Literacy Apps & Ideas
This is a brief list of ipad literacy ideas and apps I have previewed with students and have found worthwhile.  Please let me when you find wonderful apps for elementary age learners so I might add them to this list.
Have fun!
  •  Draw Everything! GLOW Note Free! (Free)

Type, draw and add shapes on note pages that can be saved. 

  • VisTimer by Mindfultools (Free)

Utilizes an animation  to depict elapsed time.  It provides a visual reminder of time remaining.  It has an optional early warning setting. The user can select the sounds and colors.

  • Beginning Sounds Interactive Game by Lakeshore Learning Materials ($ .99)

Match words that share the same beginning sound. User selects three sounds to play. Drag and drop format.

  • ABC Magic 3 Line Match by Preschool University (Free)

Draw lines to match initial sounds.  Two formats: pictures to pictures or letters to pictures.

  • Sound Beginnings by Preschoo lUniversity (Free)

This app helps build strong phonics skills and develops foundational reading skills through entertaining,interactive games.

  •  LetterSchool by Boreaal  ($2.99)

Awesome letter writing app with built in scaffolding for each letters practice. My only negative observation is the use of “xylophone” as the anchor word for letter X’s sound.  I have contacted the app developer about this concern.

  • I Can Alphabetics ($2.99)

Alphabetics was designed for children who are learning the alphabet. The app is based on a multi-sensory approach to learning--incorporating sight, listening, speaking and tactile features-- to teach phonemic awareness.

  • ABC Reading Magic 1 by PreschoolUniversity (Free)

Blending, segmenting and reading of short vowel words with three letters

  • Starfall Learn to Read (Free)

This app is identical to the popular beginning reader web site.

  • Fry Words by Innovative Mobile Apps (Free)

This flashcard app has two modes- learn and practice.  In the "learn" mode, the user can choose to have the words pronounced or not.  In the practice mode, the user has the option of selecting the pronounced word from a presented list of 2 to 5words.

  • English Words 1-300: Everyone Learns byTeacher Created Materials ($8.99)

This app offers seven interactive games and four learning activities designed to read and spell 300 of the most common high frequency words.  One can also purchase sets of 100 words for half the price.

  • ·A+ Spelling Test by Innovative MobileApps (Free)

The parent, teacher or older studentmust type and record spelling lists, which takes just a minute from prepared lists.Several activities plus a test tracks progress; reports can be emailed.

  • spel it rite pro ($ .99) for iPhones(works on iPads; formatted for iPhones)

This game has been designed to help you train your ability to recognize misspelled words. The user's objective is to identify typos as fast as possible. For each error, a penalty of 5 seconds is added to the total time. At the end of each round, the user is given the possibility of reviewing his or her results.

  • Spelling City by Spelling City (Free)

Easily create customized lists to suit any purpose.

  • Spellosaur (Free for up to 5 words for one user, $3.99 for full version- unlimited words & users)

This is a great app for practice withSpelling, High Frequency and Sight words. Spellosaur makes learning words interactive with a set of progressive games that help individuals learn the spelling of programmed words.   Students will listen and choose the correct word, complete the word by adding the missing letters, plus re-arrange the letters to make the word. Spellosaur has two voices to select from - English and US English - and a feature to record your own pronunciation if you wish. **I strongly suggest the teacher, parent or student record their own pronunciation of each word, sometimes the app’s pronunciation is inaccurate.  Students can also test themselves on their words by listening to the word and then typing it;  the app will report results.

  • Handwriting Without Tears: Wet Dry Try& Live Insights by NoTears Learning  ($4.99)*

This is an app version of the Handwriting Without Tearschalkboard slate; the app provides feedback to the student as they practicetheir letter writing skills. Perfect for pre-K and Kindergarten learners!

  • Use FACE TIME to allow your child to read to a family member or loved one
  • Use the video function of the camera to record oral reading.                                  
Activity example: This is great for repeated readings to promote fluency development! Record your child’s first reading of a text, allow time to read the text 2 more times (without recording) and then record the fourth reading.  Listen to both readings and see what changes your child notices!
  • Story Kit
  • Comic Life
  • Captions
  • Comics
  • Comics Creator
  • Superhero Comic Book Maker
  • Toontastic
  • Spelling Cat (Similar to Spelling City)
  • a b c  Pocket Phonics Lite (trial version of an app that costs $2.99)
  • MeeGenius (Library of books)
  • Show Me (interactive white board)                                           
Activity example: Great for writing a sight word, recording the oral spelling of the word and listening to personal recording while retracing the word in a new color.