I’m often asked for recommendations for what apps to use in the classroom. So today I’m sharing 5 special ed teacher apps that I love, and these are the ones that I’m always recommending to other teachers. They have been game changers for me in the classroom for different reasons. And I really hope that you find these apps as helpful as I have.
1. Book Creator
I can’t even begin to tell you about all the different ways that we use Book Creator in the classroom. We started off with the free version of the app, and when we quickly fell in love with it, we purchased the pro one. The app doesn’t have to be just used by staff. It can be used by students too. Some of the ways that we use this app are;
- Each student has a ‘book’ on there made into a scrapbook. Each page is a week and we add photos and text about what they’ve been doing that week.
- IEP progress: Each student has an IEP book and we put pictures in as evidence for them working towards – or completing – their IEP goals.
- Special occasions. We make a book for special occasions and include photos and information inside there.
- Creating a story. We have students create their own stories – or a class story – as you can listen to in this podcast episode here.
- Comics: There are options to create comics on the app and this is a great way to encourage students to get creative.
- Comprehension: We get students to answer comprehension questions on each page about stories that we are currently reading. There’s also the opportunity for them to continue a story, guess what happens next etc.
- Autobiographies: My students love making an autobiography about themselves using photos to create a book about their life.
2. TinyTap
My students love using the games and interactive books on TinyTap. Love Monster is still a very popular option with them. Some of the games/stories on there are free, and some are to purchase. Personally, we’ve never purchased any – my students love the free ones!
3. Proloquo2Go
One of my must-have recommendations to anyone. This app is perfect for helping students to communicate. You can make personalized symbols on there. You can use photos from the internet. Students can type in what they want and then push the sound button for the iPad to read out loud what they’ve requested. You can also categorize them to make them easier to sort through.
Honestly, when people ask me about what communication apps I recommend, this is always my first choice. There’s so much you can do with this app and it is so user friendly. So often apps are overwhelming.. Or too difficult to set up. What I love about Proloquo is that everyone I’ve introduced it to has been able to easily use it. That includes colleagues, students, family members.. The app is great.
4. ChoiceWorks
This is one of the best apps that I have come across for students to use for following schedules and routines. It also works on a few other skills like being able to wait and working on their feelings. The templates make it so quick and easy to use, and my students find the visual easy to understand too.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes visuals just don’t make sense. That’s why I’m always really careful about the symbol programmes that I use. But the symbols used in this app are easy to understand and my students respond well to them. It’s also a great app to use in school or at home – or both!
The only thing that I wish this app had was for us to be able to record our own audio to put into it. Otherwise, it’s a great app to use!
5. Video Scheduler
This app is probably one of my newest finds. And it has been awesome to use with my students, especially during distance learning. It’s a scheduling app – like you probably guessed from the name. But it comes with video options!
I’m able to use this for breaking down activities or routines using videos or pictures. Students are able to follow along each step of the process. And I don’t know about you, but even personally I find it so much easier to watch a video of something than trying to work out a photo and follow instructions.
This app has been a life saver during distance learning, and it’s one I definitely intend to continue to use. It has been great for helping my students to continue their learning while at home.. And also to be independent too. I’ve had many parents start to use this app at home
I hope you found this ‘5 Special Ed Teacher Apps’ blog post helpful. Leave a comment down below to let us know what your favorite apps are to use with your students. And if you found this blog post helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.
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