8 Fantastic Language Arts Apps for Elementary Students
Kids love to use technology, but what apps are worth buying? Are the free ones worth downloading? It takes so much time to research all of the options! To help save you time, I have reviewed eight fantastic language arts apps for upper elementary and middle school classrooms. Some of them are free, while others are paid.
Each review explains the pros and cons of the app, as well as the apps cost and availability.
Reading Comprehension Prep by Peekaboo Studios LLC
Cost: Sampler is Free; $3.99 for paid versionAvailability: Apple & AndroidFocus: Reading Comprehension for Grades 3 - 5.Review:The free version is just an introduction - only 4 stories per grade (2 fiction, 2 nonfiction). Full app versions are available for grades 3, 4, and 5. The paid versions include 20 different reading passages. Each passage has a comprehension quiz. The full apps have student tracking, so teachers could use the app results for reading data.One of the things I really liked about the app was how the questions were scored. Students are immediately told if their answer is correct. For both correct and incorrect answers, the text evidence is shown so readers can see exactly how the answer was found in the text. This is a fantastic app for students who need more reading support.
Simplex Spelling
Cost: $4.99/each or $13.99/bundle of 4 appsAvailability: AppleFocus: Spelling & Phonics, various levelsReview:There are many things I like about these apps. As a teacher, I appreciate being able to set up multiple users on the apps and track their progress. On most of the apps, students can also take a placement test and skip levels they have mastered. Also, the apps are broken down into specific phonics lessons, and the rule is explained at the start of each one. As students work on a lesson, they practice words focused on that specific rule. Finally, the app has built in review sessions, forcing students to spiral their learning.As far as using this in older grades, I think these apps could be used to support students who are weak in phonics or even ESL/ELL students. This company has other apps that would allow teachers of lower grades to use this program with students of all levels. However, teachers cannot import a spelling list - you must use the words in the app. Another drawback was that the user has to hear the app really clearly. The speaker will say a word and use it in a sentence, and then the student needs to spell the word. There is a button to repeat the word, but it seems like the user almost has to use a headset to make sure he or she hears the app.
Grammaropolis
Cost: $3.99/Buy Everything App Bundle, Website has various fee levels.Availability: Apple, Android, and WebsiteFocus: Parts of Speech/GrammarReview:I really like this app - a lot. It may be a little corny for 5th grade and up, but at least it isn't the same old skill and drill you find on most grammar apps. This app includes videos, stories, and songs for each part of speech. Students can select a part of speech and work through all of its lessons. For example, each section begins with an explanation of the part of speech, including the specific types (nouns, collective nouns, abstract nouns, etc.) At the next stop, a music video of the part of speech is played, then a three question review quiz is given. Students continue to advance and watch a variety of songs, stories, and quizzes until they earn the badge.Again, I believe this a terrific app for learning the parts of speech. The app has built in reviews, so students spiral their learning. I also like that the quiz scores are posted at each stop so the teacher can quickly see if the student had trouble with a specific concept. The cons are that it would probably seem kiddish to older students, even if it would help them with the concepts. The other drawback is that the app can only track one user, so classroom teachers or homeschool parents wanting to track multiple students would have to pay for the website - which was much pricier.
Language Arts Apps by Always Icecream & Clever Dragons
Cost: $1.99/each or apps are available in various bundlesAvailability: AppleFocus: English Language ArtsReview:These are good solid apps. I would use these for concepts I had already taught but wanted my students to keep reviewing. Each app has a variety of questions, and the questions scramble as quizzes are replayed. The questions give immediate feedback - if the wrong answer is selected, the app shows the correct answer. It also has built in review levels that students must do in order to keep advancing.There are some drawbacks on these apps. Although I think they are a solid review of the concepts, there is no teaching built in. That isn't really a problem, but teachers would have to know what all would be reviewed in the app before assigning it to students. The other con is that all of the apps are exactly like this - same basic quiz format. So although the material is good, I would imagine it would get a bit boring if students were using a lot of these apps. In my research, I found that this company has an entire website aimed at homeschoolers. I did not review the website, but I saw that it does allow teachers/parents to set lessons and levels. Although the apps are fine on their own, I wouldn't assign more than one at a time due to the repetitiveness
Smashing Grammar by Fairlady Media
Cost: $2.99Availability: AppleFocus: Parts of Speech/Grammar & SpellingReview:This is just a good old-fashioned arcade game that incorporates educational material. It is actually pretty tricky, even if you know the concepts! Again, this app has minimum "teaching" in it, but it is a fantastic review. It has six different categories: nouns, verbs, syllables, spelling, verb tenses, and plurals. Each category has its own crazy theme, which keeps the game engaging by mixing it up. As students play and level up, the games increase in difficulty. On level one, students might be given two choices, but in higher levels there are four or more and they pop on and off the screen much faster. In addition, players can score points by collecting coins or hearts - but avoiding the bombs. The games have a high score board like arcade games.I don't think this app really has a con, unless your student just hates arcade games. Again, I would be sure to teach the concepts first, because the only concept review in the app itself is a quick four example video before the game starts. If you just want a fun and educational app to entertain your students, this may be what you are looking for!
Mad Libs
Cost: Free, can buy add-on packs in the appAvailability: Apple & AndroidFocus: Parts of Speech/GrammarReview:I used this in my fourth and fifth grade classrooms, and students loved it. If you have ever bought a book of Mad Libs, this app is exactly like that. It tells the user to type in a particular type of word until all of the blanks are filled, and then it gives you a crazy story. The app has a few advantages over the books. Obviously, the stories can be reused - big advantage. However, the best thing about the app is that it gives players hints. If you don't remember what a noun is, move the head to the left and it will give you the definition, then scroll through possible words. Move the head to the right and it will drop down possible words to use. I pulled out this app whenever we had a random few minutes to fill - like at the end of the day while waiting for dismissal. Just use a projector to show the screen on the board and randomly call on students to give you words. My classes loved it!Again, there really isn't a drawback other than you almost have to buy an add-on pack to play. If I remember correctly, the app only had 1-2 free stories in otherwise.
Shake-A-Phrase
Cost: $1.99Availability: Apple & AndroidFocus: Story Starters & Parts of SpeechReview:Shake-A-Phrase has three settings: Shake It! (Silly Sentence Generator), Story Starters, and Quiz Me! Students can also select a specific theme, such as fairy tales or sports, and the app will integrate those themes into the crazy sentences it generates. The app will also allow users to save a favorite silly sentence. A pro on this app is that teachers can select which parts of speech are reviewed by the app.This app is pretty silly, but I could see using it in different ways. If you wanted a random story starter, it will make one for you - so you don't have to try to think of something. However, some of the sentences are so bizarre that you may be shaking for new sentences a few times before you pick one. I do really like the Quiz Me! game. The app puts up a crazy sentence and tells which part of speech you need to select. As the user selects the correct words, the are highlighted green. When all of the words are found, the other words disappear and another sentence come up.One drawback is a lot of the vocabulary words are pretty high, so it would be hard for weaker readers. The biggest problem for a classroom use is that it is a one user app - you cannot set up users, so even if you wanted to differentiate, you would have to run over and do it when the student begins using the app.
What apps do you use in your language arts classroom? Do you and your students have a favorite?Comment below!