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How to Write an Essay

Mindprint Rating

Tags

ELA: Reading ELA: Writing K-8 iOS App

Skills

Expressive Language Organization Verbal Reasoning

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • Enables students who struggle with handwriting and working memory to more easily focus on content and structure.
  • The app provides a free writing assessment rubric for teachers which parents might find very helpful.
  • Provides good guidance for parents who want to provide instruction at home.

Considerations

  • There is no way to track mastery or to know which questions and topics were difficult for students.
  • Similar to a workbook and not very engaging for students.
  • Parents may not feel comfortable assessing a child's writing, even with the rubric.

Mindprint Expert Review

This app, targeted for classroom use but fine for home, provides introductory lessons in essay writing similar to that found in a traditional workbook. The first chapter and the printable teacher guide are free to trial, but chapters 2-6, printable graphic organizers, games and puzzles require a purchase. Chapters explain how to write descriptive, narrative, informative and persuasive essays as well as how to proofread. Student activities resemble worksheets with the added benefits of technology such as less writing since words can be dragged rather than rewritten and definitions and examples made visible with a simple tap. Students also may benefit from the immediate feedback on each answer. Students using this app may still need adult support to explain topics and to check understanding, and certainly to assess their independent writing. Overall, this is a fine workbook-style app that will be better for students than written worksheets for students who struggle with skills such as handwriting and working memory.

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

  • Attention
    • Promotes purchases or upgrades to students
    • Problems or examples are not interesting for the target age range
    • Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Basics
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Reading Comprehension
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Visual Discrimination
    • Promotes purchases or upgrades to students
    • Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects

Manufacturer Description

Using iPads in your classroom? Strengthen your teaching pedagogy with our complete ready-made lesson plan with pre-assessment, reading passages, and assessment activities.

Download the App FREE of charge and receive the first chapter on us. Unlock the remaining 5 chapters, printables, crossword and memory match game using the easy-to-use In-App purchase. A $39.95 value, yours for only $1.99 per device. No monthly or annual fees, so you can enjoy it for a complete semester or year over and over again. Keep it, use it, enjoy it!


CURRICULUM CONTENT ALIGNED

Meets Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Bloom's Taxonomy


Learn the essential steps of writing an essay with our engaging and highly interactive 80 screen-page digital lesson plan. Take the fear out of writing essays and empower your students by giving them the tools to comprehensively express their point of view. Our digital lesson plan provides clear and concise lessons about every stage of the writing process. We offer instruction about the four most common types of essays — Descriptive, Narrative, Informative and Persuasive — and provide review lessons about verbs, adjectives and pronouns. Learn how graphic organizers can help students work through the writing process.


INCLUDES

Teacher Guide
Printables
Before You Read Questions
Reading Passages
Vocabulary Flash Cards
After You Read Questions
Comprehension Questions
Open Discussion Questions
Interactive Activities
Memory Match Game
Graphic Organizers
Crossword
Supporting Video


Ideal for ages 8 and up.