Mrs. Clipp, Mrs. Gorenflo and myself sat down a few weeks ago to discuss iPad usage in Mrs. Clipp’s class. They shared with me that often times they think that the iPad station becomes nothing more than a game station. They didn’t feel like the students were having meaningful experiences while working with the iPads. I am sure we can all get into this sort of rut when it comes to the iPads. The kids are bouncing from app to app and not really completing any one task. I shared with Mrs. Clipp the directions for using Guided Access. If you aren’t familiar with Guided Access it allows you to “lock” the iPad in a certain app and the kids aren’t able to leave this app. It helps with the wandering and app bouncing.
Then Mrs. Clipp invited me in during her small group time to work at the iPad station with several of her groups. Mrs. Gorenflo shared that the kids could really use some help with sight words. On the K-1 ipad there is actually a folder with specific sight word apps.
During my time in Mrs. Clipp’s class I focused on three apps: Sight Word Ninja, Sight Words by Photo Touch and Dolch Sight Words. Of course Sight Word Ninja was there favorite but they did an awesome job practicing with the others. If you aren’t familiar with these apps let me give you a brief overview. In Sight Word Ninja the words are called out and you karate chop through the words. You have to be careful not to slice the wrong words! You are racing against a clock and at the end it gives you an overview of how you did! Sight Words by Photo Touch also reads you the words, the words pop up like flash cards and you tap the word the narrator says. Each time you get the word correct they increase the cards. The last app we practiced with was the Dolch Sight Word app. This app was leveled and allowed you to trace over the sight words in both lowercase and capital letters. Each time you mastered a level it unlocked the next set of words!
Thanks again to Mrs. Clipp and Mrs. Gorenflo for having me! If you ever need help with your small group rotations I’d love to come in and be a station for you!
