Fun and Functional is an app produced by Smarty Ears and authored by Rosie Simms. Like you might have guessed based on the name, this app targets the expressive and receptive language for functions. The research base for this app provided from Smarty Ears:
Fun & Functional is based on research around vocabulary and word meaning development in students. Improving vocabulary, describing ability and associations between words assists students in language comprehension and reading skills (Bromley, 2007). In particular, students have more difficulty acquiring verb-based vocabulary (Loeb, Pye, Redmond & Richardson, 1996), a skill that is targeted by Fun & Functional. The application allows for a focus on identifying and describing words within essential categories such as vehicles and household items, consistent with research indicating that categorization improves word storage and retrieval (Miller & Eilam, 2008). The application is designed to provide visual supports shown to be helpful for students with autism spectrum disorder and also targets suggested goals for this population such as expansion of word knowledge and action words (ASHA, 2006). Fun & Functional is also applicable to the instructional goals of children with language learning disorders, whose difficulties with vocabulary acquisition and descriptive language put them at risk for difficulties with reading and writing (Chanly, 1994; Gray, 2003, 2006; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986).
The app does not use multi-player options. Instead start with the settings and then start with the quick play option. Start with choosing the receptive/expressive tasks. Then select the type of vocabulary to be targeted. The receptive tasks are shown with 2-4 items on the page. The prompt plays aloud. If you need to replay the prompt, just tap the words. The expressive tasks are rated by the clinician and marked using the buttons at the bottom of the page. When you’re finished with a session, click the DONE button in the top corner. Then record your data and print/email. Pros: The app is great for multiple ages. I used it this week with 14 year olds with severe cognitive deficits and with first graders. The images are appropriate for both. Cons: The app limits data collection to a single user. In groups both, the SLP will need to keep separate data from the app. Smarty Ears provided a copy of this app in exchange for a review. And they also want to give a copy to a lucky SLP who enters on the Rafflecopter below. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Carol says
my caseload with language goals
betty boop says
I would use this app with a variety of language impaired students on my caseload.
Anonymous says
I would use the app with my K-5 students and they would love it!! Thanks!!
Cori Connelly
Speechville says
Definitely would use this app with elementary language students.
Lorraine says
All my students!
Jordan Bubis says
I would definitely use this app for my expressive/receptive language kiddos- answering questions, vocab, describing, etc. This app is on my want list! 🙂
Shelley Walton says
I work with middle school students, so I would definitely use this with my life skills students and my low-language students. I like that the app is very engaging!
emsm says
This app would be perfect with my pre-k kiddos!!
Heather Hammack says
This would be a fun way to target language goals with my elementary students.
Lauren B says
This would be perfect for my language-heavy caseload!
kreinacher says
So many of my kids would benefit from this app.
LanaS says
My kids would love this app! They would get so much out of it too!
Jenn says
I would use this with my language kiddos, for all ages
Mary says
I would love to use this app with some of my language kiddos.
Jennifer K says
Would love to use this app with my language students
SharonL says
This would be great to use with my language students…looks fun.
Anonymous says
I would love to use this with my elementary students.
Lora says
I would love to use this with my speech students
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Susan Meek says
I would love to use this app with my preschoolers and autistic students.
emelie says
I would love to win this app! I have a caseload made up of mostly ESL and/or Autism friends. This would be great to work on many of their goals!
Thanks 🙂
bldrnrpdx says
I would use this with my preschool caseload. I’ve got kids with speech, language and social-communication goals. I’d also love to have it to share with my special ed classroom teacher for her non-speech kids who need a boost with language skills (vocab & structure) and ESL.
Anonymous says
Perfect for my first graders with language goals!
Madison McDuffie Johnson says
I have a lot of preschool students with language goals addressing function of items. They get tired of the same old games, and what child does not love an iPad game!
Talk It Up says
I would love to have this app in my speech/language therapy “tool kit.”
Annette says
I would use this with probably half of my caseload or more!
annied says
This app could be used with many students on my caseload, artic and lang!
Amy says
My caseload is comprised entirely of students educated within verbal behavior classrooms. This would be perfect for them to work on functions and categories! My students are more motivated by working through the iPad and sometimes learn skills that I was unable to teach using picture cards and manipulative that they learned entirely through apps on the iPad. This app would be perfect for my students!!
jordan.laine says
I would love to start using this with some of my students working on expanding vocabulary and expressive language.
Anonymous says
This app would be awesome for my elementary students who are working on vocabulary and describing skills!
Jennifer Bell says
Pre-k and early elementary!
bkrouse says
This would be perfect for my elementary language kiddos….most of my caseload! 🙂
C says
My clients!
–Cassandra
Sara Davis says
I would use it with so many of my students who have language and vocabulary deficits, but I also have a hearing impaired student who is significantly delayed with his language skills. This would be perfect for him.
jennifer burroughs says
I would use this with my younger language students….but really this could be adapted for all my kids.
Anonymous says
I would use it with middle school MD students and high incidence special education students.
Lauren Chambers says
I would love to use this app with my preschool kiddos!! Pick me!!!
Allison says
I cahn haz pleez?
Tricia Kenny says
I have lots of preschoolers and early elementary school kids who would love it!
CarieG says
My life skills students would love this.
Rebecca Kopera says
I would use this app with my developmentally delayed kiddos who all need functional language development!
Lindsay Moffitt says
I’m a grad student with a pre-k client who would love this. 🙂
Anonymous says
This would be great for my elementary kids!
Terri Porter says
I would use this with my ECSE preschool caseload.
Julie Carrillo says
This could be used for many students with varying degree of skills. My caseload is primarily early intervention and life skills students.
Mary Cooper says
This would be such a great app to use with my smaller language kids all the way up to some of the older elementary language students!
Anonymous says
perfect for litle preschoolers. thanks
N
rgwest53 says
This app would help meet goals for the majority of my language students in the DD prek and moderate cognitive classrooms.
Anonymous says
I would use this with my language impaired kids!
Rocio says
Excited for the giveaway!I would use this with my younger kiddos!
Anonymous says
I just found you on TpT and I LOVE your blog! Thanks for sharing all of your hardwork! I would use this app with my higher level kids in the self contained classroom. -Sarah
sspeech42 says
Middle school students with special needs.
Robyn Salzman says
I would use this app with my preschoolers working on expressive and receptive language skills to make therapy more exciting and motivating!!
Colbycait says
I would use this app with my preschool and cognitively delayed students as well as some of my elementary kiddos.
Rebecca says
I would use it with my early elementary kids and also with my self contain classes.
Trina says
I could use this with my pre-k and kindergarten kids!