Survey of Spelling and Vocabulary Apps

1. Spelling City: Based on the great Spelling/Vocabulary City website, you can set up a teacher account and upload your own spelling lists. Kids search for your name in the app and get your lists!
2. My Spelling Test: I just upgraded to the paid version (which is in self-service) and I think this is great! You enter your own spelling lists and record yourself saying each word (or a sentence using this word) and then take a test where you hear the word, then type it. Keeps track of your past scores.
3. Squeebles Spelling: Similar to My Spelling Test, but once you’ve passed a certain number of spelling words, you get little creatures called Squeebles, which allows you to play a mild version of Angry Birds where you get to fling Squeebles with a “squeeberang.”
4. Pixopop Sight Words: Has 3 modes: flash cards, word challenge and spelling. You can use their word lists or add your own. Interface is a little babyish, but may be appealing for some.
5. Word Wizard by L’Escapadou: Has a magnetic alphabet mode and spelling quizzes with lots of pre-built word lists. You can also add your own lists. One of our Student Support Services staff members found this app last year and loved using it with her morning remedial reading group.
6. Simplex Spelling: I’ve downloaded the free version of this app, but I like how they have both a spelling app and a phonics version. In the free version you have to experiment with their lists, but you can add your own in the paid one.

1. iCardSort: A basic sticky-note app that lets you color-code and move words around on your screen. Great for open sorts, alphabetizing and categorizing words. Another member of our Student Support Services team discovered the COOL built-in feature that lets you BEAM your iCardSort page from one iPad to another automatically! You can shuffle cards and group them as well.
2. Corkulous Pro: Great tool for lots of uses, including word sorts. Because you can add photos, you could do a photo prompt with each word
3. Flashcards Deluxe: Simple flashcard app, but what’s cool is that you can search databases of OTHER people’s flash card decks. I actually found some great multiplication flashcards this way, but I’ll bet you could find some vocab decks as well!
4. Quizlet: Similar to Flashcards Deluxe, but slightly simpler interface. Easy to create your own cards or use others’.
5. Notability: Kids can create a notebook for vocabulary words, either from Word Study or for kids to add to as they do independent reading. You can add text, audio clip, photo or drawing to any page.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90326842@N00/4407337016/