Apps for Learning - Literacy - usage tips

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Muffet

Guidance on using “Apps for Learning” supports childhood literacy and language development through research-informed, flexible activities. It describes customizing sight-word practice, working in small word groups, and managing settings via the word list and send icon, including locking to prevent accidental edits. It also covers creating individualized short books from photos, recording sentences with highlighted words, and printing or emailing readers, plus practical troubleshooting like reducing distraction and improving usability directly on iPad.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Apps for Learning: literacy

Sight-word practice and customization

Word group learning approach

Settings, locking, and book creation

Apps for Learning: language, signing, following directions

Speech and voice options

Receptive and expressive language activities

Rewards and direction-following games

Apps for Learning: literacy This is an app that is designed for teaching sight words to children who have Down syndrome. It's based on solid research, and is ﬂexible enough that you can add your own words and pictures to target key vocabulary. Add personal words in groups of 4, working in topics, by going to the list and pressing the + icon at the top. Work in small chunks, matching and selecting each group of words. (rather than learning to match all the words, then trying to learn to read all the words.) To ﬁnd the app settings, go to the word list, then press the 'send' box in the top right corner. On the next page, settings will appear in the top right. When using, lock the app by holding the small padlock for 3 seconds so that it doesn't move accidentally. (Unlock the same way) This app is also specially designed for children who have Down syndrome. Some of the vocabulary and pictures from the words app above is put into short books, with lots of repetition. Again, its pretty straightforward to use pictures from the iPad photos to make individualised books, which can then be emailed or printed to use as readers. Tips: Although there are a few ready made books, the ideal is to use the format to make your own books. These could be early readers, vocabulary books or differentiated books about speciﬁc topics. This is a much cheaper book maker. There is a free version, which allows one picture toa page.The pro version is still very cheap, but allows up to six pictures on a page. (Six is probably too cluttered, but two or three is handy sometimes) The big advantage of this app is that you can record the sentences and have each word highlighted as it sounds (it takes a bit of ﬁddling around, but is quick and easy after the ﬁrst couple of times) It's not so easy to email and print, though, so is best used directly on the iPad. Tips: don't forget to lock books that you don't want small ﬁngers to edit! Apps for Learning: language, signing, following directions This app is designed by a speech and language therapist. It has options of Australian and English voices (though sadly not Irish!) It's a well thought out app, with receptive and expressive language elements. The expressive element is often missing in this kind of app, but here, children can make things happen, then describe what they did, and record their sentences to listen back. Receptive language is staged into the number of keywords the child has to process in order to carry out the instruction. There are built in game based rewards, which target colour, ﬁne motor skills, etc. This is a new, Irish app, designed for children who are using lámh signs. There is a sign dictionary, and some information about signing in the information section. The activities section involves following directions to look for an item, giving key vocabulary in context for home, school and playground. Tip: there is some additional vocabulary which maybe useful for school like days of the week and colours, so do look in the sign dictionary. It's possible to turn off the music in the settings, as this can be distracting. This is useful for other children to play, since if one child in the class signs, it is important for others to also learn, to increase communication opportunities. This is a relatively cheap American app, which targets following directions. There are settings where you can choose both the level (easy, medium, difﬁcult) and the type of activity. You can also switch on or off the "superstar"directions, where children are asked to recall the last instruction. Tip: when you are ﬁnding things for the boy or girl in the picture, not everything is visible, which can be frustrating! You need to scroll the items on the right to ﬁnd the others. Apps for Learning: vocabulary These are beautifully designed apps. Vocabulary is presented in categories, covering animals, insects, birds, transport and musical instruments. Although the ic

FAQs

How are sight words taught and customized in the literacy app?

The app teaches sight words for children with Down syndrome and lets you add your own words and pictures. Words are added in groups of 4 through the word list using the “+” icon, targeting key vocabulary.

What learning approach does the literacy app use for word groups?

It focuses on working in small chunks by matching and selecting each group of words. This avoids learning to match all words first and then trying to read them all.

How can the app be locked to prevent accidental changes?

To prevent accidental movement or edits, lock the app by holding the small padlock for 3 seconds. Unlock using the same method.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Muffet