They’re , There and Their

This was Leo’s homework just a few minutes go. We used the Clicker Sentences app to look at the difference between their, they’re and there. We created a number of model sentences together using the articles and people around us. The settings allowed us to have the sentence read aloud, before Leo recreated it using the word grid.

Just a digital worksheet? No I don’t think so. We co created these exercise and the task/ app still allows Leo to continue freely writing. I am loving Clicker Sentences more and more.

App of the Day: Subtraction Pro

Hurriedly doing  Leo’s (Y3 and SEN) homework this evening, after a busy weekend. Looking down at his sheet it involved him focussing on number bonds and subtraction upto ten. Due to his learning difficulty we could only really look at subtracting within the range 1-5. And this would need supporting with apparatus, thankfully with five boys you can always find random Duplo on the floor. But to record subtractions on a sheet would take him too long and we needed something that would remove the need for this difficult pencil work and allow him to focus on the Maths.

In comes Subtraction Pro, one of the brilliant Maths apps from Frogmeleon. These apps allow you to really tailor the work to the child you are working with. For Leo we set the numbers down quite low, though when I use this app with members of my class the range is far more challenging and the missing number would not be the answer but part of the sum. What I also like from an SEN point of view is the ability to use multiple choice or just the keypad. Clearly for Leo it was appropriate to give him multiple choice, but again you can turn this off for more able learners. Leo is a great fan of the whizzy robot that appears in these apps, though we do turn him off sometimes to avoid distraction from subtraction!

Note – when you download this app – take a look in your settings and see just how many things you can configure!

Once he went through the flash cards we’d set and taken a test he was able to look at his score/ stars and use the review tool to work on sums he got wrong. This is a well designed app which is part of my tool kit for teaching Maths, helping my boys for homework and for supporting children with SEN.

Here is a video of Leo and I doing Maths homework tonight.

Related articles

• A Fun Game To Learn Addition and Subtraction (schoolfamily.com)

App of the Day : Early Birds Times Table Training

Today’s app is now sitting on my Maths apps screen as an alternative and a fitting complement to all those great Times Table Apps we have been bashing away at. Upon first glance Early Birds  looks like something you might use with younger learners, but once you have a bit of a play you realise that this app could be used right up to Year Four ( and some children would still need it in Five and Six).

   

Here is how the developer, Ian Knapp, describes the app on his site:

Help Ernie find the eggs with his brothers and sisters in by recognising multiples of the table sets from the twos to the twelves. Race against the clock and collect Egglets (colourful eggs laid at midnight) by beating time targets. Up to 7 player profiles on one device.

Most of the apps I love and use for memorising and practising tines tables are about working through the facts/ sums. This app takes an alternative and slightly challenging approach and one that will really get your class learning their tables thoroughly. Instead of giving them answers to sums, children need to spot multiples of a particular table. This is given a competitive edge by trying to beat the clock.

The graphics are bright in this app and it lacks silly noises, or any hint of “Well Done” or “Try Again” cheesiness. Another great advantage of this game for this with a school set of iPads is that it allows for seven profiles. This function should make it easier for multiple pupils to use one iPad. This and the developers other apps reflect an ethos of both simplicity and safety. With this in mind there are no ads or links here and the learning curve to use is minimal. Your reward for beating the time challenge are egglets, little trophies each with their own unique fact card. This is a nice touch, which is easily missed unless you click on the info for each prize.

     

I am not sure I can offer much in the way of suggestions for improvements, though I did look for and miss a settings button. Other apps have these to set the level of challenge and numbers to focus on. However this still a very good addition to your collection of Maths apps and good value too.

Related articles

• App Giveaway: MultiFlow – Times Table Reimagined (igamemom.com)

IPADS not laptops – Some reflections

I have been working with my Year 6 children now for about four weeks. They have access to an ICT suite with networked PCS, but for cross curricular work we use IPADS. That is when we can get hold of them.

I just wanted to throw down a few thoughts and observations of my early experiences with these devices.