1. APPS FOR THE 4 SKILLS:
READING, WRITING,
SPEAKING, LISTENING
CATHERINE RITZ
ARLINGTON (MA) PUBLIC SCHOOLS
NECTFL, 2013
2. ABOUT ME & THE
APPS I LOVE
• We have 15 iPod Touches for students, many have their
own iPhones
• All the apps I use are free!
• All apps can be found by going to the AppStore on your
iPad/iPod/iPhone and searching by name
3. HOW I USE THE APPS
WITH MY STUDENTS
• Student-centered/paired activities
• Learning stations
• Alternative formats for homework or projects
• 10-minute activators
• Advice for getting started:
• Pick one app that you think will be effective to meet your
learning goal
• Enlist students to help you test it out (offer extra credit)
4. MEMATIC
• iPad/iPod
• Quick, silly way to get students to write a sentence!
• Students email you the meme to turn in
6. EVERNOTE
• iPad/iPod & web: www.evernote.com
• Students can write, take notes, and record audio
• Students can email you their “note” to turn in
7. SCRIBBLE PRESS
• iPad only
• Designed for children to create books using templates
• Can select blank book, add photos, images, text, captions,
etc.
• Email to share
8. GOOGLE DRIVE
• iPad/iPod & web
• With gmail accounts, students
can work collaboratively on Word,
Excel, PPT type files
• Files can be shared and you can
make edits in their work
9. GOOGLE VOICE
• iPad/iPod & web • To have students record
phone calls:
• Establish a Google phone
number linked to your phone • Student must have Google
Voice phone number
• Choose “Do Not Disturb” if
you want students to leave • From online:
you messages
• Go to Settings
• You can listen to the • Click on Calls
messages on your iPhone or • Check the box next to Call
online (linked to your regular Options (Enable Recording)
Gmail account) • Recorder must receive the
call in order to record it
• You can respond with text
message or can embed the • There is an announcement
recording on a website/blog that the call is being
recorded!
• Press 4 at any time during
the conversation to record –
press 4 to stop, or hang up
• To share recording with you,
student goes to account
online, then shares via email
10. SOUND CLOUD
• iPad/iPod & web: www.soundcloud.com
• Students create account
• Record easily directly on iPad/iPod
• Share with teacher, teacher can leave written comments at
various points within recording
• Create “groups” on website
11. VOICE THREAD
• iPad/iPod & web: www.voicethread.com
• Students create account
• Take pictures in class, add voice recordings or text
• Share with teacher via email
• Can embed on website/blog
12. SPLICE (VIDEOS)
• iPad/iPod
• Use the video camera feature on the iPad/iPod
• Record multiple scenes and use this app to splice them
together
• Can add title, transitions
• Upload final video to YouTube, ,
email if small enough, or have
student transfer to their
computer
13. POCASTS
• iPad/iPod
• Search for audio lessons in your language
• You can prepare questions for students
• Takes time to find the right files (good summer PD
opportunity!)
• Example:
• SpanishPod101, FrenchPod101, ItalianPod 101,
ChineseClass 101, ArabicPod 101
14. RADIO/TV STATIONS
• iPad/iPod
• Find your favorite foreign radio/TV station as an app
• Create questions for various recordings, have students
complete in class or at home
• For advanced students, have them listen to a news story
and create questions for the class
15. QUIZLET
• iPad/iPod & web: www.quizlet.com
• Teacher creates account and makes flashcards groups
(can make your own or search for your textbook)
• Students can also create account and add your flashcard
groups
• Audio-enabled flashcards with very good accents!
16. IBOOKS
• iPad/iPod
• Books in “Public Domain” can often be found for free in
iBooks
• Reading in iBooks,
students can highlight,
make notes, email quotes
17. IBIBLIO
• iPad/iPod
• French books in Public Domain
• Includes overview,
author information,
full text, and
audio recording
18. MAGAZINES/NEWSPAPERS
• iPad/iPod
• Search the “Newstand” store for free
magazines/newspapers in your language
• You can also just use the web browser to search for
magazines & newspapers online that aren’t available for
free as apps!
