Adobe Photoshop Express for use in visual presentations.  For a free app, this would be great for personal or classroom photo editing, however, I was amazed that coming from such well-known photo editing software makers there was no red-eye reduction tool.  Most other basic editing tools such as crop, rotate and flip are included, as well as exposure adjustments like saturation, tint and black/white options.  You can also add effects to soften/sharpen photos and create novelty looks such as rainbow hued pictures.  You have the options to post edited photos to FaceBook and Twitter or upload them to the Internet.

I thought Puppet Pals was a great live animation app for use in several types of classroom "story" presentations.  I noticed that only a few basic characters and backdrops were included in the free version, however, you can purchase the "director's pass" for a low cost which allows free downloads of all available actors and scenes.  You can manipulate actors within a backdrop by dragging and through multi-touch gestures to flip, zoom and rotate them.  You can even import your own images into custom content for characters and backdrops, if a little inconvenient from the need to do this through iTunes.  Sound is also recorded along with character movement when the record button is pressed.  For classroom use this app can promote creative and dramatic thinking in regards to story creation, use of literary devices and explaining concepts recently learned.  Collaboration among students is easily supported with this software as well.  A newer version called Puppet Pals 2 has more character options and also allows the student to overlay their own face on an actor's body.  The characters have pos-able limbs, imitate talking motions as you speak and have more mobility options than the previous version.  The only negative aspect I found was that files must be saved to the iPad's camera roll before exporting and file sharing to other sources.

K-6 Disciplines
The Toy Story app by Disney is great for younger students and emerging readers to encourage literacy.  It has the option to listen to a narrator while the text being read is hi lighted or as they become more proficient the student can read to themselves or even record their own voice reading the story.  There is also a young reader setting that turns on interactive features when you click on story characters and allows for self page turning and in-story coordinating coloring page options.  This is a really fun app that could relate well with young children familiar with the Toy Story movie and characters.  The narration even has real "character voices" from the movie and animated clips integrated into the story.  There are two games offered which, although not very educational, offer hand-eye coordination practice.  This definitely would be a great reading motivator to keep in a library of reading/literacy apps.   

Toontastic is another free live animation app similar to Puppet Pals.  I have some experience with this one as my own children use it often at home while referring to themselves as "movie directors."  I do like that characters in this app allows a child's own drawing to be used in addition to those characters offered in the game.  Additional characters and scenes can be purchased for a low cost beyond the free pirate content included in the game.  Students can share their recorded plays easily through the in-app ToonTube, a global storytelling network for kids.  What's great about these types of apps is that they draw out creativity and thinking skills while motivating the student and engaging them in interactive learning.  This would be a great way to reinforce use of literary devices (characters, setting, theme, etc.) or to recreate history lessons...the possibilities are endless.

I chose to include two books by Auracle Press I reviewed in the Children's Books folder.  Miko's Trip, by Stephanie Roehe had a "read to me" option with hi lighted text as well as an off feature for more independent readers.  The great thing about allowing the narrator to read the story is that is teaches the student about use of inflection, cadence and how to treat punctuation while reading, all important aspects of reading comprehension.  The other book, Head 2 Toes by Rosemary Wells, is another in the Max and Ruby series so well-known by children.  The story is narrated to the "Head and Shoulders" song while the bunny character makes appropriate motions.  There is also an option to read the story in several other languages all to the same music.  This is great for cultural awareness as well as for learning other languages.