Educational Psychology Service: Education websites & tablet apps for parents
Accessories to consider:Name | Price | Description |
Bluetooth keyboard | varies | Makes it easier to type on an iPad e.g. in word processing documents. |
Case with a built-in stand | varies | |
Stands | varies | To enable tablet computers to be positioned in the field of view for young people with physical disabilities. |
Bluetooth switches | varies | Enables pupils with physical disabilities to select different menu options |
A stylus | varies | For handwriting practice for children consider a really chunky one or put a triangular pencil grip on a standard stylus. |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
iBooks | Apple | Some free, some paid for | Books – limited library |
iTunes U | Apple | Some free, some paid for | You can either access free courses or deliver your own courses which includes videos, apps, documents and course assignments. Secure data base which allows assignments to be submitted, marked and returned, |
www.udemy.com/Udemy | Udemy Either on the web or on apps on tablet computers. | Some free, some paid for | Good quality online courses, some of which you can receive formal qualifications for. Not too expensive. |
www.nasen.org.uk | NASEN | Free | Provides free online training and handouts for supporting children with special educational needs. |
www.open.edu | Open University | Some free content/ Paid | A range of OU online courses |
www.youtube.com | YouTube | Free | Videos on almost every subject. Parental supervision required. |
BBC.co.uk/bitesize | BBC Available on any device which can access the internet | Free | Learning and revision materials for primary, secondary and post 16 pupils. |
Khan Academy and Kham academy kids | Khan academy Available on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon app stores | Free | Different apps for different aged pupils on a range of different subjects. Uses American pronunciation and spellings. |
Hwb | Welsh Government | Free | All Swansea Schools are able to utilise Hwb to directly contact pupils and provide continuity in their learning |
https://www.brainpop.com/ | BrainPOP | Some free content, some content requires payment | Animated videos about a variety of subjects. |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Splingo Receptive Language Assessment | The speech and language store LLP On iTunes | £24.99 by itself or £26.99 in a bundle with two other speech and language therapy apps | Qualitative assessment of early language development including understanding of key nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverb, prepositions and ability to follow up to 4 keyword instructions using multiple choice options. Creates a report which can be emailed. |
Splingo Categories | The speech and language store LLP On iTunes | £2.99 also available as part of bundle | Develops understanding of verbal categories by sorting objects into 2 different categories. |
Splingo Language Universe | The speech and language store LLP On iTunes & Amazon Fire | £2.99 also available as part of a bundle | Practice following verbal instructions with one to four key words. |
Pronouns with Splingo | The speech and language store LLP On iTunes & Amazon Fire | £2.99 also available as part of a bundle | Practice using different pronouns |
Actions with Splingo | The speech and language store LLP On iTunes | £2.99 also available as part of a bundle | Practice identifying different verbs. |
Early Words with Splingo | The speech and language store LLP On iTunes | £2.99 | Learning early vocabulary |
Baby Sign and Learn/sign and sing | Baby Sign and Learn On iTunes and Amazon Fire | Free with within app purchases | Learning early British Sign Language vocabulary |
Makaton with Lucinda | @makatonlucinda Twitter on any platform | Free | Mother and daughter share one new Makaton sign each day. |
Mr Tumble and Friends | BBC YouTube on any platform | Free | Makaton signed children’s videos |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Dexteria | BinaryLabs, Inc On iTunes and Google Play stores | £5.99 (cheaper as part of a bundle) | Activities for developing hand position, pincer grip and basic print handwriting skills. |
Dexteria Junior | BinaryLabs, Inc | £3.99 | Early years/pupils with fine motor difficulties. Tracing skills and developing a pincer grip. Motivating comedy selfies to encourage participation |
LetterReflex | BinaryLabs Inc | £3.99 | For pupils who have difficulties with letter reversals such as b/d/p/q. |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Cambugs Letter Sounds, phonics, first words | Cambugs iTunes | Free | Letter sounds, and words flash cards. Needs an adult to be present and supporting while the child uses the app. |
Borrowbox | Bolinda digital On Amazon Fire, iTunes and Google Play | Free | Needs adult supervision. Free children’s audio and eBooks when you sign in using your library card. |
iBooks | Apple | Free | Some free books but most need to be purchased. |
Reading doctor apps: Letter Sounds 1, Letter Sounds 2, Sight words and Word builder | Reading Doctor On iTunes | £15.99 each/cheaper as part of a bundle | Multisensory, completely customisable and good for delivering literacy interventions for pupils with significant literacy difficulties |
Kids’ Reading Comprehension 1& 2 | Angela Reed On iTunes | £1.99 each | Reading comprehension practice |
Inference Ace | Janine Toole On iTunes/Google Play | £2.89 | Reading comprehension practice |
Kindle app | Amazon Available on all tablet devices | Free app | Amazon has released free children’s books due to coronavirus. Many educational texts are also available on Kindle. Supervision needed when purchases are made. |
Audible | Amazon Available on many tablet devices | Free app | Audiobooks. Amazon has released many free children’s books due to the coronavirus. Some have to be paid for. Supervision needed when purchases are made. |
Special Words | Special iApps Available on iTunes, Android, Amazon, Google Play & web | £19.99 on iTunes, cheaper as part of a bundle | Whole word/vocabulary learning by matching words to pictures. Can be customised by deleting words and adding own words, pictures and voiceovers. |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Squeebles Spelling | KeyStageFun iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £3.99 | Customisable look/cover/check and spelling test app |
Spelling sounds | Reading Doctor Pty Ltd On iTunes | £15.99 (cheaper as part of a bundle) | Completely customisable phonics based multisensory spelling app |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Pictello | AssistiveWare On iTunes | £9.99 | User can create stories/presentations about an area of interest, incorporating photos, video, text, and voice overs |
Special Stories | SpecialiApps C.I.C Available on iTunes and Amazon Fire | £19.99 Can be purchased cheaper as part of a bundle | Make your own books with audio voice overs. Can be used for social stories. |
Pages/Google Docs | Apple/Google | Free | Word processing apps |
Numbers/Google sheets | Apple/Google | Free | Excel type apps |
Keynote/Google slides | Apple/Google | Free | Free PowerPoint presentation type apps. |
Rainbow sentences | Mobile Education Store On iTunes | £7.99 | Using colour coding and word sequencing to make sentences which match pictures |
Dance Mat Typing | BBC Bitesize Any web browser | Free | Typing tutor programme |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Squeebles times tables | KeyStageFun On iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £3.99 cheaper as part of bundle | Times table games for average ability students |
Squeebles tell the time | KeyStageFun On iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £3.99 | Customisable for individual students needs |
Squeebles number bonds | KeyStageFun On iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £2.99 | Number bonds practice to 10, 20, 50, 100, 1000 and decimals up to 1. |
Squeebles Addition and Subtraction | KeyStageFun On iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £2.99 | Customisable for individual students |
Squeebles Division | KeyStageFun On iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £2.99 | Division practice |
Squeebles Fractions | KeyStageFun On iTunes/Amazon Fire/Google Play | £1.99 | Fractions practice |
Special Numbers | Special iApps On iTunes/Amazon Fire | £19.99 | Completely customisable. Number/quantity recognition and ordering to 20. Good for early years/dyscalculia/high level of learning difficulty. |
Dexteria Dots 1 & 2 | BinaryLabs Inc On iTunes | £2.99 each | Good for the development of basic number concepts |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Garageband | Apple | free | Make music tracks by playing different instruments |
iMovie | Apple | free | Edit video clips together to make films |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Dexteria VMI | Binary labs | £3.99 | Matching skills/non-verbal reasoning |
Name | Publisher | Price | Description |
Bitgym | Active Theory Inc iTunes and android | Free for 3 months, then subscription options | When placed in front of an exercise bike, rowing machine, cross trainer or treadmill provides virtual tours from all over the world. |
PE with Joe Wicks | YouTube on the Body Coach TV channel On any internet connected device | free | Free indoor PE lessons streamed at 9 am every day and available as videos later. |
Oti Mabuse dance classes | YouTube on the Oti Mabuse Official channel On any internet connected device | free | Free dance classes for children live streamed at 11.30 every day and available as videos later. |