Four iPad Apps to Use with Beginning Literacy Learners Presenter: Meghan Boyle, Minnesota Literacy Council

Meghan Boyle, MA ESL Teaching Adult ESL since 2009 Level 1 ESL Teacher (CASAS 150 on 27/28 to 190 on 81/82) Minnesota Literacy Council’s Open Door Learning Center--Arlington Hills, East Side of Saint Paul Karen refugees from Burma, more Somali students recently Several LESLLA Learners (Literacy Education & Second Language Learning for Adults)--new to print literacy in any language, little to no prior education

Session Objectives: Participants will be able to... Articulate reasons for using iPad apps in a beginning literacy classroom Articulate ways to overcome obstacles to iPad use Use and select the most appropriate iPad apps for your individual beginning literacy students

Reasons to use iPad Apps: Research Potential to enhance emergent literacy skills such as letter name and sound, print concepts & phonological awareness Interactive activities address many learning styles—visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic Instant feedback Half of households have access to touchscreens (Neumann & Neumann, 2013) Phonological awareness: Parts of syllables, onsets and rimes whereas phonemic awareness is down to individual sounds

Reasons to use iPad Apps: My Observations Engaging Easily differentiated Self-paced Interactive Easy for students to navigate Reduces the fear factor around using technology

Reasons to use iPad Apps: Standards Northstar Digital Literacy (not specific to iPads) Demonstrate knowledge of keys on a keyboard. Drag and drop. Plug in headphones correctly.

Reasons to use iPad Apps: Standards College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS)--Reading Foundational Skills from MN Common Core RF.1. Print Concepts: Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print (K-1)* Understand the spoken to written language relationship Follow print from left to right, top to bottom, and page to page Recognize and name all upper and lower case Roman alphabet letters* Speak briefly--details on the handout

Reasons to use iPad Apps: Standards College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS)--Reading Foundational Skills from MN Common Core RF.3. Phonics and Word Recognition: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills (K-3) Know the primary or most frequent sounds for the 21 single consonants Associate short vowel sounds for the 5 major vowels Know letter-sound correspondences for common consonant blends/clusters (bl, st, ts, gr, dr, etc.) Know letter-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs (two letters make one sound) Speak briefly--details on the handout

Overcoming Obstacles Collect used iPads from staff, friends and volunteers Fundraiser: Give to the Max Day, Go Fund Me and the like Some apps are free No internet access needed once app is downloaded Abbreviate if most ppl have iPads in their programs

iPad use in Meghan’s classroom Twice a week for 40-50 minutes--20 to 25 minutes per app, some other uses Other alphabet and phonics work integrated into the course content Story Creator for special projects

Starfall Free Use with true beginners with no prior school experience Content: letter recognition, letter name, letter sound, upper and lower case As I demo, people can determine which CCR standards it addresses

PocketPhonics $6.99 (Lite version is free) Use with those who have begun to learn letter sounds Content: letter sounds, lower case, blend sounds to form words, write letters with finger, starts with consonants and short vowels and moves into digraphs Features: students’ names, and therefore, their progress, can be saved in the app

Spelling Magic 1 Free Use with those who have begun to learn letter sounds Content: use letters and sounds to form CVC words Features: Real pictures Differentiate for various levels Word Building: arrange three letters Moveable Alphabet: choose three letters from the entire alphabet to make a CVC word Available word lists use a single short vowel sound, or all are mixed together in the shuffle setting

Story Creator Free All students can use this app Content: simple, icon-based app that allows students to produce digital books Features: use student photos, record student voices

Time to try it yourself! You’ll find the apps in these folders: Literacy: Starfall and Pocketphonics Spelling: ABC Spelling Magic 1 Create & Show: Story Creator

Final thoughts Which apps can you envision using in your classroom? How often would you use them? During what parts of your week or in what situations?