One of our favorite social skill curriculums has recently gone mobile with their app: Social Detective from Social Thinking and Social Skills Builder.

When you begin, a single user may create and select their avatar. This is saved and can be used on the next time through the app.  Each area includes narration and instruction and practice items before progressing to a test with video scenes and questions.

The first section is unexpected vs. expected behaviors.  The second section is about good vs. uncomfortable thoughts.  The third section is about making smart guesses using tool box items.

I liked that this app includes video examples of familiar situations.  In the third section, you get to see what happens after the student makes a smart guess about what will happen.  It has good questions that reinforce the Social Thinking curriculum and books so it is a great companion to that for those who use it.  It would still be good discussion for those who do not use that curriculum but is most beneficial for those that do.  I like that some questions have more than one component to them to expand upon.  The videos don’t automatically progress after correct answers so that you can discuss further before the next scenario.  The narrator reads the answer choices which can be helpful (but answers are not highlighted when they are read so students may have a hard time retaining which one to select).  Finally, data is tracked on the app and there is the ability to e-mail the data!  Awesome!

I wish that this app had better sound quality in the videos.  It can be hard to hear the conversations at times.  Because you can only use one avatar at a time, you may have difficulty with tracking progress of students if they are seen in group.  However, I overcome this by having the students come up with a “team” name and avatar to utilize. When you complete all of the levels, nothing happens.  It would be nice to have a fully dressed detective with badge presented at the end or another reinforcer for the children.

Overall, this is a great app to have if you utilize the Social Thinking curriculum/materials.  I would not recommend it to be used without that material.  It would be best to use in an individual session or a session with a maximum of 2-3 students.

This app retails for $24.99 and is available at iTunes or check out more information and reviews at YappGuru!

I became an Expert App Reviewer at YappGuru almost a year ago and have loved watching more Experts join us!  So what is YappGuru and why should you care?  Well, YappGuru is a site that compiles expert reviews from trusted expert SLPs working with various populations across the world!  These reviews give you a detailed look at the app and if it is worth your hard-earned money.  Plus, you can vote up your personal favorites and in doing so, voice your opinion through the ranking system!  

The site is also great for discovering apps that would be a good addition to your tablet!  You can find apps by using a Keyword Search or by browsing categories that make sense to therapists (unlike the general “Special Ed” list provided by iTunes).  You can explore articulation apps, general reinforcers, and even OT apps for co-treatment!  It’s limitless and awesome!

 Here are the current YappGuru experts… I’m sure that you’ll recognize a few of your favorites in the group of trust-worthy reviewers!

So head over to YappGuru and register for free for the site so that you can vote up your favorite apps and take advantage of the ever-growing library of expert reviews!

So this month, YappGuru is challenging us to add new reviews during a March Madness competition. Competition is my middle name so I’m totally in!  Check out my progress and reviews by clicking the basketball!

Are there any apps that you’re curious about and would like a review for?  Comment below!

(In no particular order of course!

Articulation Test Station – $49.99

I love using this app for RtI screener, speech samples during evaluations, and progress monitoring.  It is incredibly easy to use and is always my go-to for a quick paperless evaluation/screener!  Watch for sales but it’s worth the $50, and I don’t say that easily!

Peekaboo Barn – $1.99

This is one of my favorite apps for preschool clients.  We utilize it to work on following directions, identifying animals, and labeling.  We can also talk about the animal attributes, what’s in the barn, and more.

Avokiddo Emotions – $2.99

I love to use Avokiddo emotions with a wide range of clients.  We use this with social goals to identify emotions, talk about why the character feels that way, etc.  We also use this to work on attributes, actions, describing, requesting, and so much more.  It’s a well-made and versatile app!

ArtikPix Level Plus – #29.99

This is a very versatile and clean app for articulation therapy.  I love the way it is set up and remembers settings and data between sessions.  If you work with a lot of articulation clients and/or RtI for Articulation, this app is a great investment!

aacorn – $189.99

AAC is an ever-changing area.  This app is great for some students and a great way to introduce AAC to younger children.  It learns the student and can be customized completely.  I also love that they offer free version to SLPs for therapy and trials.  Plus, of all AAC options, this is one of the best made and affordable options.  I have used this with nonverbal elementary students as well as nonverbal children under 3.  With some training, it can be utilized by most students easily.

Soundable – FREE

Sometimes you have to kick back and relax with a nerdy little SLP game.  Soundable is a great refresher for IPA and fun SLPs!  Think of it as Scrabble with IPA!  Enjoy!

Toca Kitchen Monsters – FREE

This is a great free app from Toca Boca.  As a general reinforcer, it is goal.  However, if you dig deeper you’ll find that you can do following directions (which food to pick, how to cook it, etc.), talk about attributes, vocabulary, and much more!

I Dare You Articulation – $4.99

This app has been a favorite of mine since it’s arrival in the app store.  My older articulation students love it!  We even were able to go around our school with the app and “dare” some teachers and the principal to do the dares by utilizing good speech sounds.  It was so motivating and the staff loved it!  Erik X. Raj has so many motivating articulation apps!

Real Vocabulary Pro – $29.99

I really enjoy how this app targets vocabulary learning in students K-5.  You can work on antonyms, synonyms, definitions, multiple meanings, and idioms within this app.  It also keeps data for you!  There are reinforcer games as well which is helpful for older clients!

Sentence Ninja – $19.99

Sentence ninja is a great way for students to work on grammar and syntax.  It can also be used for language and articulation carry-over.  It’s a very motivating theme for students and they enjoy working on this app during sessions.  It has built-in data tracking also.

There are so many incredible apps being added to the marketplace each day.  These 10 were my favorites of 2014 and I can’t wait to see what 2015 will bring!  I hope you’ll visit the other blogs in this linky to see which apps they loved this year!

Appy New Year!!!

]]> http://sublimespeech.com/2014/12/appy-new-year-yapp-guru-expert-linky.html/feed 3 http://sublimespeech.com/2014/09/appy-friday-sounds-at-home-by-vsc.html http://sublimespeech.com/2014/09/appy-friday-sounds-at-home-by-vsc.html#respond Fri, 19 Sep 2014 10:00:32 +0000 http://sublimespeech.com/?p=1876  

Today we take a look at Sounds at Home by Virtual Speech Center.  You can learn detailed information about the app by watching the video tutorial below.

From the start page you can easily access settings, reports, and reinforcer game along with tutorials and more.

There are some great ways to customize your sessions in the settings.  Changing the sounds and reinforcer amount are very important to me.

Students and their data are stored in app.  To begin you choose the student(s) you will work with.

This app targets Auditory Awareness, Phonemic Awareness, and Following Directions.  You can choose the areas and levels you would like to target for each client in your group.

In Auditory Awareness, clients identify the source of sounds that are heard.

Phonemic awareness tasks require the client to find rhyming words.  This takes place in the “kitchen” scene.

These screenshots above demonstrate the various levels of Following Directions.  These range from identifying objects to following simple instructions to following 2-step and temporal directions.  I found this to be the most difficult to operate.  It was difficult to get the objects exactly where the app wanted them on the screen.  The simpler levels were easy to use.

After the student completes their number of correct responses they are automatically taken to the puzzle area.  There are 3 levels of puzzles.  These are pretty easy and I wouldn’t expect any children to not be able to complete these though some may require assistance for manipulating the pieces.

Data is kept in-app and accessible at any time after completed sessions.  This is an excellent tool for staying organized and taking very specific data to the area/level.

Overall, this app from VSC is a a great addition, particularly for those working with younger clients (Pre-K through grade 3).  I have not seen many other apps targeting the areas of Auditory Awareness and Phonemic Awareness which is an area that many younger clients struggle with.  The Following Directions section is not my favorite among other apps that offer similar targets.  This app is on sale for just $4.99 in the App Store (regularly $6.99).

Here is the official App-ometer Rating:

Today we take a look at Auditory Memory Ride by Virtual Speech Center.  You can learn detailed information about the app by watching the video tutorial below.

From the start page, you can adjust settings, view reports, go straight to the reinforcer game, and more.

There are quite a few settings that can be changed to best fit your sessions.  I appreciate the ways to customize to meet specific target areas/goals for my clients.  (Never underestimate the power that changing the incorrect sound can have!)

Students and their data are kept within the app which makes it easy to keep track of progress.  You can select several students at a time which is great for groups.

There are 4 areas with 29 levels that can be targeted in this app!  Each student can work on different areas/levels in the same session with others!  You can select several areas/levels at a time as well.

During presentation of the stimulus, this “audio” image is shown.  No visuals are given which is helpful for concentrating on audio only.  Then, after the stimulus is given, the client sees a waiting period illustrated by a timer image.

After the timer image ends, the student is able to input their answer.  This differs with area/level.

As a reward, students can fly this plane through obstacles for a determined amount of time.

Data is kept in-app and accessible at any time after completed sessions.  This is an excellent tool for staying organized and taking very specific data to the area/level.

Overall, this app from VSC is a much-needed area of focus.  I have not seen other apps targeting Auditory Memory which is an area that most of my language students struggled with.  It should be noted that some of the tasks are a bit more difficult and I had the most success using this with grades 2+ but it would be possible to go lower with the right assistance.  This app is available for $19.99 in the App Store.

Here is the official App-ometer Rating:

Today we take a look at Social Norms by Virtual Speech Center.  You can learn detailed information about the app by watching the video tutorial below.

The navigation from the first page is simple and easy to get started.

I like that you can easily adjust these two important settings: Text and Audio.  This helps to customize the activity to your needs and the goals of the client.

One of the best aspects of this app is the ability to add personalized stories.  Having social stories for children that you work with is a great tool.  This app makes it easy to create and store these stories for those clients.  You can add illustrations or real photos.

There is a very extensive list of ready-made stories to use.

You can choose multiple stories to do in a single session which lessens the amount of time between each story for setup.

The stories have decently clear and nice illustrations.  The emotions are conveyed well throughout.

Each story shows that adults can help in social situations which is helpful for younger clients.

Overall, this app from VSC offers a very nice way to present, create, and store Social Stories for children.  The pre-made stories are best for younger students (Probably Pre-K through 2nd grade) but the ability to add customized stories would make this appropriate for nearly every SLP working in schools/EI.  This app is available for $9.99 in the App Store.

Here is the official App-ometer Rating:

Click “Add new player” on the right (You can also select “New” from the top left of the player menu) to add a new client.  After you enter all information, press “done” in the bottom left corner to proceed to the next step. A new menu will appear.

From the player menu you can select up to 4 clients per session.

Below is an example of the Auditory Bombardment activity.  Audio models of the targeted words are played.  The client picks which of the images corresponds with the audio. If the client elects incorrectly an audio beep is heard and the targeted word is repeated to give the client another chance.  When the correct answer is selected the corresponding card is turned face down and a new audio target is played. 

In Auditory Discrimination, pictured below, the client is given a target word in the top center above the two cards and the client picks which card correctly corresponds with the audio target.  If the client makes an incorrect selection, a “try again” message displays and the app repeats the audio that corresponds with the image selected.  When the correct answer is chosen the reinforcement is the correct corresponding audio.

In the Production activity the client is presented with
two cards, a large one facing up that has the target word and a smaller card facing down that has the corresponding minimal pair. The client attempts to say the target word while the SLP/parent scores using the three tracking buttons on the bottom. If the client gets the target word correct on the first attempt they can continue to the next target by pressing the grey arrow on the right.  If the client is struggling with the target it may be useful to present the minimal pair by tapping on the smaller card.

In the Phrase Completion activity the client is presented with a phrase in which they must select the correct choice from the minimal pair presented.  The client touches the card with the corresponding image.  If the client makes an incorrect selection, a “try again” message displays and the app repeats the audio that corresponds with the image selected.  When the correct answer is chosen the reinforcement is the correct corresponding audio. Move ahead by pressing the grey arrow button on the right.

The data tracking offers three modes that can be accessed by the tabs on the left.  Spreadsheets, Graphics, and Statistics:

The Settings menu allows you to customize the app.  You can also edit the exercises by selecting the orange “edit exercises” button on the bottom.

This will bring up a new menu that allows you to deselect any individual exercises that you may find too difficult for your particular client. You must keep at least 9 exercises on each target as this is necessary for each activity.

Pros:

• So many processes are included.
• Clear voice on stimulus items.
• Both expressive and receptive skills are addressed.
• You can easily modify settings and exercises from the main page.
• Data collection for each client is included!
• Ability to have multiple clients in a session.
• Built-in compatibility with Therapy Report Center helps with report writing and progress monitoring.
• Use of images and text.  Good for non-readers.
• Extremely customizable and tailored to client needs.
• The app follows the Cycles Approach which is an Evidence Based Practice!
• Great price for such a thorough app!

Improvements:

• Editing after the initial set-up can take a bit of time so make sure you have it how you like it before clients arrive.

It is currently available for only $19.99:

Enter to win a copy of all 3 Smarty Ears apps that are featured this week!

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 Disclosure: Smarty Ears provided a copy of this app for review.  No other compensation was provided and all opinions are that of the author.

To begin, press “play” and you will be taken to the player screen.

This is a single-player game so begin by choosing a player and pressing “go”.  You will then see a set of photos and hear a cue.  You have the option to have the words to the direction displayed as well.

If they choose correctly, you will see “Well Done” displayed.  If incorrect, you can choose to hear a “buzz” or nothing until the correct one is chosen.

After the session, you will see a session report like this:

There are many settings that can be changed as seen below:

Pros:

• Nice, colorful, stimulus photos.
• Clear voice on stimulus items.
• You can easily modify settings from the main page.
• Data collection for each client is included!
• Built-in compatibility with Therapy Report Center helps with report writing and progress monitoring.
• You can back-up to iTunes so that data is not lost.

Improvements:

• Many of my children find it difficult to isolate the part of the photo that is targeted by the instruction (e.g. Touch the man that has a hot dog under his grill.  You have to touch only the man, not the grill or hot dog, to be correct) which can skew results.
• I would love to be able to work with more than one student at a time on this app.  Many other preposition apps allow this so hopefully that will be included with any updates.

It is currently available for only $9.99:

Enter to win a copy of all 3 Smarty Ears apps that are featured this week!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Disclosure: Smarty Ears provided a copy of this app for review.  No other compensation was provided and all opinions are that of the author.

You can see in the top left that the “support” option allows for additional information/options.  I would start by watching the video tutorial included to learn more about using the app.  To begin, choose “Start Practice” and move to this screen where you can choose a player or create/import clients FROM the TRC if you utilize that option.  The player box will appear colored on selected player(s).  Choose “start” when you have selected the player(s) you will be working with.

You will have the option for flashcards or find it.

Then you will have the ability to select/deselect verbs that will be practiced.In the Flashcards you are able to easily move from present to present progressive to past tenses.  You can also move from word to phrase to sentences without exiting!

The find it section has you select the type of format of the verb before beginning:

Students then select the correct photo of the verb said and shown in text.  If they choose correctly, a star appears.  If not, the image they chose disappears and they are given another chance.  When it is selected correctly, the photo appears larger to allow for practice of the verb before continuing on.

There is homework included as well which is one of my favorite things about Smarty Ears apps!

In the Report Center you can view the child’s “sticker page”, progress cards, or generate a certificate.

This is an example of the progress cards:

When you decide to generate a certificate you fill out the following:

And the certificate appears like this:

Pros:

• Nice, colorful, stimulus photos.
• Clear voice on stimulus items.
• You can easily modify settings from the main page.
• You can target receptive and expressive by recording the correct answer.
• Data collection for each client is included!
• Built-in compatibility with Therapy Report Center helps with report writing and progress monitoring.
• Stickers received are motivating for many students.

Improvements:

• A few of the photos are mildly confusing to younger/lower students.
• In the find it mode I’d love to control how long the photo stays up after a correct response.

It is currently available for only $9.99:

Enter to win a copy of all 3 Smarty Ears apps that are featured this week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Disclosure: Smarty Ears provided a copy of this app for review.  No other compensation was provided and all opinions are that of the author.