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Grammaropolis-Complete Edition

Mindprint Rating

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ELA: Writing K-8 iOS App

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • App provides multiple ways to learn and absorb concepts (written explanations, quizzes, videos, etc.).
  • The app has no timers, no negative feedback, and good explanations of all answers.
  • Cartoon characters are fun and cheeky and should appeal to most students.

Considerations

  • Except in the video section, there is no option to read text aloud and there is a reasonable amount of text.
  • In certain sections of the app, a student must read from multiple places on screen which can be visually confusing or overwhelming.
  • While the graphics should appeal to most students, some children may not like them.

Mindprint Expert Review

Grammaropolis is an excellent, albeit expensive, app to teach children parts of speech in an entertaining format. The app is divided into sections based on the part of speech (verbs, prepositions, etc). In each section, the site uses personified parts of speech as cartoon characters who teach the concepts through a combination of digital books, songs, videos, and interactive games. Throughout the activities, each part of speech acts out its role in the sentence for ongoing visual reinforcement. The creators did a good job of providing multiple options for students to absorb what some would consider dull information in an entertaining way. However, the videos may be challenging for students who require slow, clear audio. The more detailed lessons and quizzes require students to read on their own. As a result, this app will be a good choice for most students, but not struggling readers or those who have difficulty listening or following directions. Adults may want to start with the free version and see if it is a good fit before purchasing the entire series.

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

  • Auditory Processing
    • Has auditory distractions that cannot be silenced (background music, players shout answers, etc.)
  • Listening Comprehension
    • Has auditory distractions that cannot be silenced (background music, players shout answers, etc.)
  • Organization
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
    • 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
  • Verbal Reasoning
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Visual Discrimination
    • Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
  • Working Memory
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own

Manufacturer Description

"The linguistic insights are pure gold." - Wired
"Learning grammar has never been more fun!" - School Library Journal
"Bright, cheerful, and very entertaining." - Tech & Learning
**Featured in the Education App Store: Kickstart Your School Year 2013, 2014, 2015; What's Hot**

Grammaropolis is where grammar lives! Hailed as a Schoolhouse Rock for the 21st Century, Grammaropolis uses the parts of speech as animated characters whose personalities are based on the roles they play in the sentence. From the shady pronoun always trying to take the noun’s place to the motherly conjunction who just wants everyone to get along, Grammaropolis achieves the seemingly impossible: we make learning grammar fun!

Every part of speech has its own neighborhood that includes a curriculum map with songs, books, videos, and quizzes. Follow the map to earn your badge! The Complete Edition comes with the following neighborhoods:
-Nouns
-Verbs
-Adjectives
-Adverbs
-Pronouns
-Conjunctions
-Prepositions
-Interjections

Our innovative, classroom-proven approach blends character-based content with traditional quiz-based assessment and is designed to address students' varied learning styles. Because the parts of speech are personified based on their roles in the sentence, the characterization provides students with a more effective way to visualize and internalize the roles of the parts of speech and to identify how a sentence is put together.

Grammaropolis was created and refined in the ultimate proving grounds: the classroom.

We participate in Apple's VPP for Educational Institutions.