Reading Comprehension Apps
Reading comprehension skills are important for individuals on the spectrum, as they may help improve speech and communication development. Many young children with autism tend to be hyperlexic — they are able to recognize, spell, and read a vast number of words at early ages. However, few hyperlexic children actually understand the meaning of the words, phrases, and/or sentences in their vocabulary bank. Undoubtedly, this creates a major challenge in later years when children are expected to have more complex interaction with written material.
Fortunately, there are numerous apps that may be able to help children on the spectrum balance their advanced reading and decoding skills with their delayed comprehension abilities.
Here is a list of five apps that may help your young learner with reading comprehension:
1. Professor Garfield Fact or Opinion
In this comic book app, Garfield and his friends team up to teach kids about internet safety. Specifically, the gang helps adolescents develop better online research techniques by teaching them to differentiate between fact and opinion and guiding them on how to choose reputable and reliable sources.
Through humor and jest this amusing comic teaches kids how to carefully navigate the internet. At the conclusion of the script, kids are given an opportunity to apply their newfound knowledge through a creative game that requires them to determine which statements are fact and which are opinion.
This FREE reading comprehension app is best suited for middle school students learning the basic tenants of research methodology. It is available for iPad users only. (English)
2. Aesop’s Quest
This unique app developed for readers on a second through sixth grade reading level is based on the treasured Aesop’s fables. It features five short tales of favorite animal characters and classic narratives. While teaching moral lessons through whimsical stories, this app strengthens children’s recall and sequencing abilities through quizzes and games.
An end-of-story quiz is presented after each tale that requires the child to answer various questions about the plot. When the child passes the quiz, he is rewarded with a nifty game that further assesses his ability to recall key story events.
Aesop’s Quest is available for $0.99 and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. (English)
3. Opposite Ocean
In this ocean adventure app children get to help Luna and Leo collect pearls and other precious jewels as kids correctly identify antonyms from a whale puzzle. Each whale presents a contextual sentence with a key word in which the child is asked to select the appropriate antonym for from four terms.
This reading comprehension app reinforces the child’s understanding of opposites as they complete activities geared for learners with a second through sixth grade vocabulary base.
This app is also available for $0.99 and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. (English)
4. Same Meaning Magic
In the same format as Opposite Ocean, children learn about synonyms with Luna and Leo in this wishing well themed app. Children collect a treasury of gold as they are rewarded for every synonym that they correctly identify from each sentence puzzle. Designed for grade levels two through six, students are sure to increase their understanding of word meanings with Same Meaning Magic.
This app is also available for $0.99 and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. (English)
5. Same Sound Spell Bound
With this app children apply their knowledge of homonyms by determining the correct word from a list of terms with the same sound, but different spellings and meanings that best fits each sentence puzzle. As each correct homonym is selected, the child acquires the right potion to help Luna and Leo cast a magical spell.
Though this app was created for younger learners beginning at grade level two, it may be best suited for older children who have a concrete foundation in spelling and parts of speech.
This app is also available for $0.99 and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. (English)
Thanks to Teri for this post – I really appreciate the work that she does and the effort she puts into her reviews! She even does it for free out of the kindness of her heart!
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