Speaking Spell Comprehensive HD
By customer request, this version teaches words from Preschool all the way through Third Grade -- hundreds of spoken words and sentence clues across five separate levels!
Ive always had fond memories of my Speak n Spell from the early 1980s, but theres never been a decent replacement for the iPad until now.
Speaking Spell HD provides not only the familiar keyboard input and voice response of the original Speak n Spell but adds a number of features and enhancements that cannot be found with any other app, like:
- The spoken text is very understandable. Weve used top-of-the-line text to speech software to ensure that students will not struggle with Speaking Spells speech quality.
- A "Hint" button which recites a sentence using the word that the student is asked to spell. The format is standard spelling bee: A sentence, and then the word is repeated
- The word list is taken from actual spelling exercises used by teachers.
- The word list is constantly being added to and enhanced.
- The user interface is incredibly child-friendly. Not only does each letter keypress provide audio feedback of the letter, but the onscreen keys are highlighted and increased in size ... just like the standard iPad keyboard but with bright, easily readable buttons meant just for young students
- The word to be spelled can be repeated at any time, or skipped if the student is having too much difficulty with it
- Were open to suggestions! If theres any enhancements that teachers and/or parents would like to see, were happy to add them in future releases.
The preschool Level starts students with simple monosyllabic words like CAT, DOG, MOM and DAD to name a few. Its the perfect introduction to spelling!
In kindergarten, spelling words start with basic three letter consonant-vowel-consonant words, and become more complex with spelling skills growing to cover blends. For example, T plus R make the TR sound, such as in TREE. F and R blend to make the FR sound in FROG.
In Grade 1, there are still some easier three-letter words, but more emphasis is placed on four- and five-letter challenges, especially those with common phonetic difficulties at this age group. For example, PLANE (which is differentiated from PLAIN with Speaking Spells unique sentence pronunciation).
In Grade 2, students are expected to master short-vowel, long-vowel, r- controlled, and consonant-blend patterns correctly. Words using the -ight ending are introduced, including BRIGHT, FLIGHT, and NIGHT, plus a few compound words are incuded in second grade spelling word lists including GRANDFATHER, BEDROOM, and SAILBOAT.
Grade 3 adds more complex spelling challenges. Students learn more compound words such as BIRTHDAY, SOMEWHERE, and YOURSELF. Third grade spelling words include blends such as in AGREE, CHOOSE, and HALF. Words beginning with QU- are introduced, such as QUEEN and QUIT. Third grade spelling words include consonant doubling, as in BERRY, BUTTER, and PRETTY. Third grade spelling students also learn common homophones such as PAIL and PALE. They learn that words ending in Y become plural with the -IES ending, such as the plural of CHERRY, which is CHERRIES.
All in all were very proud of Speaking Spell HD -- its the best spelling drill, tutor and edutainment app for spelling on the App Store, in high-resolution to take full advantage of the iPads capabilities!