In March 2013, Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic began using iPads within speech-language therapy sessions to support patient progress. We’ve now been using these iPads for approximately six months, and we want to share some of our favorites. In this 4-part blog series, we’ll discuss 4 applications and provide some general tips on how to use your iPad/Nexus/Surface et cetera with your child.
One of the most important things about an application is if your child finds it motivating and fun. We all learn best when we are interested in the activity and the same is true for applications on a device. One important thing to remember, though, is that an activity may be TOO motivating. If your child is focused on the game, particularly those which require a lot of hand control (picture Temple Run), it may be hard for them to focus on their speech/language skills. The second important factor to consider, particularly for those applications that are targeting specific language skills, is whether or not your child is developmentally ready for it. Some applications are created with a large age-range in mind, and it may become frustrating for your three-year old child to work on ideas that are meant for an eight-year old child. Lastly, have fun with your child! Stay tuned for the next installment where we being reviewing apps.