Review Overview
A. Instruction
B. Design
C. Engagement
Sound Touch Lite: An App for Young Learners
Summary : Building Foundational Knowledge for Interacting with the Environment
Sound Touch Lite introduces young users to the different sounds made by commonly found objects (e.g., animals, vehicles, musical instruments, and household objects). From the app’s main menu, users can select the category of objects they wish to hear by tapping its icon on the bottom of the screen. Next, the objects in that category appear, and users can tap the object to hear the sound. For example, when the “Animal” category is selected and the “Pig” icon tapped, users will hear the squeal of the pig and see a picture of a real pig. Users then have to tap the screen to return to the previous screen, which lets them tap another animal.
Please Note: Users must make an in-app purchase to access all of the app’s content.
Instructional Ideas
- Teachers can build students’ ability to connect images with sounds. To do so, teachers can put students in small groups, and have all the students select the same category (e.g., animals, vehicles, or birds). Next, the teacher can say the name of an object found in that category (e.g., dog, car, or duck) and the students must tap that object. Afterwards, teachers can ask students questions about that object, such as: (1) Where would you find that object?, (2) Do you like the sound it makes?, and (3) What else reminds you of that object?
- Once students are familiar with the sounds common objects make, teachers can reinforce their knowledge of sounds. To do so, when reading a picture book or viewing images, teachers can ask students what sound the object seen in the book or image makes. Students will then be asked to make the corresponding sound.
- To reinforce their knowledge of sounds, teachers can reverse how students match sounds to images. To do so, teachers will make or play a sound for students, and students will respond by either drawing the object that makes the sound or saying the name of the object that makes the sound.
A1. Rigor | |
A2. 21st Century Skills | |
A3. Conn. to Future Learning | |
A4. Value of Errors | |
A5. Feedback to Teacher | |
A6. Level of Material | |
A7. Cooperative Learning | |
A8. Accom. of Individual Diff. |
B1. Ability to Save Progress | |
B2. Platform Integration | |
B3. Screen Design | |
B4. Ease of Use | |
B5. Navigation | |
B6. Goal Orientation | |
B7. Information Presentation | |
B8. Media Integration | |
B9. Cultural Sensitivity |
C1. Learner Control | |
C2. Interactivity | |
C3. Pace | |
C4. Flexibility | |
C5. Interest | |
C6. Aesthetics | |
C7. Utility |