Introducing! The Enchanted Dictionary App!

I was contact by a speech-language pathologist, Marg Griffin, who created with her husband an app series called Enchanted Dictionary!  She was generous enough to provide me with a copy of the app for grades 4-6 but she also has created one for grades 7-12!

This app was very easy to figure out and for a reasonable price of $1.99 it is very helpful for school-based SLPs working with students having difficulties comprehending academic vocabulary.

This app allows you to select a category from a wide variety of academic based lists.  You can select which words in the category you want to choose and even edit the definition to match textbooks, simply language, change wording around to truly determine understanding of word meanings.

Note the categories on the left!  Great for addressing common core standards!

Note how all of the words have checks, I did not eliminate any words from this list.

This is how you can edit a definition of a word already in the app!

By clicking the + sign, you can add a category or subcategory!  Want to review prepositions?  Can add them here!  Want to review meanings of various verbs?  Do it here!  If you click the + to the right, you can add words in the already created categories!  So easy, right?!

Once you are done setting up the word lists, click Play!  This game has cute graphics and looks like a book or dictionary.  The words of the definition are scrambled and the student must drag the words in order to the right hand side to create the definition.  When the words stop swirling, they are correct.

This app is just a great way to practice defining words without boring flash cards.  It helps students develop sentence structures while practicing their academic definitions.  You can take these same definitions and create a homework practice worksheet to help with carryover.  With the push towards common core, I think this app is a great way to incorporate classroom curriculum vocabulary into speech sessions.  You can review the vocabulary prior to using this app, make memory games using index cards and other drilling techniques.  You can use this app as a review or "quiz" to check and see if your students recall and comprehend the definitions.  Can they describe it to the rest of the group?  Can they use it in a sentence?  Those are some ideas to use as a follow up!

Although the app tells you at the bottom how many are correct and how many more words to go, it allows the student to keep trying until they are correct.  Therefore, there is no data collection or true score-keeping method.  You can time your students and see if their speed improves with each time they review the same vocabulary words.

Although this app is designed for one student at a time, you can take turns or have them work together to rearrange the words to create the definition.  Are they struggling?  How about writing the same words in index cards and have them move them around that way before putting their answers in on the app.  Don't want students sitting around getting bored while watching another student move the words around on the app, give the others index cards to try it out for themselves!  So many ideas!!  Can you think of more!!??

Want to learn more about this app??  Check out their website http://goldencommunicationsllc.com/ or learn more by viewing their You Tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXgDsqn9C2g.  This app should definitely be included on list of apps to suggest to parents!!