Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Social Skills Builder! ((App Review & Giveaway))

I was recently contacted by the developers, Social Skill Builder, Inc. about their app, Social Skills Builder FULL!  They were generous to provide me with a copy to check out and share with all of you AND another copy to give away to one lucky winner!  Keep reading to learn more about this great app for working on social skills with a variety of age groups!

This app was designed by SLPs for SLPs!  They knew exactly what SLPs prefer, REAL LIFE VIDEOS!!!  Yes, you read correctly, for all age groups, the app uses real  life videos and multiple choice question quizzes to help address social skills in a variety of settings and situations.

This app helps build understanding of the following areas:

  • Friendship/Life Skills
  • Understanding Emotions
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Perspective taking
This app is easy to use and navigate.  You are provided with audio directions along the way!  You can add students.  Although you can only use one student at a time, it does allow to track scores and progress.  Although you can only use one student at a time, I plan on putting in group names and tracking my group.  This will help me!
There are four different activities.  You can scroll through them to find the one ideal for your student.  You can see on the activity page the concepts in it and the age its ideal for.


Each activity contains 10-15 questions with corresponding videos of learning interactions!

Activities included in this app: 
  • 2 modules in the title Preschool Playtime (Preschool & Playground)
  • 6 modules in the title My School Day (Laughing, Table Talk, Classroom, Transition Time, Lunch Time & Jungle Gym)
  • 2 modules in the title My Community (Friend's House & Restaurant)
  • 2 modules in the title School Rules! (Hanging Out & Classroom Assignments)

Once you scroll to the one you want, just hit start!
Then you can select the scenarios you want to work on.  I plan on going in order of importance and relevance.  Which one happens first or more in their day?  I started with "classroom."  Once you click it, you are prompted to tap it again to start.  I like this feature since I sometimes click the wrong thing!
Once you tap to start, a video will be played.  Then followed by a quiz question!

I like this this app allows you to "replay" the video.  I always teach my students to request for repetition and be their own advocates.  This allows me to show them it will benefit them!!  When there is more than one answer to the question, the app will prompt students to keep answering.  It will reinforce their positive answers with an audio sound until they get all the answers.  Once they do, they get a graphic!  If students are incorrect, they get an audio sound to warn them and they are allowed to try again!
The app allows you to click "continue" to move onto another question or video which is great for eliciting conversation.  I like that the following videos are all related and build upon the previous one!  You can always pause any video at any time to ask questions, elicit conversation, check for understanding, or review concepts/vocabulary.

Let's check out another activity in this app, one for older students!  Just hit the "home" button on the top left at any time to return back to the following page!

I stated with "classroom assignments" since I am doing "school rules" in my speech room currently.

As you can see, this app again uses a video followed by quiz questions.  The app uses children of the age you are working on as well as age-appropriate vocabulary.

Let's look at another section in this app!  The community!




Once you are down with all videos/quiz questions in a section, a score appears on the screen.  It does not appear to be saved in the app, so I recommend writing it down quickly or taking a screen shot to save for later!

Things I like about this app:
  • It uses "social thinking" vocabulary such as expected and unexpected behaviors
  • It allows opportunities to pause and discuss
  • Uses real videos
  • Videos build upon each other, all related, and captures a variety of scenarios.
  • App reads each answer choice slowly, one at a time for students
  • Also taps into higher level thinking skills
To learn more about this $14.99 app, visit their WEBSITE or iTunes!  You can also view their LITE version too for $2.99 but it doesn't have as many activities included.  You can purchase in the app to add to it if desired.

Want to win it?! Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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