Is your child having difficulty forming their letters or numbers correctly? Or have they mastered the pre-writing shapes and now starting to learn those letters? Well this blog is just for YOU!!! This blog will discuss a few of the abundance of iPad apps that can be extremely useful, exciting and interactive for children learning correct letter and number formation.
Letter School
Letter School encourages children to form upper and lower case letters and numbers using amazing graphics and sounds.
Features:
· The sequence of formation is taught in three steps: 1. Touch the starting points 2. Trace leaving a row of dirt or railroad track then when it is formed correctly flowers pop out of the dirt and a train travels over the tracks 3. Write the letter independently if you are unsuccessful after a few times it provides arrows to follow
· Two levels of play
· Up to three players
· Also reinforces letter and number name, recognition, makes associations between letters and objects and numbers and objects
· The k and y are not correct formation for Australian standards
Price: $6.49
Ready to Print
Description: Pre-writing and letter formation app with graded levels of visual motor and perceptual activities for children ages 2-7 years to develop their pre-writing skills leading up to letter formation.
Features:
· Progresses through pre-writing skills in a specific order
· Touch, ordered touch, matching, path following, shape tracing, connect the dots, pinching, letters and free draw
· Skills addressed include: basic index finger isolation, pincer grasp, visual scanning, tracking and visual motor
· Developed by an Occupational Therapist
· The k and y are not correct formation for Australian standards
Price: $12.99
Red Writing – Learn to Write
Description: Teaches big ABC, little abc, numbers, drawing shapes
Features:
· It also has a letter of the day and “shake a letter”
· Different backgrounds and colour of pen can be used
· There is a little character that can demonstrate the correct formation
· The child can earn stickers, achievement certificates and trophies
· Australian made
· Education approved with fonts for all Australian Schools
Price: $3.79
School Fonts – Learn to Write (AU/NZ)
Description: Includes pre-writing shapes, uppercase and lower case letters, numbers, words or whiteboard images that you import.
Features:
· Tracing accuracy
· With the whiteboard feature it can be customised for example spelling lists
· Beginner and cursive options
· Student profiles
· Audio/visual reports can be emailed to review a child’s progress
· Australian fonts used
Price: $7.49
Start Dot Handwriting
Description: Uppercase, lowercase and numbers using visuals and stories through four different practices graded from high to low assistance.
Features:
· Uses the sky grass dirt visual for placement of letters
· Wide range for errors
· Free worksheet downloads from the website
· 2 learning orders: kinaesthetic or alphabetic
· Rainbow letters
· All samples can be saved
· Unlimited users
· Good for sensory seekers
· Developed by an Occupational Therapist
· The k and y are not correct formation for Australian standards
Price: $6.49
Touch Write and Touch Write Cursive (Australian Version)
Description: Letter identification and writing/formation app in different mediums such as shaving cream or chocolate pudding with sounds to match.
Features:
· 16 different writing textures
· 28 different writing papers
· 4 different line patterns for correct placement of letters
· Can create your own word list
· Brief verbal reward to reinforce learning and motivate
· Can use the monster to eat the cupcakes (shows letter formation as he eats them) different apps for different Australian States
Price: $3.79 each
Wet Dry Try
Description: App based on the Handwriting Without Tears concept of letter formation. Uses visuals of a chalkboard wet and dry towel to form upper and lower case letters and numbers.
Features:
· The letter formation is demonstrated first
· The formation is learnt in three steps: 1. Erase the letter with the ‘wet’ sponge 2. Dry with towel 3.Try and write it independently
· Verbal praise for correct formation e.g. “cool beans”
· Enter up to four children
· The k and y are not correct formation for Australian standards
Price: $8.99 with In-App purchases
These apps are great for learning correct letter and number formation along with other skills however it is important that these skills are transferred to paper. It is recommended that paper and pencil tasks that match are completed at the same time these IPad Apps are used. For example, have the child write the letter or words immediately after completing them on the IPad. Another alternative is purchasing an APP CRAYON. Using the app crayon will assist in development of the tripod grasp.
I understand that most of these IPad apps have costs involved, however I have seen great success in children using these apps to develop correct letter and number formation. Not only have I seen improvement but the kids love it and they are always excited to learn their letters through these highly interactive, visually stimulating and FUN apps!!!
HAVE A GO!!! I can’t wait to hear all about your experience.