Storybook apps for speech series: part 1

I am always trying to find a fun and motivating way to incorporate literacy activities into my speech sessions.  Now that I FINALLY have an iPad, I knew I had to do my research into some iBooks and storybook apps that would address a variety of skills and concepts.  Today I am going to highlight my first three!  I have freebies and a giveaway!

First on my list is the Ice Cream Monsters app by Erik X. Raj.  Doesn't all students love ice cream?

What goals can this app address:

• compare/contrast
• recalling details
• responding to wh- questions
• expanding vocabulary

Since this story is IDEAL for compare/contrast, I created a freebie to practice this skill utilizing the theme: ice cream!

Grab your copy of this freebie here!  Learn more about this $1.99 app at iTunes here!

My next app I would like to introduce is The Tree I See by Aridan Books.  This interactive book is adorable and teaches students great messages.  The developers of this app were generous to provide me with a copy.  This app was designed for students aged 3-8 to work on improving recall skills and working memory.  It teaches students about friendship and sharing through literacy. 

The story has adorable graphics and is told in a rhyme.  This is great for beginning readers to hear the rhyming to listen to same sound endings.  You can reward students for recalling details after each page by allowing them to press the various animals.  Students can also learn when they require repetition and can press to listen again. 

Some goals you can address with this app:

• Animal vocabulary
• Emotions vocabulary
• Cause/effect
• Improving pragmatic skills by eliciting conversation about friendship/sharing
• Recalling details
• Predicting outcomes
• Turn taking

One way I like to assess recall and comprehension is by providing students with an opportunity to show me what they remember.  I created a freebie worksheet that they can use to circle the animals they recall from the story.  Can they remember the order they came in?  Can you remember what they did in the story?

Grab your copy here!  Learn more about this $0.99 app here!

Last but not least: Counting with the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Night & Day Studios, Inc.  This app is great to use after reading the classic story by Eric Carle.  The game is by the creators of the app Peekaboo Barn.  This app has five levels of increasing difficulty:

• counting
• vocabulary
• quantity
• addition
• the game: this puts all the skills together with a time limit!

This app is great to reinforce recalling and comprehending The Very Hungry Caterpillar or to preteach the vocabulary before reading the story! 

What goals can this app address?

• expanding vocabulary
• following directions
• premath skills/curriculum vocabulary
• turn taking
• answering questions
• cause/effect

Learn more about the $1.99 app here!  The developers were generous enough to offer 5 app codes to lucky winners!! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway