Virtual Speech Center has developed a brand new app, Real Vocabulary Pro. I was honored when they contacted me to try it out and share with all of you! Remember, all the thoughts and opinions are mine!
As the title suggests, this app works on VOCAB! Yay!! It is divided into different skills: antonyms, definitions, idioms, multiple meanings, and synonyms. For each skill, it is broken up by grade levels: k-1, 2-3, and 4-5.
For each student, you can select a different skill — Great for differentiation! Best part, you can also select whichever grade level (even if that student isn't in that grade). You can also edit each list by clicking “edit.” If you know student has mastered a certain vocabulary word or maybe you know they have no background knowledge on one and want to wait on it, you can select or deselect! You can also determine how many words from the list you want to include! The amounts are divided into groups of 10.
Once you select the activity, you can hit next to start. You are brought to this page to prompt you to get started:
As you can see above you can pick receptive or expressive. I like to start with receptive to teach concepts and expressive once I know they have mastered it receptively.
Antonyms:
For receptive, students are given a picture, a sentence with the target antonym and a question. They are given four choices. There is audio presentation of the sentence, questions and answer choices.
For expressive, the students are given a sentence and question with the picture. The choices are removed. They must verbally express the antonym. They can record and playback their responses. They can rate themselves or you can score for them by clicking the check, X, or button in between which is “almost.” I would use this button for it they needed prompting or got the answer on the second try.
Definitions:
Receptive: Students are given a picture and a question prompting a definition. They are given 4 choices. Students must select the definition to best describe the target word given.
Expressive: Students are given a picture and a question prompting a definition. The choices are removed. Students must verbally express the definitions independently. They can use the picture to help them with word finding or understanding the target word presented. The vocabulary used are words that students are expected to know for that age/grade level and would be seen often in their academic classes. Again, they can record and playback their responses (great if you have students also working on articulation/fluency) and can be rated based on responses.
Idioms:
Receptive: Students are given the idiom, a question prompt, and 4 choices. Students must use their prior knowledge of these idioms to come up with their answers. I would recommend teaching your students these idioms ahead of time and not use this app to teach them. This would be a great to review and assess progress. The picture is there to trick them and not help them generate the meaning of the idioms.
Expressive: Just like the other 2 sections, the expressive version is the same without the choices. I can see this task being extremely difficult for most students!
Multiple Meaning:
Receptive: Students are given a word, a sentence using one meaning of the word, a question prompt asking what else does ____ mean, and four choices. I like that it gives the one definition and the choices are prompting the other. The picture given is used to describe the definition used in the sentence.
Expressive: Again, the choices are removed. Students can express the meaning, record, and rate their responses.
Synonyms:
Receptive: Students are given a picture and a question prompt asking for another word for the word given. They are given four choices in this setting.
Expressive: Again, the choices are removed.
Other features of this app:
- At any time, you can click the “page” button to add notes. Notice a pattern, want to remind yourself which words to assign for homework, feel free to add notes right onto the app!
- Students are rewarded! Who doesn't like games?! Especially games related to food!
- When you review a session report, you can access from the page once you click “finish” the client, activity, type (receptive/expressive), score, percentage, word lists used, audio recorded, and notes taken.
- Addresses common vocabulary targets worked on in speech therapy.
- Different age/grade levels for each target is provided.
- Great for data collection/RtI/common core.
- All vocabulary chosen is curriculum based and should be acquired for each of the grade levels
- You can edit word lists based on need
- Lots of opportunities for differentiation and modification
- Love that it stores words given in each activity, audio, and notes
- The recording features is great for students also working on articulation and fluency
- This app doesn't necessarily teach the concepts. I would recommend using this app as a retest and post-test. Which words don't they know? Then teach them using “speechie” strategies. Then assess progress using the app. Since you can edit word lists, this is easily possible! You can easily make the post-test using all of the incorrect words from the pretest!
- View the word lists for each grade level first. Do you think your students are at that level? Don't assume because the grade given that that is where your students are functioning! I definitely saw words in the K-1 lists that my 5th graders wouldn't know! Granted, yes, they should know them. But if I am using this app as a teaching tool, I would want to start with where they are and move up from there.
