This app has been an absolute lifesaver for me, as an SLP with a caseload of 60+ students. I see students from preschool-6th grade. I see mixed artic-language-fluency groups. I have kids that I see using the 5-Minute program. I see students of all cognitive abilities. And I've used this app with each and every one of them.
Little Stories boasts that it can be used to improve speech, language, and literacy-- and I agree! I've used it for all three areas with success.
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Working on articulation? Little Stories has you covered.
There are 82 stories included in this app. You can search stories by speech sound, therefore allowing you to pick stories that are loaded with your target sound! You can preview the words within the story before actually reading the story, to ensure that they are appropriate for your student(s). The story even tells the reading level so you can feel confident in your passage choices! When reading the story, you can choose to have the target words bolded, if you choose (I use this feature for children who are just starting to work on their sounds in reading passages, then I fade away as they begin to master the skill). The option for speech recording (where you can mark errors on incorrect productions) is one of my favorite features, however. I love letting the children hear back their productions AND the fact that data collection is made simple. Added bonus-- tongue twisters for each story! Because what student doesn't love a silly little challenge?
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These same 82 stories are also easy to use with language students. Working on a certain point of view or verb tense? Guess what? The story preview allows you to see what POV and tenses are used in the story! After you've picked a story (don't forget you can check the reading level of the story before beginning), there are comprehension checks available. Target story retells by recording the child telling his version of the story. Work on 4 step sequencing by dragging and dropping chunks of the story into the correct order. Answer wh- questions by choosing from a field of four. Answer open-ended questions when you're doing, using personal connections. If you like the story and want to read more like it, there's an option for that! Simply take a peek at the "related stories" option.
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Each story has a list of sight words included! You can even practice sight word flashcards before beginning the story, as a review. When reading the story, you can choose to bold the sight words if needed. If you're working with a younger child (or a child who is still an early reader), you can actually CHANGE the format of how the story is visually presented to make it easier for the child to navigate and read. If you're working on reading fluency, there is a timer option to automatically calculate words per minute AND allows you to mark errors via a speech recording.
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Mixed groups? Little Stories has you covered.
Take a look at the information presented above. Each story contains each of the elements (speech, language, and literacy). Even fluency can be targeted easily, thanks to the reading passages, opportunities for speech samples, and recording options. No matter your target, you can use this app for your group. Honestly, it's my go-to for quick-planned mixed-group therapy. You can even save the information under the students' names to keep up with data over time!
Sorry to be long-winded, but I tried to cover everything that I'd want to know about an app before purchasing. You must know just how much this app has to offer-- and boy does it offer a LOT!
Have you used this app? Are you still on the fence? Let me know in the comments!
Note: Please know that I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review. Keep in mind that even though I received this product at no cost, the opinions are all my own. I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of what I received in exchange. The decision to buy something is completely up to you.
2 Comments
use this app much for non readers as well?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I use this with early readers and beyond. However, there's no reason you couldn't read the story to the child and ask them to retell it to you (they'd still be using the speech sounds that way)! You could even read it one sentence at a time and have the child repeat it back to you, before asking them to retell the story. It could certainly be used for non-readers, but I feel it's primary purpose is to be used with early readers and beyond.
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