App Reviews

Standard: ELAGSE6L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

IXL-
IXL is a website and an app that allows students to choose the standard they want to work on mastering. It's compatible for iOS and Android. It tracks mastery using a Smart Score and if student performance indicates the need for remediation, it is provided through lower grade level standards. It's appropriate for students age 10 and up. The program offers a free trial, but a monthly subscription for language arts and math is $15.95 a month. Commonsensemedia.org provides a reliable wealth of information on this app, and provides reviews from both parents and students. It even give recommended talking points for parents to discuss with their students when using this app.

Word a Day- This app is available on iOS and Android. It costs a one time fee of $1.99. It gives students daily notifications, providing a new vocabulary word everyday. Users can challenge their peers to games, and even post their daily word on social media. Commonsensemedia.org recommends if for ages 14 and up. However, their review states that if used with supervision, it could be appropriate for younger ages. At times, it introduces terms that might be a little too mature for young ages.


Bluster!-  Bluster! is an app that promotes vocabulary building for younger kids. This app is produced by McGraw Hill which is a reputable company that specializes in publishing textbooks. This app teaches rhyming, as well Greek and Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Kids can also compete against each other. This app is compatible with iOS and Android. It is also free. Players can pay $0.99 for additional word packs. It is appropriate for ages 6 and up.


Of these three apps, I think Bluster! is the best app for vocabulary development at the grade level that I teach. If it weren't for the price tag attached to IXL, it would definitely win, as it has much more to offer than Bluster!. However, unless the school system is buying a subscription (mine has), that price is unrealistic for a teacher, or parent to take on. If I were only teaching vocabulary development (L4), then Bluster! provides for multiple exercises to promote this skill. The only downfall I can find with this app, is that it doesn't provide read aloud to students who have that accommodation.