Since I am new to this world of using an iPad for therapy, I don't have a huge arsenal of speech & language apps just yet. When Kyle Tomson at Mobile Education Store contacted me, I did actually know who he was…I had just gotten Rainbow Sentences and was loving it! I jumped at the opportunity to try out another one of his apps, and when I started thinking about my caseload and what apps could be beneficial, I immediately was drawn to Preposition Builder…using prepositions correctly seems to give my students such a hard time! Keep reading for my review and a chance to win this app!
When you open Preposition Builder, this is the welcome screen you see first. There are options to add users and you can toggle on/off audio, reinforcers, and recordings. Each module is listed and you simply touch the one you want to work in. Included are:
- in, on, under
- down, up, off
- above, below, at, by
- behind, between, beside
- out of, next to, away from
- toward, around, through,
- to, from, at
- across, past, over
- with, about, for
As you can see, there is also a option to view a video tutorial, which I highly recommend! You can also find it online HERE.
Each sentence stimulus is presented at the top with a blank where the preposition belongs, followed by awesome cartoon pictures of the sentence, and word choices at the bottom. Students can slide a finger over each answer choice and the word is read aloud to them. Then they drag their answer to the blank. One cool thing about this app is that if the child is wrong, the picture changes to show them what it would look like with the answer they chose, then they get another chance to choose the correct word for the original sentence.
Once they choose the correct preposition, there is an option to record them saying the sentence. This is great for immediate practice of expressive language.
You can choose to save the recording or not. If you do, they are kept in the student's archives, which you can access from their main page. My students really enjoyed recording their sentences and listening to themselves. This would also be great for self evaluation!
As a reinforcer, students will unlock parts of a pirate story as they complete each module. You can also keep track of their progress with the animations. Since pirates are usually a big hit, this part of the app was fun for my students. They got so excited when they unlocked a part of the story!
There is also this performance report available on each of the students you enter who have played. I really like how it gives you the information on how many attempts it took for them to get it correct. You can also email stats, which is great for data collection or sharing progress with parents or teachers.
Here is what I love about Preposition Builder..
- Engaging for students using great graphics
- Visual and auditory for multi-sensory learning
- Corrects for student errors
- Ability to work on receptive and expressive skills
- Data collection
- Sharing of progress via email
Here is what I would like to see in the future…
- A group option. I very rarely get to work one-on-one, so in my groups I had to go back and change users for every turn.
- The ability to have the stimulus sentence read to the students. I found myself reading it to my non-readers again and again.
Mobile Education Store has quickly become one of my favorite developers. Both apps I have tried have been excellent additions to my therapy tool box. With lots of new things in store for us, they have a newsletter available to sign up for HERE to help keep track. I'm looking forward to seeing what else they come up with!
Preposition Builder is available in iTunes for only $7.99
Mobile Education Store was kind enough to provide one copy of this app to review but all opinions are mine.
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I often use themed materials and hide them around the classroom I’m working in (usually our classroom for students with cognitive impairments). The students get to get up and move to find the objects, but then have to tell me and their classmates where they found the item using the correct preposition. We turn it in to a game…who can find the most AND tell correctly where they found them.
I use a Chinese food container with some small plastic bears and multitask (I.E. out the red bear next to the container and the blue bear under the container). I also will work on it by singing going on a bear hunt song.
Being a new therapist, not many yet. But my plan is to use manipulatives or various items and hide them around as a scavenger hunt, a doll house (for younger students), magnetic/felt boards, paper and markers/crayons, and apps as I acquire them.
I use the Interactive Concept Pictures a lot. The kids like drawing with dry erase markers and erasing their work.
I love this app – we use it all the time! I think it has really helped to motivate my students. Great review š
– Sasha
The Autism Helper
I use manipulatives and have my students complete the actions I provide to them. I will also do activities where the kids can get up and move around the room while following preposition based directions.
This would be so helpful! Thanks!
I always love new therapy ideas and the kids always love using the iPad. Thanks
I use lots of real objects when teaching prepositions. Play barns/houses work great for the preschool crowd. For older kids I use cars or wooden blocks and do more of a following directions type activity where they put the pieces in the appropriate spot depending on which preposition I say. Barrier games are also great for prepositions.
I use barrier games, manipulatives in the therapy room and seasonal picture scene games (e.g., Where’s the leaf? on the car, in the car, under the car, etc. Collect the matches) to work on prepositions. This app sounds like a fun, interactive way for my students to practice (I love the unlock the story part)!
Since I wasn’t left with many materials for my speech room (other than items from the 70s), I will be creating all of my preposition materials from scratch using manipulatives and having kids follow my directions to put things under/over/on top/down/etc. This would be a wonderful (and fun!) addition to my ipad since I’m also new to using it in therapy!!
I have been looking for ways of targeting prepositions. This is great!
Mrs. P
http://speechingaround.blogspot.com/
For the preschoolers and Kindergarteners, I use Speech with Milo Prepositions app on the IPod as well as lots of toys/manipulatives (my rubber duckie collection is popular with the kids). For the elementary K-2 kids, I use HearBuilder following directions, make little books on boardmaker for target concepts, from Linguisystems: Buddy Bear Books, Just for Kids Interactive Concept Pictures and Auditory Processing Pictures, Listening to Basic Concepts All Year Round (Brennan Bear Book), Jack’s Jungle Game; from SuperDuper: MagneTalk Positions; various bingo games targeting spatial concepts.
I have been looking for a good preposition app for my students. This is perfect.
I use many materials from homemade activities to super duper items to printed worksheets. It depends on the age and level of student!
I usually use super duper products along with speech with Milo apps. This app would be a wonderful addition.
I currently use homemade games and worksheets. I’ve gotten more into using apps for therapy because the kids love it but it’s hard to find good free apps since my school corp does not give money for apps. This would be a great addition!
I love the look of this app for prepositions! I have been using homemade activities. This would be great to have!
My favorite activity is using the Lakeshore Learning Prepositions Box.
I use homemade games and use whatever manipulatives I can find
When I was doing my student teaching, my cooperating SLP had developed weekly concept lessons that involve both visual and tactile activities, as well as practice with receptive and expressive language activities to reinforce the target concepts. I copied all of them and rely on them any time I need to teach concepts!
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I really enjoy the Mobile Education Store apps! Thanks for reviewing this product;)
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Usually pictures from familiar storybooks, manipulatives, or the kids themselves….I always need more ideas for teaching prepositions!
Hiding toys around the room is becoming monotonous….this app would be a great addition!
I usually use items around the classroom to move around. I’ve also used a “preposition puppy”. I’d him in the classroom and the kids would take turns looking for him everyday
I use manipulatives, print outs and pictures, and also the Party Pups Preposition Game from Super Duper!