Learning App for iPad Reviewed: SpellBoard

I had started a larger post with various apps, but then thought I would review them one by one as we used them! I would also like to say that I paid for this app myself, I was not paid by anyone to review this app!

I was looking for an app that would help my sons prepare for their weekly spelling test.  There are many spelling apps that were for practice in general or as games...but I was looking for one that I could import their words.  I read the review of SpellBoard on the itunes site and decided to try it!

The app is $4.99, so it is not one that you might take a risk on...but it is worth every penny!  My boys argued over the ipad all week.  The results are in (or at least for the third grader)  and Ryan almost every week missed 2-3 words no matter how much we study.  Some weeks he will just miss one, but the only time he got a 100% was when I told him for three weeks in a row I was not buying the clip shoes he needed for BMX until he scored a 100%!

Well....Ryan got a 100% after practicing with SpellBoard for four nights this week.  I was worried they would tire of it since it did not have games, but they enjoyed it.

You enter their words and speak the word using the internal mic.  You can also add a phrase or definition, but we didn't do that for this first week.  You can also add multiple children's names and it tracks their work and practice time.

My first grader loved the whiteboard feature.  For practice time, you can select the marker color and write the words with your finger.  Then in quiz mode you get both the whiteboard and keyboard.  He would write it with his finger, check it by sounding it out and then typed in  his answer.

When finished with a quiz it gives your score and shows the ones you missed and how you spelled it vs. the correct spelling.

Each night I would say that they could practice and then take a quiz, the person with the highest score was given 15 minutes of play time on the ipad games we have downloaded.

You can share lists with other spellboard users (only one parent would have to enter the words.)  There also seems to be a companion app for the iphone to practice what you have put on the ipad...but I think we will stay with just the ipad since the keyboard and whiteboard would be easier for them to use on the ipad.

This week I am going to let my first grader demo it for his class and then utilize the spelling app in centers. So for our family I would give it 5 out of 5 stars even without any cutesy games...it works and that is what counts!

Check it out here in itunes.

P.S. - I have noticed that there is now a link from the SpellBoard app page to my review.  I appreciate the blog traffic and hope my review helps you decide what is best for you, but I wanted to note I did not receive this app from them free of charge and have not/do not recieve any compensation from them.  I say that since many Mom Blogs are asked to review items and get compensation.  I wanted you to know my non-bias and that I just love the app!  I am a principal and our team of teachers that use ipads and ipod touches now use this app as well.