Mindprint Toolbox

Search Results

Please wait...

ABC SPELLING MAGIC 4

Mindprint Rating

Tags

ELA: Reading Elementary School iOS App

Skills

Auditory Processing

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • The audio is clear and easy to understand.
  • Audio can be repeated as many times as needed.
  • Letter sound hints are customizable and can be phased out at the child's pace.

Considerations

  • The alphabet cannot be changed from lower case to upper case for younger readers.

Mindprint Expert Review

ABC Spelling Magic 4 Silent Final E is an excellent phonics based app that uses three activities to help students master reading words that contain silent e. Word Building displays a photograph of the word being built and the lowercase letters necessary to build the given word. The final e is fixed in place and blank tiles are arranged to guide letter placement. The Movable Alphabet activity is similar to the Word Building only differing by displaying the entire alphabet instead of selected letter choices. The Long/Short Vowel Game has learners change a three letter short vowel word into a long vowel word buy adding on the silent e (example would be turning cap into cape). The corresponding photograph also changes when the final e is added. In the two word building games, each letter displayed makes the correct sound when tapped. The blank tiles also make the sound that corresponds to that part of the word for additional support. This app is easy to use with its simple and intuitive presentation. Students will enjoy this app if they are asked to play for a few minutes per day, but adults should not expect students to spend long periods of time on this app. This is a great choice for learners who need to focus on the single skill of reading silent e words.

Academic Benefits

Improves academic skills

  • Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
  • Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
  • Presents educational concepts accurately
  • Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
  • Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
  • Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
  • Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

Fun

Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
  • Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
  • Visually appealing to children in the target age range
  • Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
  • Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
  • Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
  • Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

Easy to Use

Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Has a free or trial version
  • Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
  • Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
  • Student should be able to use independently after first use
  • Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
  • Multiple users can save a profile
  • Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
  • Can play without sound and not distract others
  • Students can save work between sessions
  • Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
  • Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
  • Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
  • Overall - Easy to use

Cognitive Concerns

May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs

  • Visual Discrimination
    • Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
    • Shows advertisements
    • Promotes purchases or upgrades to students

Manufacturer Description

This app focuses on silent final e.
This app will help your child gain mastery with words that contain silent final e.