iPad Apps for School

The Best iOS Apps for Students and Teachers

handwriting

School Writing – An iPad App for Customized Handwriting Lessons

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Screen Shot 2013-09-30 at 8.45.55 AM School Writing is an iPad app that teachers and parents can use to create customized handwriting lessons. Like other iPad apps designed to teach handwriting, School Writing has number, letter, and word tracing activities. What makes School Writing different from other apps like it is number of ways in which teachers and parents can customize the app.

On School Writing teachers can record their own voices with instructions for students. Recordings can be made for every letter of the alphabet, every word in the app, and all of the numbers in the app. Additionally, teachers can upload custom backgrounds to match each letter. For example, a teacher can upload a picture of a turkey to match the letter “T.” Teachers can create multiple student profiles on the app. The video below provides a short overview of how to create a lesson on School Writing.

If you choose not to customize the app, there is still plenty for students to benefit from using. Students can tap the sound icons and picture icons at any time to get support for the pre-made lessons in School Writing.

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School Writing was developed by an Australian firm. I was concerned that the letter “Z” would be pronounced “zed,” but when I tried it the app had recognized my U.S. location and “Z” was pronounced “zee.” My only complaint about the app is that “practice” is spelled “practise” regardless of your location. The app costs $4.99. The cost is lower through the volume purchasing program.

Home KG – A Free iPad App for Learning to Write

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Screen Shot 2013-09-27 at 7.23.25 AM Home KG is a free iPad designed to help children learn to write all of the letters of the alphabet, numbers one through nine, and ten basic shapes. Children trace the letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and shapes. Children can save their work in the app. The app has a couple of sound options that can be turned on or off. The first sound option is simple background music. The second sound option is hearing the name of the letters, numbers, and shapes read to the child using the app.

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Home KG is a nice, free app that could help pre-K and elementary school students learn to write their letters and numbers. The app also helps students learn to recognize the names of basic shapes. Unlike similar free apps that I’ve tried, Home KG gives students the complete alphabet without the need to complete an in-app upgrade purchase.

Two Apps to Help Children Learn to Write the Alphabet

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Screen Shot 2012-12-13 at 11.15.31 PM Even though children today are growing up in a digital world, they still need to learn basic handwriting. When you and I learned to write it was on paper that had extra large lines to help us form our letters. Today, that same concept is applied to many apps in the App Store. I recently tried out a bunch of these apps and found two that I like.

Alphabet Tracing is a free app that shows students how to draw uppercase and lowercase letters and allows them to trace on the letters on the app. The app also shows children how to write numbers one through nine. Alphabet Tracing uses little toy trains and caterpillars to show students which way to trace each letter and number. It’s a simple app that lacks sound, but I like its simplicity.

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ABC Writing Zoo Animals is the other alphabet app that I like. The app has two basic modes; writing letters and writing words. In the writing letters mode students see an animal whose name starts with the same letter that they have to trace. In the writing words mode students see a word and hear it read then trace the letters to spell the word. ABC Writing Zoo Animals is a freemium app. Up to letter “H” is free. For the full alphabet the app costs $1.99.

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