Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Splingo - iPad App Review



Splingo's Language Universe is a following directions/complex language app.  It asks children to either make a choice or follow a 1 step direction.  The alien has an "alien" voice that my children are having an easier time listening to than I am.


Before starting the game, the you an select the number of Nouns, Verbs, Prepositions and Adjectives.  It have some simple objectives that are great for lower/younger students, but it also has some more complex ones that I've been using with some sixth graders.  I really like that kids have to listen to the entire direction, not just try to pick out one or two key words in order to follow it. 

One big surprise was working on possessives in this app.  The app will show 2-4 items next to a person/animal and ask to find "the mommy's box" or to move something into/behind ect the mommy's box.
Touching Splingo at the bottom of the screen will allow him to repeat the direction.


As kids play the app keeps track of points.  You get more points for answering on the first try, and after 3 or 4 tries on one direction you only get 5 points.  After they are done playing kids can enter their name on the high score board.

The app is not only for following directions, it's organized into a game!  After every three responses kids get to complete a task to help Splingo get home.  After a task is completed they get to watch a short video of Splingo traveling to the next planet or level (5 in all).  The tasks are: assembling the rocket, fueling the rocket, collecting friends, collecting snacks and collecting activities.  Kids only need to touch something to add it to the rocket and are quickly back to following directions.


My kids are having fun with it, but it's therapy targets are closer to listening for details and understanding adjectives, prepositions and possessives rather than following directions.  I really wish there were some two or three step directions or that the number of steps in a directions could be selected. 


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