Fun Timer ($1.99) Fun timer is used to motivate students to complete tasks in a timely manner. The premise of the app is to show them the desired object (recess, toys, books, etc.) Then have the student start the task they need to complete (ie: 20 articulation cards). If the student gets off topic, press the START button. The image at the center of the clock will start to disappear. This represents that if they students waste time, they are losing time in their desired activity.
When the students resume the desired activity, press the stop button.
When you press the stop button, the picture resets. I wish the app would just freeze. Students who are saavy enough realize they can just start the picture back over
Talking Train ($2.99) is an app for story telling and sequencing that features a train. Hello, my name is Jenna and 2/3 of my caseload is obsessed with trains.
Start by tapping the engine. Add the topic or the Title here. Add to the story by tapping each car to add story parts.
At the end of the story, type the microphone icon and record the story.
Other features include the steam puff, that appears if you touch the sky. Use that to encourage anything you're working on with the child (asking, answering questions or articulation)
If you tap the 'go' button the train will move down the train track.
While I can use the story-telling activities for my elementary students, I immediately started thinking about the other skills I can use it for with my train loving students! For articulation, we were working on the /k/ sound. We drew pictures in each box of words with our sounds in the initial, medial and final position!
Other ideas that Meghan told me about and I loved: Personal narratives for kiddos (main idea with 3 details), conversation skills in our groups (asking friends questions to fill in a train car, can add "puffs of smoke when other kids ask a question or make a comment), visual schedules (drawing or importing pictures of the plan), categorization (big train car: fruit, little cars generate apple, banana, pear), syllable sequencing (tapping each car for bee-bee-boo, or even drawing saying nonsense syllables), etc.
You can email the visual and send voice (to parents/caregivers, other team members) which is great to use to send home home programming and/or a note home after sessions with what we have done.
Pros: My students are totally loving all things trains. Thanks to Thomas and Chugginton. I can use this for anything!
Cons: I wish the Fun Timer game would allow me to stop and and re-start with the same picture.
Disclosure Statement: These apps were provided in order to be reviewed. No other compensation was provided.
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