The Apps Keep Getting Better

It amazes me that after 67,000+ education apps there can possibly be more! But there are -- and it's always nice to have more apps in your Mary Poppins' bag. Wishing everyone a successful school year!

Tense Builder $14.99- From the maker of Mobile Education, a quality app. Tense Builder uses the same format, allowing you to add students, two levels of play, and data collection. The app allows you to use regular or irregular verbs as well as future, present and past tense. Includes a video tutorial to help new users. The app tests students by showing a video clip of an action. Next the student is asked what's happening in the video. After the student chooses the correct answer, he or she records a sentence to reinforce the verb and tense. The app includes 36 video lessons, video modeling and the ability to send and save recorded sentences.

Common Core Standards
First Grade: Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future.
Second Grade: Form and use the past tense of frequently-occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).

Chalk Walk $2.99 is a great app for occupational therapists who work with the pincer grasp. The student grasp two icons, using their pincer grasp to trace a given design. Within the settings you can set for left or right hand. Students can choose to trace a picture or doodle. In addition to the pincer grasp, the app helps to increase eye-hand coordination. This is a great app for children who have difficulty holding a pencil.

LeftRightPup $1.99- One of the harder concepts to teach!! Here is an interactive game using a surfer and a dog. Students listen to the surfer as he gives directions. The student needs to listen to the direction and touch the dog paw of the correct direction. Increase listening skills, following directions and differentiating from right and left with this simple app.

Common Core Standards
Kindergarten: Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does)

Vicki Windman is a special education teacher at Clarkstown High School South.