final apps May free 2012

Transcription

My favourite Apps
for very special learners
Flo Longhorn
1 January 2011
Flo Longhorn ‘My favourite Apps for very special learners‘
Page 1
Introduction
You will need an ipod touch ( no need to have the telephone component) or a splendid
ipad.
The apps for very special learners I have listed are all free or about 59p
To find an app
Go to the Itunes store and click on 'apps' ( at top of the screen) and then type in
the title you wish to view or purchase. You need to have an account with itunes so
when you buy an app it is paid for through the account, without hassle.
www.itunes.com
Handy hints for the uninitiated
You need to be online to go to the itunes store.
itunes store should be listed in the left hand column on the screen of your device.
Click on and then look along the top of the page to find applications.
Always play with the apps and find out what they can do ( or ask a child to do this
whilst you watch!)they do so much more than you think.
Make sure that if it is a free app, it does not pop up with free offers or annoying
adverts every time you use it. Not worth the trouble. Delete.
Here is a list of 50 of my favourite apps to use for creative and engaging encounters
of the active kind,and , in no order, but all very sensory and loads of fascinating fun
for everybody! Enjoy!
This is my first attempt at doing a web page so feed back appreciated!
I am busy putting together a dvd of a hundred more apps but they will be grouped
together for curriculum, assessment, age related, rudeness etc and will have video
clips included of the apps in action-watch this space!
Flo Longhorn
Page 2
Uzu
One of the best apps ever.Described as a' kinetic multi touch particle
visualiser' but don't let that put you off! Tiny particles that whizz, spin
and splatter, like iron filings on a magnet, absorbing.You can change the
colour, speed and directions of the particles. Try just pressing a finger
for a while, and see splendid whizzing particles flying from the finger tip.
Pyromania
Loved by all, shooting and exploding firework displays ~an intense firework
display with strong firework sounds-touch and move finger to make a
rocket or firework ignite. Fascinating, especially those with autism.
Mesmerizing!
I love fireworks
Another firework app, but the noises are more dramatic especially the big
bangs.Different array of fireworks too. 3D graphics.
Koi pond
Oldie but goodie, lovely water sounds and friendly fish, great for
sustained concentration. You can choose to add to the pond setting, try a
thunderstorm with raindrops on the water and thunder in the background,
awesome!
Fish fingers-3D interactive aquarium
Similar to koi pond except you can put your own photo in the background.
Tilt the screen for the water in the jar and fish to move around the image!
You can put in new fish.
Balls
Lovely harp sounds linked to moving paint balls that move around when
dragged with a finger or nose.The balls fall under gravity, rebound off the
sides and when they collide, they create harmonious music.
Rubber ducky
Garish spotted ducks that give really loud intense quacks when touchedgreat. Then you can change to plucky, stripy, spotty ducks.....
Bobble zoo
Great fun, chose an animal and it appears with a wobbly head and the name
is spoken with a child's voice, great for attention grabbing and prolonged
gaze. Cause and effect as the head bobbles more if it is shaken more.
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Bloom
So relaxing, harp music as the glow balls gently bob around and make
gorgeous images as you make the balls move into abstract art images.
Part instruments, part composition and part art work.
Move the balls quickly and the tempo increases accordingly.
Lekar
A free app from IKEA full of delightful animations and games to play such
as 'statues' or 'follow the leader' all with music. They update on a regular
basis and put new animations on too.
Lines and flowers
Nice erratic ( nearly said erotic then!)thick black lines that constantly
track from different angles across the screen. Then a coloured flower
randomly drifts across one of the black lines, randomly. Use for advanced
tracking and crossing of the eye midline. Music & motion graphics.
Splode
Ranked number 1 in 12 countries.Very simple level with little fuzzy
glowing splode creatures to track and touch. They go plop when you touch
them. A very first level of game.,There are levels of complexity with an
electronic noise background, space like sounds.
Ooze
Stunning fluorescent colours, looks like the screen is a lava lamp. Coloured
ooze moves and changes with finger movements. No sound but this is good,
you concentrate on the finger work and do some physics too.
Bubble Magic
Simple luminous moving bubbles that go pop when touched, super. Drag
fingertips to create more.You can choose from a variety of backgrounds
on which to make bubbles and then pop them. If you hold your finger on
the bubble it gets bigger and bigger...and then goes pop. Lots of cause
and effect and tracking.
Spawn Glow
Fabulous quick moving lines of colour, controlled by a finger tip.
Manipulate vibrant beams of colour just like a rave light show-great fro
teenagers.
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Colour Spin
This is just a screen of one glowing colour which changes to different glowing colours
as it is rotated. I find it useful as it can come very near to eyes ,that do not see
much, or for assessment.
Crazy Face
This is a selection of full screen sized, very colourful monster faces. Parts
of the face slowly move. Good for facial awareness and showing
emotions. As you talk the face matches your words, hold in front of your
face, screen to the audience, and talk, for a dramatic effect! You can get
pirates and pumpkin face apps too.
BLtickle
Just a simple face drawing but when you tap it, there are lovely baby noises coming
out ,with suitable facial expressions. A lovely two-way intensive communication aid. I
like the simplicity of this app.
Glow Draw
Fluorescent colours, amazing to use in the dark, draw or tap with finger. You
can adjust to make thick or thin lines, different colour choices, put in a
photo background and more. Can be saved or sent in an email. A convenient
way to build a portfolio of ‘mark making’.
Smack talk
My grandchildren love this one. Hilarious! Choose an animal and a voice pitch,
then talk to the hamster, for example. It goes from freaky to squeaky. The
animal repeats what you say in a choice of funny voices! Lovely for ‘call and
response’ or pre-intentional communication levels.
Atomic Fart
The title says it all, great for students. The descriptions of the farts are
delightful such as ‘spark plug’ or ‘short and sweet’.They can be timed, so
anticipation can help with memory retention!
Burp and fart piano
You have a choice of two pianos, one plays farts and the other burps in
descending scales. The sound is awesome and so loudly rude...........
Newtonica Player
A very simple app which offers futuristic noise and special effects.Simple
to use just touch the spinning colour ball on the screen. Plays minimal
techno effects by Kenjii Eno.
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Pocket guitar
Ace for students, you can choose the guitar you want, try the ukelele
too. From simple plucks to classic guitar music can be created. Many
different scales, pitch and for every level from unintentional plucks to
the full concert effect.
Rattle
This is described as a baby rattle toy but is much more than that. Loud
noises that are unpredictable and screen images appear and cheer and
scream the more you tap. When you stop tapping then the images slow
and fade away as does the noise.I like the unpredictability of this one,
it is errorless learning. They also do a Christmas rattle which is very
loud and full of the joys of Christmas......
Noise room
Open and choose a noise room such as the crowd room, transportation,
human sounds or excitement room. Then there are choices within a room
e.g yee hoo! You did it! are found in the Excitement room. The quality of
the sound is very good. Great for listening to emotional sounds and
phrases as part of emotional literacy.
Jingle Tunes
Just for fun. Choose a song on the screen such as ‘dance of the sugar
plum fairy’ and play the jingle bells as you tap or shake the screen, jolly
fun! Then little dancing stick people appear and dance to the bells too, so
cute!
Glee
Karaoke at its most awful best. You record the singing, put in the pitch
and harmony and off you go. You need speakers and a mike for this one
but the singing can be recorded for posterity. Number 1 app in 21
countries. You can go online and karaoke with the whole world!
I Hear You
This app can be heard in a variety of languages such as Chinese or Spanish. Choose a
topic such as ‘African animals’ or ‘transportation’, a range of pictures appear. Touch
one and hear the word and sound.
White Noise Baby
This is for getting babies to sleep and has potential for calming the over
anxious or stressed child or student. There is a list of noises which can be
used such as a vacuum cleaner, car ride, grandfather clock or bells. There
is also white, pink or brown noise. These noises have been used for the
learner with autism to calm and also block out sounds in the environment. White noise
combines all the different frequencies of sound, together.
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Idaft2
Just for students, trendy punk beat with added background. You just
press a phrase and the phrase is jingled back to you, can press the same
word for a new effect. Really noisy and irritating to adults! The words
are from two hit singles ‘technologic‘ & ‘harder better faster stronger’
Draw with Stars
Magical sounds and stars trail across the screen to your finger touch.
The size of the stars can be changed, colours and spin sequences
changed as well.The star drawings can be sent by email, twitter etc.
Shake to remove the stars or use the broom image.
Face melter
Lots of fun, go to your photo library and choose an image by tapping the
toolbar in left hand corner.Then use your finger to tap or stretch the
image to distort it, or use three fingers at once to twist in any direction.
Just like the hall of mirrors at the fairground.
Anemoma
A very simple use of the ipad, on the screen appears a pile of vivid tentacles, they
look like sea anemones, just shake and tilt the screen to get an awesome floating
mass of moving blue colours. You can adjust the number of tentacle on the
screen.
Hatch! Plus
The simplest ‘cause and effect’ app. An egg appears, just tap and after a
few noisy cracks appear something emerges from the broken egg.
Jelly Doodle
Lots of junky food fun ( down with healthy eating at this point) as you make
an animated jelly, with many sound effects. Choose the mould,fill with food,
add the jelly, put on sprinkles. You can make it grow bigger until it explodes!
Make a real jelly to compliment the electronic exploding one.....
Cookie Doodle
Similar to the jelly one but amazing when you can roll the pastry out on the
screen, cut up the ingredients with a knife and put into the bowl to stir.
Really amazing with sound effects and very creative. You can make the real
cookies afterwards as recipes are given.
AlphaBabyfree
Just a plain screen which you touch, and up pops a random letter or number,
with the word spoken as it appears. Large bright coloured lettering bounce.
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Sensory Play
Devised by a mum with a very special son, excellent. Just a set of sensory
‘card’ ideas to use whilst out and about such a son a car journey. Simple
sensory activities to suit every child.
Doodle Buddy
Smashing art activity or mark making at any level. Lots of choice of colour or
stamps to stamp on the screen. There is a noise to accompany each mark e.g..
a dog barks, then the noise of eating as the dog bone is stamped. The images
can be saved and put in a portfolio. You can connect onto the internet, with a
friend,and doodle together online!
Painting Animals
A more conventional ‘colour the picture’ but the pictures are photos with
the animal faded out ( choose the level of faintness). Use a finger to paint
or just pull on a line across the bottom so it fills in itself. Save to Iphoto.
Draw Free
A simple drawing app but with nice thick lines, stampers and an eraser if
needed. The pencils appear on the side of the screen and you choose the
colour you want.
Clicky Sticky
A sticker book app.I love this one, it has great sound effects as the
picture is built up by dragging images from the top of the screen onto the
scene.below. The scenes include ‘the airport’ ( great plane noises) and a
child in a bedroom, who can be dressed.
Colorama
More advanced and conventional, a range of B/W drawings with a row of
coloured pencils along the bottom of the screen. Select the colour pencil
you want and the area is filled in with the selected colour ( a bit too neat
and tidy for me). Other titles include ‘masks’ and also ‘bugs’.
Jackson Pollock
Pop art at its best, just scribble away using any colours you want, then
save the art for the portfolio.
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‘Toy story-read along’ and ‘Toy story 3-read along’
A free book by Disney with magical ‘toy story’ being read, moreover many
interactive things to do like colouring, painting. Choose a song to sing to
you, ‘you’ve got a friend in me’ is great with a film clip to watch as you
read the words ..........you’ve got a friend in me!
Disney do other books but you have to pay for them.
AlphaBELCH
A book with the alphabet and many rude sounds, different from Disney
and a rip roarer for those with a wicked sense of alphabet toilet humour!
Created by Stephen White,the writer of ‘Barnie’s friends’.
Ocean Blue
My diving husband’s best app.Beautiful underwater scenes where you
choose the fish and the ocean background to create your own sea. The
sound effects are very watery and the fish dazzle.
icomm
Short for I communicate-I cannot believe this is free at the moment, it is
so simple and easy to use.It is custom built to suit the communicator using
pictures and words both written and spoken. Lots of empty frames to put
in what they need.
Mind blowing for those using bits of card and Velcro, technology will release you!
Paper Toss-ad free
Flick the piece of crumpled paper into the waste paper basket. A fan can
be used to make the throw harder to judge. Perfect for eye hand
coordination. Definitely for staff room fun!
You Tube and ipad clips
Go to the website www.youtube.com and use the following instructions to find some
really interesting clips. If you want to download the clip (to impress the powers that
be into buying an ipad) then use www.zamzar.com , I use this without a problem so you
can too!
For film clips on You Tube about the use of ipads, for particular special needs, then
try a general search by putting in a phrase such as ‘ipad autism’ or ‘ipad disability’ to
find ones to suit you. The clips are all american at the moment, the ipad was
released months before the UK.
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Richard Hirstwood
Innovations wizard Richard, has great clips on how to use the ipad and also brilliant
apps that he has found useful, some of which are mentioned above. Go to
www.sensology.org look for ‘ sensory ideas’ and the clips will be there along with other
useful ideas.
ipad communication
ipad in education
great ipad apps
So that is all for now, I am putting together a small book on how to use the ipad and
apps in different settings and running some Saturday morning matinees in the
summer. These include a session on using ipads within a curriculum, contact me if you
are interested or look at the following websites
www.sensology.org and www.flolonghorn.squarespace.com
1 January 2011
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Page 11
Apps for Very Special Learners-Part 2
Flo Longhorn
June 2011
[email protected]
‘My favourite Apps for very special learners~Part Two~ Flo Longhorn
Page 1
Hello again!
Here is another set of fun apps for use by very special learners. They are in no particular
order, so you will have to browse - you may find something you like even better as you flip
through! Remember they should be embedded in a glorious sensory world - a tool, not a
curriculum.
Don’t forget that most apps are currently produced in the USA, we await British input with
interest. Apps also change in price or simply disappear so some I recommend may have
vanished or are not free any more!
IPad 2
When you buy this iPad2, get the biggest memory available (64GB) so you never run out of
space - like I did with my first 16GB iPad!
The new iPad 2 has built in cameras and can also now be viewed on an interactive whiteboard.
You need a VGA connector to do this, available from the Apple store or Amazon. With this,
you can view what is happening on the iPad on the whiteboard, but you cannot control it. In
reality, the iPad should be seen as a personalised learning tool with exciting folders for each
learner and the interactive whiteboard as a different engaging tool for learning.
A reminder of how to get apps
You will need an iPod Touch,iphone or an iPad.
The apps for very special learners that I have listed are all free or about 59p.The ‘lite’
or free ones give you an idea of what they are like before purchasing.
To find an app
Go to the iTunes store and click on 'apps' (at top of the screen) and then type in the title
you wish to view or purchase. You need to have an account with iTunes so when you buy an app
it is paid for through the account, without hassle.The invoice turns up in your email box, the
next day.
www.iTunes.com
Page 2
!" You need to be online to go to the iTunes store.
!The iTunes store should be listed in the left hand column on the screen of
your device. Click on this and then look along the top of the page to find
applications.
!Put the app title you want in the search box and when details appear, click on to 'buy', If it
is free, you still need to click 'buy'.
!Always play with the apps and find out what they can do (or ask a child to do this while you
watch!). They do so much more than you think. It gets the little grey cells working.
!Make sure that if it is a free app, it does not pop up with free offers or annoying adverts
every time you use it. Not worth the trouble. Delete or buy the full app if you like what you
see. Most free apps have a full version available to buy.
www.Google.com
Google now has an extensive website for apps which is worth looking at.
There is an education section which sounds like it has great
potential.They call it 'building your 21st century school'. It will “help your
students acquire skills that will make them soar in their education and out in the world”.
Sounds good to me.
As I promised, I have a full book coming out in September 2011!
“Apps, the iPad and Very Special Learners: A-Z for Beginners”
The book is for the educator and the very special learner alike,~beginning together.
✓!
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
loads of carefully selected apps, all with clear descriptions,
carefully selected apps described at early developmental levels,
useful sources for finding apps on the web,
communication apps especially for the beginner communicator,
apps for those with autism (and everyone else too),
references for specific YouTube clips showing apps being used by special learners,
apps for including in multi sensory work and curricula,
how to set clear targets with apps built in,
one-sheet checklist for building up functional skills to use on an iPad,
a section for the educator on work related apps,
and aids for the iPad, such as an indestructible case designed for the SAS!
Details out in September 2011
Now for some of my new favourite apps for very special learners!
Page 3
Fluidity (free)
This is fabulous and I bought the full app. It is an interactive fluid dynamics
simulation. You control the fluid flow and stunning fluorescent colours with the
tips of your fingers. It is just like a lava lamp. The full purchase enables audio,
and video out using VGA component or Composite cable.
(Sheer fun and creativity, finger tip use, relaxation, colours and blending
colours in art!)
Choo-choo Train (well worth buying)
I love these train journeys and activities - very relaxing! Become the greatest
train controller as you juggle trains, flip railroad switches, navigate train
crossings and collect coal to keep your steam engines stoked. The simplest
level is choosing a train journey on which you take a leisurely ride and watch
the scenery pass by, quite hypnotic. This is fabulous on the interactive board,
really quite 3D. You can also go on to more complex levels (paradise for those
with 'Thomas Tank disorder'). Chug along picking up passengers in over fifty
beautiful landscapes, build your own train tracks, and manage your passenger pickups as
everyone has a train to catch and won't wait.
(Storytelling with lots of different stories, trains and mechanics, building sequences,
following a schedule, creating your own train set!)
Piano Pups (free)
Very easy piano playing for anyone. It is very visually attractive with two rows
of dogs, one black row and one row of spotty dogs. Play the dogs like a piano
and there will be a different range of barks from each row. (Look for videos on
YouTube)
(This has nice clear cause and effect, maths with spots, b/w and 'lots', literacy
with the link to'101 Dalmatians' and biology with dogs!)
Shrek Do The Roar (free) based on the movie
Do The Roar allows anyone to annoy Shrek, and cause him to bellow out his
enormous Ogre roar. Use Butterpants to help you annoy Shrek - just keep
punching the button, or shaking your iPad, and the little boy will badger the big
ogre. Finally, Shrek will let loose with his famous ROAR. Be careful, you may
need to clean your iPad afterwards!
(See videos about Shrek on YouTube and also apps of books about Shrek.)
(Experience and engage in loud sounds, interaction, storytelling, anticipation, dramatic
interactions and modern cinema!)
Page 4
Dramatic Music
This is excellent and well worth 59p! A super range of dramatic music, sound
or instrument clips for use in drama, poetry or just to enjoy. They range from
cheers, to moans, to wedding music, boo, heavenly, a kazoo, salsa, waltzes, hip
hop ... just click on the icon you want - very clear and easy to see and use.
(Great for music, drama, dancing, storytelling, sequences of sounds, emotions!)
How to Train Your Dragon (free) based on the Dreamworks movie
ONLY THE STRONG CAN BELONG! Take to the skies as Toothless, the
sleek, stealthy, fire-breathing dragon. He has his new friend, Hiccup, the
Viking teenager who doesn’t exactly fit in with his tribe’s longstanding
tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Explore the Viking home Island of Berk.
Plunge from the vast heavens above to the depths of subterranean caves.
Apply lessons from Dragon Training as dragon and rider form a unique bond
together and master the art of flying. (Look for videos on YouTube)
(Storytelling, fantasy, drama, sequences, experience of game playing, modern cinema!)
Dr Seuss Books
Most of the classic Dr Seuss books have been successfully transferred to apps.
There are three ways to read these books:
""Read to Me" ! listen to the narrated story with words highlighted as they are read.
""Read it Myself" ! read the book in its traditional form.
""Auto Play" ! plays like a movie, automatically reading and turning pages.
Dr Seuss ABC Lite (free-first 10 pages)
This app combines the original text and art work of Dr Seuss. From Aunt
Annie riding an Alligator to the Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, Dr. Seuss teaches the
reader the ABC's through hilarious words and pictures, guaranteed to
entertain anyone. Features available in this book include professional
narration, background audio and enlarged artwork for each scene."To
promote reading, individual words are highlighted as the story is read and
words zoom up when pictures are touched. (And look for videos on YouTube).
(Use for storytelling, rhythm and rhyme, humour, poetry interactive, exposure to written
words!)
Page 5
Photospeak - 3D Talking Photo
Photospeak is a cool app which lets a user choose a face portrait from a photo
file and, through some kind of magic, speech is also recorded at the same
time. Then, Abracadabra!, the photo begins to move and blink - and speak! In
addition to the face and mouth movements, a swipe on the screen causes the
head in the picture to move. And the eyes seem to follow you, just like the
Mona Lisa...really eerie.
(Target art, imagination, interaction, faces, facial features, sequences of speech!)
Megamind - free (based on the movie)
There are a couple of free 'Megamind' movie apps such as 'Megamind
stress buster' and 'Megamind genius disguise generator'. Prepare
yourself for the Megamind Genius Disguise Generator! Use this
amazing application to disguise yourself for top-secret mega-missions.
Once you have the disguise you want, save it, send it to a friend, or
create a cool slider puzzle. There is also a story book app on iTunes
based on the Megamind film and look for videos on YouTube.
(Straight into experiencing theory of the mind, storytelling, drama and imagination, modern
cinema!)
Hatch (Free) and Hatchplus
Just tap the chosen egg and it cracks open to reveal a range of different
characters as the shell cracks open.
"! Fun, friendly animation and graphics.
"! Easy to use for fingers and hands just tap, tap, tap.
"! Different images appear when the egg is cracked open.
"! Letters and numbers available as egg prizes.
(Egg-y science and where do chickens come from? Cause and effect, one, two, three...,
literacy!)
Butterflies Lite (free, but the full version is excellent)
One of my favourites. Turn it on; choose a beautiful background and the
butterflies of your choice. Then watch the butterflies fly, place your finger on
the screen and they land on it with fluttering delicate wing beats, magic. Lift
your finger and the butterfly will fly back into the scene. Touch the white
butterfly button in the corner to choose your favourite butterflies or a
different background.
(Target hand eye coordination, choice, science, beauty, in nature, relaxation!)
Page 6
Fart Cushion (free)
Make sure you have a real fart cushion for a scientific test comparison! Go
to www.hawkin.com. The app provides:
✓Fart drums!
✓Simon says-fart!
✓Timed farts and movement detection.
✓Thirty different farts - the mind boggles!
(To see the video on YouTube, just put in the title)
(Extreme rude fun, sequences, different variations on body sounds, anatomy!)
More Burger (free)
This is definitely not a 'healthy eating' app, but great for those who like
hamburgers, especially for teenagers. You build up your hamburger, choosing
what you want to eat. Crazy about hamburger? Never satisfied with the size
of hamburger the fast food shop offers? Then now is the time to devise your
own. With the help of Hamburger, you can serve yourself the biggest,
tastiest hamburger in the world! It has a few fresh veggies included as well!
Then make your own real one with real ingredients.
(Setting targets with a healthy eating debate, numeracy with sequences, choice between
'many',cookery!)
Skyburger (free)
Now try Skyburger - where you have to catch the ingredients as they fall
out of the sky! Skyburger puts you to work stacking burgers to order! Catch
the right ingredients as they fall from the sky, and don’t forget that top bun
when you’re done! Build over fifty unique burger orders that grow taller and
taller the more orders you complete. Complete enough orders in a row and
build an unlimited SkyBurger!
(Work experience, numeracy with counting, bigger and bigger, storytelling, imagination,
cookery, experiencing a game!)
Sounddrop (free)
Gorgeous sound and simple animations, easy on the eyes (black and white) and
captivating movements of spots and lines. This is musical geometry! Draw
lines and watch as Soundrop uses them to create music! Listen with
headphones for the full effect. Tap and drag to draw a line which may catch
some of the spots or redirect them.
(Target some geometry, science, music, optical effects!)
Page 7
Plasma Globe (free)
This visual interactive masterpiece takes full advantage of the retina display
in order to bring beautiful and crisp graphics - with addictive lighting effects
and sounds! This is as exciting as using a real electrical plasma globe you can
buy online from www.hawkin.com. Just touch the screen for exciting visual,
crackling electricity. Absolutely amazing, beautiful, fun! Just touch the screen
and watch when "electric bolts" of glowing light follow your fingers! You can
play simple games of shooting the lightning at electrical bolts.
(Go for science, finger dexterity, awe and wonder, cause and effect!)
Vocal Zoo (free)
Displays clear, explicit animal photos. Swipe with your hand to move to the
next image. The word is at the bottom of the screen, although in capital
lettering.
Tap on the picture for the sound of the animal, and on the word for the word
to be spoken.
(Science is involved, with animals, words and sounds are encountered, literacy!)
Pocket Bugs
Sorry everyone, most kids like to pretend to kill things, at least the bugs are
not human. I like the gory splatter at the end, and I am a great granny!
Would you like squashing bugs with zillions of different weapons? Would you
like shooting at pictures of your friends? Would you like trying out lots of
different crazy guns? Then this is the game for you.
"! Experiment with explosives, bugs, bomber airplanes, gun towers, bricks, machine guns,
lasers, buzz saws, missiles, poison traps, explosive cookies....
"! Automatic Tesla, mini-gun and flamethrower towers!
"Build your own traps - lay minefields and lure the silly bugs with candy sticks… which
explode, too!
"Thirteen types of silly victims… er, bugs!
(Targeting life and death, imaginative bugs, fun sequences, planning an activity!)
Page 8
MiniSquadron Special Edition (free)
Another zap-em app for teenagers. MiniSquadron Special Edition is the
sequel to the award winning MiniSquadron - a frantic shooter , involving lots
of little colourful planes all vying for supremacy of the skies! They can do a
range of flying stunts as they try to destroy invaders of the sky. This version
provides two free levels. Each level is beautifully drawn and accompanied by a
classical music track, helicopters which hover, weapons such as fireballs and animals to shoot
down including Jellyfish, Vampires and Hamsters!
(Lots of fun, competition, eye-hand coordination, planning and plotting, flight!)
Baby Shapes and Animals HD (free)
'Baby Shapes' and 'Animals' help identify shapes in animal puzzles. The
simple shapes have high contrast images. This is an introduction to simple
game play and also an interactive learning experience at early developmental
levels. The free version offers eight animals, one environment and one song.
Both apps were developed by Baby Cortex (American), a company with
expertise in 'edutainment' apps.
The full version features over fifty animals, seven environments and seven tunes. (To see
video on YouTube, just put in the title).
(This is an introduction to simple game play and also an interactive learning experience at
every early developmental level.)
Peekaboo - a series of peekaboo apps (some free)
Peekaboo Barn Lite is free. Go inside a little bouncing barn where you will
find friendly farm animals are waiting to pop out and surprise you. Try and
guess who they are, tap the doors to find out! There are three animals in
this version. The full version of Peekaboo Barn has thirteen animals, a barn
party, a night sequence, audio options, and a Spanish version. If you like
Peekaboo Barn, check out the sequels, Peekaboo Forest and Peekaboo Wild.
(These apps are good for animal names and noises, 'cause and effect 'and anticipation, for
the younger learner!)
Page 9
Sparkabilities 1 HD for iPad (covers developmentally 3 to 18 months)
Sparkabilities Babies 2 for iPad (covers developmentally 8-24 months)
Sparkabilities is based on the American 'PlayWisely' developmental system
(so perhaps a 'pinch of salt' in their descriptions). The app is more than
pretty pictures set to classical music. Sparkabilities is intended to entertain
the learner and develop essential learning skills. It includes engaging movies
from the Sparkabilities DVD series. Eight sets of interactive flash cards
correspond to the movies. The educator can use flashcards with the learner, or the learner
can use cards independently.
(Target to the developmental level of the learner (be careful for it being too babyish) and
see what happens, all the pre requisites to learning will be encountered too!)
Touchy Books HD for readers
(first book is free - you can have a sneak preview of the first five pages of other books)
These are well worth exploring for a mixed group of learners. They contain
original creations and classic fairytales. The books are available in four
languages. Each book is adapted for children of different ages. There is a
game play for the stories which includes lots of funny animations and the
reader can interact with the sounds.
(Experience literacy, storytelling, touch and create, classic stories!)
Sock Puppets (free)
Sock Puppets lets you create your own lip-synched videos. Add Puppets,
props, scenery, and backgrounds and start creating. Hit the record button
and the puppets automatically lip-synch to your voice.
(Good for drama, craft, storytelling, imagination, acting& creating artistic
sets!)
Talking Roby Celik (free)
Roby is a talking hip-hop dancing robot. He is similar to 'Talking Tom' but
you can type in words for him to speak or talk to him. The voice is very
weird - full of echoes and metallic sounds. Poke or pet Roby to see his
reactions. Press buttons to see Roby dance three different dances (dances
available as an app purchase). (To see video on YouTube, put in the title).
(Target drama, different voices, interaction, experience of words and commands!)
Page 10
Fluid (free, but annoying ads, so get the full version)
One of my favourite apps with just a shimmer of water covering pebbles,
just dip in fingertips and relax! And listen to the music. You can hear the
cool water trickling...
(Relax, relax, relax......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)
Mood Pad - heat sensitive surface
(free but only on iPhone or iTouch so far)
The screen fills with colour as your fingers move over the surface. Run your
fingers over the screen and watch the screen swirl with colour. Lift your
hand and watch the colours smoothly fade away.
Twelve colour themes create fantastical designs. options for sensitivity
and fade-away speed give full control of colours & the size of your touch.
(Art and design, maths with colours, mixing colours!)
Bubblewrap (free)
Have great fun and experience a very good feeling of popping little plastic
bubbles with real sounds. This is the ultimate anti stress tool!
✓Manual mode and automatic mode.
✓Reload button - add a vibrating effect.
✓ Selectable primary colours
(Hand and eye coordination, sounds, repeating patterns of sound, for maths count the 'pops'!)
Marvel Comics (free)
Introducing the MARVEL COMICS app, a revolutionary new way to experience
the Marvel Universe on your iPad, featuring the world’s most popular super
heroes! Download hundreds of comic books featuring your favourite
characters - including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man,
Wolverine and more. You’ll experience Marvel’s greatest series and stories
like never before, with your choice of guided view (an animated, panel-by-panel path through
the comic), or by using regular device controls to zoom and pan your way through pages of
sizzling story and amazing artwork! Comics rule Okay for all teenager readers! (To see video
on YouTube, put in the title).
(Person appropriate reading, modern classics, storytelling, leisure pursuit, fantasy!)
Page 11
Adam's Game
Adam's Game is a game for early levels of development. The game shows
three pictures and asks the learner to touch one of them ("Touch the
cow!"). When the right item is chosen, the game cheers. If an incorrect
picture is chosen, the game says "Uh-Oh" and flashes the right picture.
After several turns, the game rewards with music and a group of objects
floating across the screen. Adam's Game also allows you to add your own
pictures and voices to the game. To customize Adam's Game with your own flash cards,
simply drag your finger in a large circle anytime during game play. At this point, you can add
pictures. Users can provide their own voice-over for items.
(Literacy, sequences, choice, maths with choice of one out of three, flash cards!)
Touch Spray
Especially for teenagers, so get out your spray cans and start painting some
graffiti! Create your own art using realistic spray cans in all different colours
and sizes. Touch Spray lets you choose your colour, your size, a background to
spray on, and then go to work leaving your mark on the wall (without a chance
of getting arrested). Have hours of fun making your mark and sharing it with
your friends.
(Mark making, art, literacy, creativity!)
'Disney' (free)
Need I say any more except it is a brand that all learners seem to know
about! There is gorgeous imagery and cartoons ….
Yes No
Simplicity rules okay! YesNo was designed with one purpose in mind~ to
provide an easy to use, affordable way for a nonverbal child with autism
and motor planning issues to communicate with those around him. " The
application is straightforward. " It has two, large, colour coordinated
buttons...one for yes, and one for no. " Press either, and you will hear a voice read your choice
of yes or no.There is a choice of voices, man, woman, cartoon, boy or girl. Respectful of
gender. Love it ....... just swipe and have power over your world!
Page 12
Disney’s Fairies Fly Lite (free)
This is the app based on the Disney film 'Fairies', which I enjoyed with my
granddaughters (no boys allowed - very girly, blow the sexism) - loved the
fairy dust - and will buy the movie for their birthday!
Fly with the fairies and discover a world of adventure and fun. This
magical game captures the excitement of the changing seasons in the
heart of Never Land, in a place called Pixie Hollow.
Fly with the water-talent Fairy, Silvermist, in the cool waters above Spring Valley. Iridessa,
the light-talent Fairy, could use some help to light fireflies in the Summer Glade. Help catch
flower petals as they flutter in the breeze of the Autumn Forest with Rosetta, the gardentalent Fairy. Soar over the Winter Woods with Fawn, the animal-talent Fairy, as she gathers
nuts and berries for all the animals preparing for winter. And let’s not forget Tinker Bell! Fly
with Tinker Bell to find lost things at the Beach Cove.
Simply tilt your iPad to guide your Fairy. As you fly, try to pick up items and collect Pixie
Dust to score points and unlock new surprises. Watch out for birds, thistles and other
hazards that might slow you down. With dazzling graphics and a beautiful orchestral score
direct from the creators of the Disney Fairies movies(To see videos on YouTube, just put in
the title). Need I say any more!
Magic dust and fairies - girls only!
That's all for now! Watch out for the book this autumn!
You Tube and ipad clips
Go to the website www.youtube.com and use the following instructions to find some
really interesting clips. If you want to download the clip (to impress the powers that
be into buying an ipad) then use www.zamzar.com , I use this without a problem so you
can too!
For film clips on You Tube about the use of ipads, for particular special needs, then
try a general search by putting in a phrase such as ‘ipad autism’ or ‘ipad disability’ to
find ones to suit you. The clips are all American at the moment, the ipad was
released months before the UK. I hope some British ones hit the ipad soon!
Richard Hirstwood
Innovations wizard Richard, has great clips on how to use the ipad and also brilliant
apps that he has found useful, some of which are mentioned above. Go to
www.sensology.org look for ‘ sensory ideas’ and the clips will be there along with other
useful ideas.
[email protected] June 2011
Page 13
Page 14
1
My favourite Apps
For special learners-part 3
Flo Longhorn
1 May 2012
Flo Longhorn
‘My favourite Apps for special learners’ List 3
May 2012
2
Introduction
This is my third list of apps for ipads that should be useful for everyone, but in
particular, for special learners. The ipad is the most inclusive piece of technology, so
easy to use it even comes without a manual of instructions! It can be accessed by a
fluttering finger, a nose, toes or a stylus pen to enable writing on the screen.
Apps that are used on the ipad come from the iTunes store and are strictly
controlled by Apple. This means the user can be confident in using them without fear
of inappropriate materials. If one does slip through the net, then the user has the
option to report it and it will be removed if necessary.
There also many android apps out there to use on android tablets, such as Samsung
Galaxy, but no supervision as yet.
You will need an iPad, iPod touch or iPhone to access the following apps.
The apps I have listed ( May 2012) are all free/lite or about 69p
Try, and if suitable, buy!
A reminder of how to find an app
Go to the iTunes store and click on 'apps' (at top of the screen) and then type in the
title you wish to view or purchase. You need to have an account with iTunes so when
you want buy an app, it is paid for through the account.
www.iTunes.com
You need to be online to go to the iTunes store.
iTunes store should be listed in the left hand column on the screen of your device.
Click on and then look along the top of the page to find applications store, click.
Type in a search word or the app name you want to find out more about.
If the app is free, you still have to ‘buy’ it for free to download it.
Look for the free apps section and check out what is there, many new apps are
free for the first few weeks, so snap them up.
Always play with the apps and find out what they can do ( or ask a child to do this
whilst you watch!)they do so much more than you think.
Make sure that if it is a free app, it does not pop up with free offers or annoying
adverts every time you use it. Not worth the trouble. Delete. If it is a good
introduction to the app, go ahead and buy the full version.
Sometimes names or icons change for an app so you have to chase and find them.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
3
iPads, Apps and Special Learners:
A-Z for Beginners
by Flo Longhorn
ISBN 10 955900 832
ISBN 13 978 0955900 839
‘Ipads, Apps and Special Learners: A-Z for Beginners’ 2012
The chapters include:
A brief introduction to iPads and apps with handy hints
Visual apps
Touch apps including hand movements for using a screen
Sound and music
Movement and sports
Faces and emotions
Literacy includingABC, books, stories, writing and mark making
Art and creativity
Numeracy, emergent shape colour and numbers
Early learning through simple games
Introduction to topic work using apps
Resources, websites and blogs
A-Z of all the apps in the book
If you would like a copy of my new book
‘Ipads, apps and special learners: A-Z for Beginners’
By Flo Longhorn ( 2012)
It can be purchased online at amazon.co.uk
or
From Flo Publications Ltd
Contact [email protected]
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
4
If you do not have a copy of my 2 apps lists circulated in
2011, please send me an email and I will send them with
pleasure, by pdf.
[email protected]
‘Apple’ by Ellie Mae
Apps for May 2012
Here is a list the latest apps to use for creative and engaging encounters of the
active kind. Most are lite or free, so they can be tried before buying a full version.
They are deliberately in no particular order, developmental levels or age bands. This
is to ensure all learners have a chance to sample regardless of an adults
preconceptions of what they need!
They are all very sensory and loads of fascinating fun for everybody!
Enjoy!
Don’t forget iPads and apps are tools not a curriculum, get those sensory wow
experiences up and running too.............
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
5
General apps
Little story maker free
This app creates basic ibooks very easily especially for students, who
will be very pleased to see themselves in a personalised book.
Story Buddy lite
A similar book maker as the one above to try, very easy to use.
Camper weather free,
This was made by the Spanish shoe company ( I have at least 3 pairs!) A
lovely funny, artistic way of finding out about the weather.
Somantics
A free UK app that is a suite of applications using touch, gesture and
the camera ( built into the iPad) to promote ‘greater self awareness,
confidence and independence.' It is a most creative and exciting
concept, I love it.
It was devised for those with autism, but hey, we can all use them too.
Lots of research and documentation from the guru Dr.Wendy Keay-Bright, find out
more on the website somantics.org
~well worth a visit.
Reactickles Magic
Free UK app. This links closely to somantics (above) and is excellent.
Harrys House attack of the monsters
Lots of ghouls and spooky music in this simple game. A boy (the user)
hides behind a barricade with a very handy catapult. From the top of
the screen, ghoulish monsters march towards him and he has to shoot
them down.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
6
Rag doll blaster 2 lite
This is a good app for students who need to practice eye hand
coordination. Rather violent, with a canon that shoots out rag dolls at a
target. A laser pointer helps with the shooting of the canon. I have
scored nil so far but am enjoying the canon!
Olim pictures
An app that contains lovely drawings of Olympic athletes by Nicola
Russo. It was free but has suddenly got a price-wonder why......
The following group of apps are early levels of access apps
3D shape sorter
(free)This is 3D so has great depth for the field of vision. It is a
shape sorter cube that can be rotated on the screen.There are shapes
( animals or Xmas shapes) that fit into the sorters, placed at the side.
Drag a shape over and insert. If it is the correct place the shape will
change into the animal and make a noise.The colour of the cube can be
changed, and the music can be switched off. Very powerful, two levels of play, choose
between a nappy or a trousers icon!
Random
Anything you do on the screen makes a random set of moving images and
sounds erupt everywhere~ and that is it, the simplest cause and effect
app going.
Tiny genius lite
This has a gallery of vivid abstract patterns. There is a choice of
languages to use to identify the shapes. Colours can be changed as the
page is swiped~the real pictures turn to a cartoon caricature when
touched.There are also a set of animals which make appropriate noises.
Peekaboo lite
`From the Infant Arcade’ developers. A simple to understand app the
animal hides, find him, then he scurries and hides somewhere else,
usually fairly obvious!
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
7
Baby disco
Again, ignore the baby word and you have a really zany disco with
objects such as little animals bouncing around, even a set of motor
bikes roar and whirling around the screen. Sounds are very loud and
authentic.
Move fingers across the screen, like a dancer on a disco floor, touch on
the 6 buttons, each playing a different sound. Every time a sound is played pictures
of what the sound represents, emerge and fly. Shake the tablet and it makes a rattle
sound. A quick intense shake and the level changes so that new sounds are loaded into
the buttons on the virtual disco floor. Love it!
Peke plus lite
A drawing app with an unusual twist. As colours and marks are made on
the screen, a noise accompanies them. It changes when the colour or
marks are changed. Try keeping a finger on the screen and hear the
noise that emerges.Terrific.
Sleepy moon
An interactive lullaby story with quiet sounds and a humming voice.
Good for tracking as a sheep walks slowly across the screen from right
to left. Touch the sheep and it makes a noise. Look in the bushes and
find little animals hiding, tap them and a simple game plays.
Seuss band
Lovely Dr. Seuss nonsense with clear sounds and a zany instrument to
play in the lite version.Well worth buying for the full story.
Baby view lite
Clear striking images against a plain background, linked to strong
sounds. High contrast as well as b/w images ~see the ladybirds click
their wings as they move around, easy to track and follow. Tap on the
square image and it turns into large contrasting shapes with ploppy
sounds, to accompany the growing shapes.
More General Apps
Morfo ( free)
This is a fascinating app with faces that can be morphed, changed and
decorated realistically. Ideal for learners who need to improve their
awareness of facial emotions. Use Morfo to turn a face into a talking,
dancing, crazy 3D character! There are also 6 ready made characters
to use already up and running in the app.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
8
Toca kitchen monsters
A new app from the Toca Boca people, really crazy and fun. The
graphics are clear and modern. The monsters choose ingredients for
their meals from the fridge door. I have just microwaved a sausage for
one of them, taken it out of the oven and carefully inserted it in his
mouth!
Jiggle balls HD lite
This is one of a series of apps to do with balls of all descriptions. It
works simply, tap the screen and a ball appears. The more taps, the
more balls appear.Tilt and shake the iPad and the balls move, jiggle and
make clear jiggle sounds as they bump together. Very addictive. Try to
fill the whole screen with balls! Change the colour, speed and size of the balls to
extend the app. Try the other versions below:
Jiggle Christmas
Jiggle balls studio
Jiggle balls spike
Meet Biscuit
Biscuit is a little yellow puppy and the story is about how he got his
name. There is a hidden ball on every page, access to a colouring book,
stickers, memory games and puzzles. The story is simple, readable with
clear, attractive drawings with a girls’s voice for auto play. A favourite
for younger readers.
Talking skeleton
Another app that has a talking character, this time a rather wicked
skeleton who reacts very realistically. He dances when tossed a bone or
eats a pumpkin thrown at him. He talks back if you so wish! I love his
gold tooth!
Ice age village
This follows the squirrel with the acorn, famous in the first Ice Age
movie for creating an avalanche of snow. The story line has games to
play along the way, I cannot quite follow it yet, but love the snowy, icy
backgrounds that can be pinched to enlarge. The story follows a sloth
who is looking for a new home.......
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
9
Tumble vision
What a treat, this is a kaleidoscope that uses natural images such as
butterflies and fish to create beautiful moving images.There are
different kaleidoscopes including Angelica ( angels) and glacial ( ice).
This app would project well onto a screen. Choose music from your own
music stored on iTunes to match the moving images. More images can be bought at
iTunes.
Particlescape
This app consists of abstract particles which are fluorescent in hue.
The hue, movement and gravitational strength ( mmmm, I wonder what
that means) can all be altered. It is up market as it enables 2
simultaneous touches on the screen, interactions rule okay.
A few new communication apps of interest
I have held back on recommending communication apps and their usefulness until I
have more info from the workers at the coalface (you!) as to what will suit special
learners. Communication apps will be reviewed in depth, in the first edition of
Info Exchange, my new online multi sensory and apps magazine. Out in September
2012.
Say hi! AAC
This is a free communication and has potential for the most special of
learners. It was developed by the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, a
nonprofit organization dedicated to opening the world through
technology for those with spinal muscular atrophy and other physically
challenging conditions.
Visit www.theGSF.org for more information.
The developer says:
‘Say Hi! AAC is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and navigation
iPad application that brings the world of basic communication to people with severe
physical disabilities, limited movement, and/or challenged dexterity.
‘Install Say Hi! AAC on your iPad and create pages with groups of words or phrase
boxes. A page can contain up to nine boxes and a box can have any combination of
words, phrases, pictures, or recorded sounds. It is custom fit to suit specific needs
or situations.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
10
The next step is to install Say Hi! AAC on two additional iPod Touch or iPhone devices.
One device will act as the "mover" allowing the user to move between boxes. The
other device will function as the "selector" allowing the user to select the desired
box and "say" the associated word or phrase.
Launch Say Hi! AAC on your iPad and as long as all three devices -- the iPad, the
mover, and the selector, are on the same wireless network The app will then pair
them by prompting you to select which device will act as the mover and selector.
Grid Player
A free AAC communication app recently launched for a UK market. It is initially free
but there are upgrades for which you have to pay. The free version contains 3
complete grid sets, capela speech ( text to speech) and wonderful widget. Have a look
at the manual found at www.sensorysoftware.com/gridplayer
Choiceboard maker ( used to be called ‘picture card maker’)
A picture/sound maker that is so simple and easy to use. It took me
about 2 minutes to do a 4 box page.
Some communication apps that are new this year, take a dip....
Point to pictures
VAST autism 1
Ispeak button
Answers yes no HD
Click n talk
Yes-no
Functional communication system lite
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
11
A reminder~ Ian Bean and myself are running a series of
workshops on
‘IPads, apps and special learners’
This year, around the UK.
Comment from a delegate at a recent workshop:
’ My idea of Christmas is Ian and Flo rolled into one giant workshop’
This is the workshop!
Further details contact [email protected]
Visual apps article expanded from an article written for the
magazine
‘Eye Contact‘(April 2012, RNIB)
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
12
‘Learning to look, listen, play and have fun!
IPads ( and iPhones)are the most trendy and desirable piece of technology for any
youngster to use, no matter what special needs they have. Having an ipad makes
anyone the trendiest kid on the block. Use it anywhere, anytime, hold it as close to
your eyes as you wish, move it to the angle you see best, choose and enjoy the latest
visual games such as Crazy Birds or Uzu. Because of its sensitive touch screen, even
an unintentional swipe gives an instant reaction with a flash of dazzling light or a
raucous noise, for example.
The ipad itself has built-in adaptations to aid vision such as magnification, white-onblack page reversal, closed-caption reader and zooms up to 5 times normal size.Go to
settings to find out more
Before you think it, for the user who may throw the expensive ipad,there are
indestructible cases designed for the SAS available, that limit damage!
For the wobbly or frail hand, the X-band attaches to the ipad for a hand to slide
through and hold the ipad with ease, whist bringing it close to the eyes.
Apps are programmes that can be downloaded from the internet for use on an iPad
from the iTunes store. Androids apps for an android tablet ca be downloaded from
sites such as Google or Amazon. Three billion apps were downloaded onto iPads in
2011, wow!
There are ranges of apps that are visually compelling for practicing early,
visual, developmental stages of ‘learning to look’.These apps incorporate
movement, fluorescence, vivid high contrast and interesting and attractive
images. Most importantly, the visual aspects of apps link closely to a
multi sensory approach with excellent sound, movement, balance and touch
included.
For evaluating suitable visual apps, do include your wonderful teacher for the visually
impaired learner, they are the experts!
Also remember what you are looking for in contrast sensitivity for an individual:
•Acuity and colour, seen with the centre of the eye.
•Contrast, seen on the periphery or the edges of seeing.
•Field of vision, the entire area that is seen when eyes are fixed in one
position.
The following apps are samples, usually free to download, of what is on offer to
incorporate in visual programmes for ‘learning to look.' Ignore descriptors such as
‘tot’ or ‘baby,' they are usually abstract in content and okay for older viewers.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
13
Visual attention
Clear black and white moving images capture visual attention. Here are some to
attract and delight.
Last fish lite
This is for students who need black and white moving images but in a
simple game form. Tilt the little white fish around the grey sea to eat
food to gain health. Watch out for balls of black goo which are toxic and
should not be touched.There are also corrupted fish which might just
catch the fish too. Atmospheric sound track
Baby see
This app offers a series of contrasting b/w gently moving images the
speed of movement can be changed. Developed by parents and
psychotherapists.
Baby look faces
High contrast patterns and shapes from a UK developer.
The ‘Baby Look! ‘Series covers simply drawn faces which giggle and move
when swiped. There are also apps in the series with black/white spots,
patterns, tickles and peekaboo.
Go to their website www.meandthegiants.com to see them all.
Sound Drop is an eye catching app with a range of tinkly sounds and a
dropper which creates small balls, that drop from the top of the screen.
The user touches the screen to draw lines to catch the balls and create
a tinkly tune.
Piano Pups
Is free, simple and engaging with a keyboard composed of spotty dogs
who bark out a tune as the user taps on them. Each bark is very
distinct.
Gravity maze
Another student game in which little fluffy space blobs try to find fuel
for their space ship to go home .Just tilt the screen to and fro.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
14
A quickie~have a look at ‘light switch’( from the South Bank London)
so simple just click on and off........on, off, on, off, on, off great for
the obsessive compulsive or the artist ......
High visual discrimination backgrounds
Abstract, vivid, moving colours in an app, offer a startling intensity of colour to the
early visual learner. They demand visual attention and scanning to get the full visual
effect. Here are several to download.
Search on the iTunes store for ‘kaleidoscopes’ which are intense in colours,
movements and very attention grabbing.
Here are a few titles to start the hunt.
Kaleidoscope stereoscope-3D effect
Kale-transforms the camera images into kaleidoscopes
Kaleidic lite-fabulous!
Kaleidoballs free-uvl balls to move and then they become a
brilliant kaleidoscope.
Fluidity
This app has freeform flowing fluorescent colours controlled with
finger tips. It is just like a lava lamp with intense neon shades.
Balls
Balls has harp sounds linked to luminous, moving, balls that move and
duplicate when dragged with a finger-or a nose! As they collide or
bounce they create music.
Plasma globe
This is an interactive master piece, with electrical fluorescent bolts
that crackle and glow, whilst following fingertips.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
15
Visual tracking and scanning
For the learner who needs to learn how to track in many directions,with their eyes,
there are several pertinent apps for tracking bright lights linked to touch. Here are
three that are bright, moving and creative:
‘Free Candle’ flickers as you blow the candle. Blow until the flame
flickers out. Then swipe the screen to see a different type of candle to
extinguish.There is a choice of candles, very realistic, you can almost
smell the candle smoke!
Neon Draw
This art app has intense fluorescent colours and offers the user the
opportunity to create their own lines and track at their own pace. It is
strikingly vivid with choices of lines, colours and brush size.
Paint Sparkles Draw
This app links tracking to marks made by the user. It produces a perky
sound and shimmery, glittery sparkles that burst from the marks as they
are made. Quite gripping. The colour is announced as it is chosen, on
screen.
Motivating the learner
Early stages of ‘learning to look’ include the motivation of the learner to WANT to
look and then begin to engage and understand what they seeing. Games found on the
ipad are powerful and addictive, with stages of interaction to compel the viewer to
engage think and learn.
Here are several games with a wow factor but also practice visual tracking.
Splode
Splode has little, furry splodes falling out of the sky, try to pop them
before they reach the ground. Spooky music and exploding pop sounds
encourage the user. There are different levels of play.
‘Let’s Play With The Trains’ works with the user tracing a line with a
finger. The line then changes to a track and a loud noisy steam train
follows the track. Draw more tracks and different trains emerge.
Watch out for crashes!
Great for Thomas the Tank addicts........
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
16
‘Do The Roar’ is the famous Shrek who will roar for you only after
many taps that make him angrier and angrier until he ROARS! Clean
up the screen afterwards!
Light, touch and sound together-a multi sensory view
Smart tot rattle
Quite abstract so can be used with older humans. Very clear distinct
moving objects and sharp noises as they are moved around the screen.
Display times can be changed or sounds stopped.
Doodle sounds for ipad
Mind blowing sounds as marks and shapes are drawn or tapped on the
screen which has a black background. Change colours, shapes and line
thickness as well. Tremendous cause and effect and visually so clear.
Free at the moment but with ads on the screen that detract from the
effect.To buy ad free ( I have just bought it!) put in ‘peke paint plus
for ipad’ at the iTunes store.
Clean my screen lite
Sheer fun as the screen is rather blurry until Peppi the dog or Orson the
cat starts to lick the screen and reveal themselves! The full version has
11 cleaners including a manta ray!
Can knock down
This is the classic fairground game of throwing a ball to knock down tin
cans. Visual concentration is needed to aim the ball at the tin cans.The
ball rolls out at the bottom of the screen and fingers can flick it at the t
cans. The noise effects sound like the game is being played in the local
bar. An onscreen finger helps when you miss the cans, by pointing the right
direction to aim the ball. Simple but addictive.
Abby robots maker
Let your creativity run wild and create your very visual Robots to play with and
share with friends. Customized robots react to your finger motion by dancing
and making funny sounds.Create robot avatars by choosing from a range of
clearly patterned robot heads, arms, bodies and change the scenery. The noises
are really spaced out. Save or share the finished robot online.
Flo Longhorn
May 2012
Flo Longhorn
‘My favourite apps for special learners’
List 4
Emergent literacy & ABC apps from UK developers or
using a British accent
Flo Longhorn
September 2012
There are 3 previous lists of ‘my favourite apps for special learners’ .These will be
reviewed and re-listed in January 2013, in the new online magazine to commencing in
2013.
ABC enjoy!
[email protected]
Emergent literacy and ABC apps from UK
developers or using a UK accent
Flo Longhorn
September 2012
Introduction
The following set of apps are for special learners who are at the emergent stage of
learning to communicate, read, write and who enjoy a good interactive story. The apps
cover phonics, ‘look and say’ and stimulation methods of beginning to read. Do not
forget that communication is also an essential part of literacy, from simple
interactions to symbol recognition. Learning at early literacy levels demands a multi
sensory approach, using the senses to begin to read. Multisensory literacy
approaches can be found in my ‘Literacy for very special people’ book.
Although the UK has taken a very focussed approach to emergent reading, with a
formal prescribed phonics approach, the reader should ensure that this is the right
approach for special learners. They may need a combination of exciting approaches
to progress with success and confidence. For example, a learner with hearing
impairment, visual impairment or at a simple developmental level will need a
combination of approaches. This would be though a personal literacy programme,
tailored to their requirements. Remember, the result should be a confident reader of
the world that surrounds them, for everyday life and leisure.
Where to find emergent literacy and ABC apps
There are many literacy apps in the iTunes store. This guide covers a range of ABC
apps that have a British accent or have a Uk developer. This ensures that these
special learners have just one set of sounds to learn with a familiar accent. Some are
free or lite to enable a sample to be tried before deciding to purchase, or not.
This does not mean that there are not other excellent ABC literacy apps out there.
For example, have a quick look at
GoodnightABC
‘“This iPad education app stands out as one of the best in what it does”
Crazy Mikes Apps review on youtube.
[email protected]
Sound and vision apps for emergent readers
Whilst ABCs seem a long way ahead for very special learners, or the early
years child, there are many excellent opportunities for them to access exciting and
enticing sound and vision apps. Opportunities to react to a range of sound and visual
experiences should take place within the context of a strong multisensory education.
Below is a carefully selected list of very simple sound and visual apps. They are in no
particular order, the learner will soon indicate their favourites and show the way
forward! They require the simplest of movements from swipes to taps, or a few
demonstrations to catch their attention.
Do not be afraid to try apps listed further on in this list. With very special learners
or very young learners, unpredicted, disconcerting encouraging things may happen
with a complex app.....
Refer also to the vision and sound chapters 3 and 5, in my book for further simple
sensory app ideas.
Beginning to read the world around
The following list of apps has the word ‘baby’ in the title, ignore this as they are
excellent for sound and vision at very early levels of development. Most are abstract
so do not offend the older learner but always check the app out before use.
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My baby firework
Baby view
Baby disco
Baby images
Love baby
BLtickle
BLshapes
BLface
BL2strings
BL2spots
BL2 grow
BLblocks
Baby’s first moo lite
Baby tap ding
Simple sound apps
Purrfect Xmas
Choose from 5 cats, stroke the fur that appears on the screen, it ripples
and the cat purrrrrrrrrrs.
Balloons pop!
A row of large balloons appear, swipe or tap and they pop.
[email protected]
Pocket guitar
The guitar strings appear, swipe and clear notes are heard. Can be changed
to a bass guitar or ukelele.
Drum master
Just tap or swipe the drums or cymbals and their noise is played clearly.
Pocket falls
Place your finger or hand in the rushing waterfall which covers the screen,
and this creates a different water sound.
Rain stick
Choose a back ground for the rain stick. Tilt the iPad and the rainstick
creates rain sounds.
Ratatap drums
Swipe to tap on drum kit to produce range of drum sounds. Drum sticks
appear to tap on the drums and cymbals.
Mugician
Swipe anywhere to create abstract notes and musical sounds. As the sounds
happen, the screen changes dramatically with special effects on the
fingertips as they tap.
Doodle sounds
Swipe and touch the screen, distinct marks appear which create very clear
distinct noises. Colours can be changed.
Beat forge
Moving lines of squares and zany music. Tap and more squares appear to
create different music.
Horn
Press the horn and blast!
Rubber Ducky
Many little ducky’s that quack when a hand is swiped across the screen
Sirens
Wakey wakey sirens!
[email protected]
Simple visual apps
The following apps are simple and visual, just swipe or tap
for stunning visual effects attractive to the visual system.
Some of the apps have sounds too. Go to ‘settings’ if you
wish to mute the sound or adjust the speed, for example.
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Anemone
Bloom
Cosmic top
Volt Lite
Ibeams lite
Particlescape
Gloop free
Colourful shapes in motion free
Firework
Random touch
Rattle
JB Christmas
Kaleido glow
Color dots
Art firework
iPads, Apps and Special Learners:
A-Z for Beginners
by Flo Longhorn
ISBN 10 955900 832
ISBN 13 978 0955900 839
Found at www.Amazon.co.uk
or
[email protected]
[email protected]
ABC apps
UK talking alphabet
All the letters (upper & lower case) of the alphabet are on one page. There is
a male UK accent, Duncan, pronouncing each letter with a tap on the screen.
Simple but effective.
Talking letters
This app presents letters of the alphabet that talk. Duncan is the male voice.
The letters are black with stick body parts.
Alphabet UK
This is an animated app book, spoken with a UK accent (young girl) . It
features animated pictures with an audio example for each one.
BritABC lite
Uk accent with female voice. The app has a simple layout of images with easy
navigation. Additional games are on the full app.
Alphababy free
Simply tap a letter and random shapes, letters or images appear as the
screen is tapped. Fast moving images and a zingy voice provide the experience
of a moving image linked to sound. Settings allow recording your own voice to
replace the voice on offer.
Touch Follow Alphabet
I love this one as it is visually clear and simple to follow.The letter appears in
white against a black background. Trace with a finger and bright colours fill
in the letter shape. A twang of a guitar indicates the finish. Upper and lower
case letters( there are other touch apps in the series such as ‘Touch Follow Numbers’)
Hairy letters
A crazy,funny alphabet app created by UK developer, Nessy. Interact with the
silly animations and trace the letter shape on the screen. A little hairy creature
shows the way.The letter sound comes to life with the animated
characters.There are games to blend sounds into first words. Lower and upper
case letters are introduced in six colour coded stages.Well worth buying, my favourite!
Alphabet tracer
This app covers shapes, sounds, and signs of the alphabet. There is a UK voice
option with a selection of voices and British sign language.There is also a phonic
choice.The interface is friendly with large buttons and colour choices for the
user. Shake to erase. Looks good!
English alphabet rap from Thrass UK
free with a lively rap!
[email protected]
ABC Expedition
This is whacky fun with posh UK accents.Captain Wallace goes to the zoo on an
alphabet expedition, zany animals to discover.The art work is original and
animated for each letter. Pick a letter, tap the sound and word and they are
spoken with adult or child’s voice. and a quirky animated animal ( some fish in there as well)
appears and makes suitable animal noises .The sound and word is repeated. There are user
friendly large buttons to use and clear drawings.
Customer comment from iTunes
‘Packed full of wonderful design humor and learning this is by far the bestABC app on the
iTunes app store to date.’
ABC phonics rocks
This app introduces the phonetic sound of each letter which are drawn as stick
people. Not too sure if it is UK but sounds reasonable. In the letter section,
touch the letter, which animates as it is pronounced.
The word section is more difficult with a picture appearing from a word family such
as ‘fox’ and the word is spoken. If correctly spelt, the little stick letters have a dance!
Road Block
This is terrific, modern and cool fun .The Fab-Phonics are a young team of
superheroes and 'Road Block' with Babybot, a super-strong robot baby!The road
is blocked! Can you help Babybot to clear the road? Tap on the missing letter to
identify the middle vowel sound and complete the words.Pictures and sounds help
the listener.The app contains over 75 words, with colourful illustrations and sounds. It
focuses on building fluency in reading and spelling simple, three letter, consonant, vowel and
consonant words.Other apps include ‘where’s whats it’ ‘up, up and away’ and ‘space blaster’.
Learn English kids phonics
Made by the British Council. Learn how to speak and spell English words with
super space spies Sam and Pam.The phonics are contained in a set of interactive
stories designed to help children who are learning to read and speak English.Based
on the UK phonics programme, ‘Letter and Sounds’, the app uses phonics to develop
reading and spelling focussing on a different set of sounds in each story. Collect all the
stories to learn the sounds of English.
ABC magnetic alphabet free
The good feature about this ABC is the satisfying clunk as the magnetic letter
is placed on the board. There are very simple clear ABC letters, nothing to
confuse the learner, no sounds or distracting visuals or yells of joy, just the
ABC. It is a fascinating favourite for special learners because of this.The full
version has more than 1,000 magnets.
Mr Phonics letters and sounds
Very popular in the UK, it has 70 literacy videos using the UK synthetic phonics
approach to reading. Covers a b c d e f ff g h i j k ck l ll m n o p qu r s ss t u v
w x y z ch sh th ng ai ee igh oa oo oi or ar er ur ow ear ure air.
[email protected]
ABC pocket phonics
This app follows the synthetic phonics approach with letters, sounds, writing
and first words.This is a substantial app and well worth buying for in depth
work in this phonic area. If in use in a school setting. A free guide can be
ordered from the app.
Kids can spell animals
This is a simple spelling game, naming animals who appear in a realistic
background. The 26 animals are interactive. The writing of the words is done in
cursive writing.
English animal alphabet for kids
This app is excellent for the more advanced reader and writer. It has an animal
alphabet with fun animated animals. The child’s voice is clear as they read a
sentence containing the letter of the alphabet. To copy the cursive ABC letter,
press the image at the top of the page. There is a visual description of what to do. The only
draw back is a lined background which may be intrusive to those who need clear visuals.
School fonts
This is a very detailed app for learning to write ABC ( fonts approved for use in
UK schools) and was devised by teachers. It covers early writing to adult
education.
It is possible to trace and record audio answers to teacher created audio
questions and to customize all content including images, sounds and teacher tracings. Spelling
lists, sight words and other content can also be created. It also offers management of
multiple profiles with the students tracing and audio recordings sent to a webpage at the end
of a completed session, for observation by the teacher. Sounds quite impressive!
Push and learn
This app was devised with the help of an occupational therapist and is simple to
use. It is designed to allow only one button to be pressed at a time and filters
out other touches. There are multiple sets of illustrated buttons ( animals,
musical instruments and vehicles so far) to explore, speaking the name of each
back to them, in a child’s voice.
Lexi English
This is a vocabulary builder app for the ipad.The words have clear pictures with
UK voices, both male and female.
ABC train free
A noisy train pulls the letters of the alphabet into view.
Alphabelch
And don’t forget the amazingly rude ABC book Alphabelch~ my favourite! A
book about burps!
[email protected]
A few interesting quickies, well worth a look on iTunes
ABC train free
ABC with UK accent
Brit ABC lite
Letter peek
Below are some amazing, interactive books and stories to make ABCs and reading really
exciting. They are either read with a UK accent or have a theme that will appeal. Enjoy!
Don’t forget to have the real book available. Be adventurous and create some artifacts to go
in a story sack to complete the experience.
Interactive books and stories
The following book and story apps are described in
‘Apps, iPads and special learners: an A-Z of resources’
Pages 94 to 98
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A present for Milo
A story before bed
ABC lite
Dr. Seuss
Arthur turns green
Bartleby’s book of buttons
Bunny fun: head, shoulders, knees and toes
Count the animals
Cozmos day off lite
Green eggs and ham
Hide, run and growl
Lola and Fred
Meet Millie
Millie's book of tricks and treats
Millie and the lost key
Mickeys spooky night puzzle
Moo, baa, la la la!
Moonfell wood
Nighty night!
Pat the bunny
[email protected]
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Sir Charlie Stinkysocks and the really big adventure
Snow White HD
Strange Sam: musical animated dinosaur book
The little mermaid and other stories
The night before Christmas pop-out
The velveteen rabbit
The wolf and the seven little sheep
Three little pigs and the secrets of a popup book
Toy story read along
Toy story 3 read along literacy stories and books
Here are details of a range of excellent books by Allan Penderleith,script writer for Noddy,
Thomas the tank and more.....all read with a UK accent including a scottish twang.
The smelly sprout
- best read at Christmas time, remember to have real sprouts on hand.....
The Chicken and the egg
Wonderful because the chicken is called Flo and it is a really good story!
Polly Poodles noisy book
a simple sound effect book with surprising sounds.
And there is the android app’ Tommy’s talking bottom’ which seems to be too rude
for iTunes, shame on them!
The Chocolate princess
The story line is excellent for those who love chocolate, have some ready for the
story line, makes a good drama!
Tickle finger in the jungle
Tiny Tinga is a little monkey who takes the reader on a ticklish interactive
journey through the jungle
Tickle finger under the sea
Tiny Tinga goes under the sea for his journey this time, great for more tickles
and concentrated tickling of the monkey!
[email protected]
More ABC story and book apps
The little Fox music box
This is a gorgeous,, funny app that can be viewed on many levels.The excellent
interactive sets are designed by Oscar nominated Heidi Wittlinger.The music is
composed of tunes such as ’Old McDonald’ but are such fun, even has a karaoke
section and a Fox sound studio to extend the app. Customer comment on iTunes
’From the first moment this I have sat with a big grin on my face. Its absolutely
beautiful and `I love exploring each page and finding new things to click on’
Emily’s granddad aged 61 and 3/4’
Harold and the purple crayon
This app is a simple as can be, follow the purple crayon and help Harold on his
interesting journey. This classic story was written in the 1950’s by Crockett
Johnson. The first part of the app teaches how to help Harold with simple clear
uncluttered illustrations to follow.
This ‘traditional storyteller series’ of apps is produced in the UK, read by a variety of male
and female storytellers, and has won the UK education resource award 2012. There are a
series of stories and each app includes:
• A classic tale from around the world
• A map game
• Listen and repeat game
• Tell your story game
• Best bits selection
The stories include;
• The great turnip
• Three little pigs
• Too much talk
• Anoncie and the drum of common sense
• How the elephant got his trunk
Customer comments on iTunes
‘very well told and just the right length’ ‘We loved the expressions and enthusiasm of the
storytellers’.
There’s a monster at the end of the book
and
(turn the page)
[email protected]
There’s another monster at the end of the book
Both books are winners of best book app awards and feature the classic Sesame
Street books with an interactive experience that includes all the characters,
including Grover. It has a simple point and touch approach.
Spike and orange ball ( free at the moment July’12)
I really enjoyed this simple storytelling app produced by Allan walker, a true
tale about a dog’s best friend who is separated from his toy but joyfully
re=united at the end. Spike reads the story to you with a deep manly voice.
Where do balloons go?
Written by Jamie Lee Curtis, it follows the balloon’s journey around the world
when it is released from a little boys hand. Good illustrations that are animated
when touched.
Edsels Mcfarlan’s new car lite
Gorgeous illustrations, read with a USA male accent and a good story line.
Brave Rooney
iPhone mom says
“Brave Rooney was written by Gerry Renert, an award winning and Emmy
nominated children’s television writer. He’s tapped into this familiar worry, “Will I
fit in?” and he presents it in a humorous way that I think children will really understand and
relate to. I know my kids did! This story is a winner for back to school or any time of the
year!”
Yuckles 1
Read with a growly Australian accent and a sense of great humour. Not for the
faint hearted, its full of all the rather rude language children love but does have
a good ecological slant too! I love the grubby illustrations too....Free (August’12)
Tickle stomp
The developer says ‘read in the Queens English’ so it is a winner! Free( August
2012) In this edition, Miss Moo has lost her Moo and she needs some help from
her friends to find it! Learn about friendship, imagination, and exploration as
Fancy the Precocious Kitty starts adventuring, Puddles the Puppy Puddler is puddling, Smarty
the Know-it-Owl enjoys reading, and the Nutty Squirrel is causing problems. Miss Moo the
Mooless Cow needs your help,!
My underwear
An app to accompany Todd Parr’s book ‘Underwear: do’s and don’ts’
Its terrific and just out in the UK.
[email protected]
More advanced readers ( and adults!)may enjoy:
The land of me (Free July 2012).
This is a UK voice with an interactive story, where the reader chooses the
way the story will go. When the story is chosen, it appears in chalk drawings
on the wall of the storytellers cave. Produced by Penguin books.
Colin rescues Skippy-written by Catherine Shaw ( free July 2012)
This is a traditional story book with turning pages and UK spoken narrative.
The story line follows the rescue of a seagull and its return to the wild. Very
interesting for the ecological strap line and good clear images.
Real Pinocchio
This traditional story has 236 pages with many interactive pages. Quite a
marathon of a book following the traditional tale, interspersed with old
fashioned illustrations which are animated. A good long read!
Tin Tin the game
A very popular games app that follows an original TinTin story line. The
animations are superb based on Speilberg’s film, and there are opportunities
to learn about interactive gaming.
This app has legs
This is based on the book by Scott Mendin ‘What if everything had legs?’.
A quirky,funny modern story with legs being made in a leg factory and
attached to the oddest of objects, need I say any more?
Rockfords rock opera
An elaborate app that is really a musical app, great for the teenager who
likes modern music. Rockford’s Rock Opera isa story about extinction backed
by environmental organisations, but it is also a tale of hope and happiness.
Created by Elaine and Matthew Sweetapple and written by BBC comedian,
Steve Punt, Rockford's Rock Opera is supported by the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) who say :‘Rockford's Rock Opera is a thought provoking and heart warming story that
not only provides wonderful, musical entertainment for all ages, but also highlights
environmental issues in an engaging way.’
And the last two!
Free at the moment (September 2012) on iTunes, most of the Collins Big Cat
reading series ( UK) including ‘the bike ride’ ‘playing’ and ‘at the dump’. Catch
them while you can!
Beau crow greedy crow
-Just out ( August 2012) and a fun story for younger readers.
[email protected]

final apps May free 2012

Transcription

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