Apps for All:
Learning with Tablets & Smartphones
June 10, 2014
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WHY?
 More apps every minute!
How can you keep up?
 Schools investing in iPads
 Smart technology
pervasive in all population
sectors, and more popular
for Latinos
 We all see kids using
devices
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Who we are?
 2013-14 LSTA grant
called “Apps for All”
 FREE apps ONLY!
 Bev Schwartzberg,
Adult Literacy
Coordinator
 Patty Haddad, Library
Assistant/Apps for All
Staff
Two Library Audiences
 Adult literacy learners and tutors (what
we’ll focus on today)
 Parents of young children (preschool,
elementary school)
Adult Literacy
 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?
 Workshops are good, but coaching is better
 Having a lab with devices helps
 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)
 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/smalltalkphonemes/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/smalltalkconsonant-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:
PHONEMIC AWARENESS:
activities to practice blending,
segmenting and reading basic
sound combinations. Here are
two from Preschool University:
Profs’ Phonics 1
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pr
ofs-phonics-1/id511712292
Reading Magic 1
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a
bc-reading-magic-1short/id416896853?mt=8
Reading Magic 2
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a
bc-reading-magic-2consonant/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/mobileapps/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-languagesfor/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-lingoarcade/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/madlibs/id326885152?mt=8
Sparkle Fish:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/
app/sparklefish/id43246234
1?mt=8
Word Mover by
ReadWriteThink
Create lessons to use over
and over again.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/ap
p/wordmover/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/rwttimeline/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/venndiagram/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/tradingcards/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-colorcontrast
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
 Tech “Expert” vs. Tech Researcher
 Sharing & Promoting
– Pinterest
– Keywords to catch an audience
 Less is More
 Hindsight is 20/20 for a Nanosecond
 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
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Four Tricks
Using the apps you already own
and one free one
Tip 1
Using Photo Albums
Sounds for /r/
 Find an image of
the letter R using
the internet
browser on your
phone.
 Make the image as
large as you can
on the screen, then
take a screen shot.
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• Go to the Photos
App
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• Crop photos as needed
using the Edit tool
Find more images that begin with r
and have that /r/ sound.
Take screen shots and crop as
necessary
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.
 Take a photo (or screenshot) of
the worksheet. Crop and/or edit
as necessary.
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 Open up Penultimate, tap on
papers, then tap on the "+" then
add the worksheet image.
(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
this material should credit the author and funding source.