26 October 2014

Verb Quest (app review & giveaway!)

Smarty Ears has done it again!  They are on the move and have started creating new apps again!  I am so excited!  I got to check out their newest one, Verb Quest, to share with all of you!  They were also so generous to provide me with ANOTHER copy to give away!!

This app uses a cute wizard theme.  I love Harry Potter so this alone made me happy!

Like all other Smarty Ears apps, you can import players from their FREE Therapy Report Center app, or just add right onto the app itself.


When you add a player, you can select a picture or an avatar.

Here is a view of the settings you can alter to meet your needs:
 You can also modify the settings while in the activity.

Once you are ready, click the desired students/players, and click "play."  You can then select or adjust the activity level for the players.  Just click "modify" to do so.  Here you can select the levels.  You can see which ones were played already, set ones to "on" and others to "off."


For level 1:

  • simple present tense
  • simple past tense
  • simple future tense (regular)
  • present, past, and future
  • irregular present tense
  • simple present - to be
  • irregular verbs - past tense
  • future tense - irregular verbs
  • present tense - to be (was/were)
  • present participle - irregular
  • present/past/past participle
  • present and past progressive
  • modals
  • negative modals
  • present perfect regular and irregular
  • past perfect
  • future perfect
  • tense shift 1
  • tense shift 2
  • gerunds, infinitives, and participles
I love the progression laid out, on simple to more complex/abstract concepts.   Note, you can only work on 1 concept at a time per student (which I like)!

Check out what simple present tense looks like:

For this activity, students are presented with a picture, a cloze sentence and 2 choice answers.  They are also presented with the cloze sentence as an audio.  They can click "hint" if desired.  This just moves the correct answer into the space in the cloze sentence.

Students get to move their wizard along the top, see their accuracy in the bottom left corner, and can record their productions of their new created sentences after they select the appropriate verbs.  This is great to get receptive and expressive use of the targets.

If incorrect, students get a sound, and can correct their responses, which I love!   I love that the app allows you to select the pace and doesn't move onto the next picture/prompt until you tap the app.

Once you complete a level, students are congratulated!  You are prompted to either try a few more on this level (great if you think your students needs more practice) or move onto the next level.

At any time,  you can click "done" and you are brought to the report cards page.  Just click the student to see the reports.  As you can see you can see the awards and reports.  As students play, they get "awards."  My students LOVE seeing themselves get awards in the Smarty Ears apps.  They get such a kick outta it!


The progress reports log the date, current level and skill worked on, and you can see if hints were used too!  You can sort by session or by level.  You can easily share (print, email) for safe keeping.

What I love about this app:
  • Easy to use and navigate
  • Follows the same formats as other Smarty Ears apps which is nice
  • Students are rewarded nicely and is motivating
  • Cute graphics
  • TONS of targets addressed
  • Can work on only 1 at a time for constant drilling of the verb target
  • Multi-player
  • Data collection, progress monitoring, and saves data
  • Can easily change settings to meet your needs
  • "Hint" button teaches students to "ask for help"
  • Can move at your own pace
  • Receptive and expressive features
Learn more about this $19.99 app by visiting iTunes!

Now you can enter to win a copy for yourself below!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 comments:

  1. I like to use cards of verbs regarding classroom actions and then using the cards as prompts in the classroom to describe who is verbing.

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  2. No glamour grammar, super duper decks, other verb apps, and loads of TpT materials! Thanks, great review!

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  3. I like to give students verbs that they can act out. Then have them use the verbs in sentences to tell what they will be doing, what they are doing, and what they have done to work on all tenses.

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  4. I like using the cards but they are sometimes a hassle transporting between schools. My students would love using this app while we target their goals.

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  5. I use flash cards or, with my older students, just orally (e.g., "Everyday I teach, yesterday I...").

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  6. I use picture cards, stories, and iPad apps.

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