Multiple Choice Articulation is an interactive app that features a collection of over 500 hilarious multiple choice questions designed for speech-language pathologists to use with individuals who exhibit difficulty producing the following speech sounds: S, Z, R, L, S/R/L Blends, SH, CH, and TH. BAPA Plus Smarty Ears 2020-09-17T12:43:17-04:00. The Bilingual Articulation and Phonology Assessment (BAPA) is an individually administered clinical tool developed to assess the articulatory and phonological abilities of monolingual and bilingual speakers of English and Spanish. Spanish speakers represent the largest and fastest growing.
For children who have difficulty saying specific sounds in the English Language, Articulation Station helps teach them to say the sounds through a series of activities. The activities involve practising the sound at increasingly difficult levels, in words, phrases, sentences, and stories.
Free and Pro versions both include the option to teach 22 sounds in the English language. The Pro version has all 22 sounds available and is typically purchased by professionals. The Free version only comes with a free p sound program with the option to make in-app purchases for additional sounds.
What we think
- Articulation Station from Little Bee Speech is one of the most comprehensive articulation apps designed for children to learn how to pronounce and practice different sounds. The program allows users to practice at the word, sentence, and story level in 22 sounds that target the initial, medial, and final positions of words.
- Cued Articulation is a system to help all those who find it difficult to perceive, pronounce or sequence the sounds of spoken English. It was developed by Jane Passy. This free, unofficial app is intended for anyone looking for a quick reference guide to the basic sounds and actions within Cued Articulation.
Articulation Station was created by a certified Speech Pathologist to address articulation disorders, when a child has an impaired ability to produce a specific sound(s) and always produces the same error sound in its place.
The app is based on the process of traditional articulation therapy, which focuses on giving the child specific motor instructions on how to make a target sound. The core of this process is to teach a child to produce a target sound through a sequence of activities, including listening to and identifying the difference between the target sound from the error sound, correcting the production of the target sound until it is produced correctly, and generalising the target sound. Generalisation usually involves the child working through a predictable set of steps, from smaller to larger language units (i.e. producing the target sound in isolation, syllables, words, sentences, stories, conversation), moving on to the next step when they reach a pre-determined level of success. At least 80% accuracy at each step is a common goal. Generalisation also involves the child producing the sound correctly in spontaneous conversation in settings other than practice sessions, and learning to self-monitor so they are less reliant on other people to remember to say the sound correctly. More information on how to teach a target sound is available via a free resource “The Process of Articulation Therapy” on the Little Bee Speech app website.
The therapy approach requires interaction between a child and a person teaching them. The teacher provides cues about how to produce the target sound and feedback. The feedback is focused on the sound they produced (what aspects were correct and constructive feedback about what was not), is generally verbal, specific, and provided straight away. Early on the feedback is often on what can be done to improve performance e.g. “remember to keep your tongue down”. Later it tends to be on whether or not they said the sound correctly, and then encouraging the child to self-monitor. Little Speech Bee therefore strongly encourage the use of the Articulation Station app with a teacher, therapist, or parent to get the most effective therapy outcomes.
Speech Pathologist Caroline Bowen lists some of the published evidence for the success of traditional therapy approach on her website, mainly including case illustrations and clinical descriptions: http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=11&Itemid=101&limitstart=56
A randomised control trial has also since been conducted by Broomfield and Dodd (2011), which concluded that articulation therapy was effective for articulation disorder.
References
Broomfield, J., & Dodd, B. (2011). Is speech and language therapy effective for children with primary speech and language impairment? Report of a randomized control trial. International journal of language & communication disorders, 46(6), 628-640.
The app is easy to use. The home screen allows access to: information (how to use the app, video tutorials on topics such as word lists, data collection, and data backup), data (profile for each child, saved scores, group sessions), multiple sounds (option to work on more than one sound at a time), and settings (turning on/off scoring features, recording features, audio, adding custom images).
The home screen also allows you to select the sound you want to work on. Once you select a sound, you can select a light bulb icon for “Quick tips on teaching” or an activity. For each activity, you have the option to select which word position(s) to practice the sound in (initial, medial, final). You can then press “Begin” or first modify the list of words to be included in the activity. If the scoring features are turned on, you can mark the correctness of your child’s performance during the activity and see a running total on the screen.
A child can work through the following articulation activities of increasing difficulty for each sound: words – flashcards and matching, phrases – rotating and unique, sentences – rotating and unique, stories – level 1 and level 2.
The user to create a profile for each child to track progress across different goals, including their name, age, date of session, sound/position, score, %, whether they passed the level, and notes.
The user can also facilitate a group session, by creating and selecting profiles for each child who will be participating.
In-built features may be sufficiently motivating for the child, including real photos, fun activities (e.g. matching games, word spinners), the option to record their own voice to listen back to, the option to press the scoring buttons after each attempt, and the final “You did it!” announcement at the end of each activity.
A child who has difficulty using their pointer finger to press and swipe may need someone to do this for them.
A child who has vision impairment or literacy difficulties may need someone to read aloud the label of a picture or the words written on the screen, for the child to copy.
Teenagers or adults could benefit from the content of this app, however the presentation style may be less motivating for them.
The app allows the user to personalise the app to the needs of the child e.g. through Data, Multiple Sounds, Settings, sound programs for 22 sounds in the English language, activities of increasing difficulty, which word position to practice the sound in, options to modify word lists, and options to add custom photos.
The app is a good resource for facilitating traditional articulation therapy, where the child only has difficulty saying the sound. If the child also has difficulty hearing the difference between the target sound and their error sound, other resources will be needed to target this (e.g. “Speech Sounds for Kids” app by Multimedia Speech Pathology).
The app itself does not include an articulation assessment to determine which sounds to work on, however the free resources “The Process of Articulation Therapy” and “Speech Sound Development Chart” on the Little Bee Speech app website provide some guidance on this. Little Bee Speech have also released an app “Articulation Test Centre”. As a child’s speech difficulties may involve more than an articulation disorder, you may need to arrange an appointment with a Speech Pathologist for a thorough assessment.
The speech recordings on the app are in an American Accent, which is generally not appropriate for speech intervention for children with an Australia accent. It is recommended that you turn the voice audio off in settings. If the target sound is ‘r’, do not practice the sound in word final position.
The words used in activities are American influenced e.g. “trash”. Simply swipe past it or modify the word list before you begin the activity.
The program for a sound does not include activities for practising the sound on its own or in a syllable. The “The Process of Articulation Therapy” free resources on the Little Bee Speech website provides some ideas for practice, however a family may benefit from advice on activity ideas from a Speech Pathologist.
The app does not include a specific activity to practice the target sound in conversation. The “The Process of Articulation Therapy” free resources on the Little Bee Speech website provides some ideas for practice. You could also consider another resource (e.g. Articulation Scene app by Smarty Ears Apps, which shows a scene containing pictures of words containing the target sound which can be used to stimulate a conversation).
Phrase and sentence level activities sometimes involve saying more than one word containing the target sound. If this is too challenging for your child, you can temporarily decrease the difficulty of the task by skipping to the next item or telling the child some words to leave out.
The Free version with in-app purchases is cost-effective for those who want the app for only one or two sounds.
The app provides information on when each sound should be developed and instructions on how to say the sound.
The program for a sound has ready-to-go activities, at the word, phrase, and sentence level.
The app enables easy scoring and data tracking.
The activities are short. This is good, because principals of learning motor tasks like speech suggest that many shorter sessions are more productive that fewer longer sessions.
The Little Speech Bee website provides helpful free resources to use alongside the app. See the website for other resources not mentioned in the above review.
If you are a Speech Language Pathologist who works with children (or you’re a parent), you may be wondering about the best speech therapy apps for kids.
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 80% of children between the ages of three and 17 have a disorder related to:
- Speech
- Voice
- Language
- Swallowing
Fortunately, more than half of these children receive intervention services that are intended to help them learn to communicate more effectively. Speech therapy has aided countless children who previously suffered from a variety of conditions.
Speech therapy can be prescribed for a wide range of disorders.
For example, one in 600 children in the U.S. is born with a cleft palate. The majority receive corrective surgery. However, because this changes the shape of the mouth and face, these children have to learn to make specific sounds all over again.
Similarly, 5% of kids go through a period of stuttering that lasts half a year or longer. Regardless of the cause, the anxiety that often arises from the condition only makes it worse.
In addition, children who are born with autism and are verbal often don’t learn conversational speech by themselves. Instead, they use their own “language,” which, while often making sense to them and their parents or caregivers, is difficult for others to understand.
In all of these situations, speech therapy can be a highly effective treatment to help these children communicate. This, in turn, improves their confidence and social skills.
Focusing on providing children with the language tools they need greatly increases their chances of living a normal, happy life.
Technology and Speech Therapy Apps
Articulation App
Over the past years, apps for computers, tablets, and smartphones have proven to be effective tools in speech therapy for children.
While there are no hard statistics available, Speech Therapists report that many children enjoy working with apps.
This facilitates the learning process.
Another significant benefit of apps is that they’re affordable and offer an easily accessible way for children to practice at home.
Considering the fact that the frequency of practice and the quality of the guidance is critical to progress, apps have the potential to greatly increase and speed up children’s development. For parents who do not have the budget or time to bring their children to a Speech Language Therapist every day, utilizing the best apps for speech therapy provides a distinct advantage.
In those crucial younger years, setting aside fifteen to thirty minutes a day to engage with some of the best speech therapy apps for toddlers will help immensely with their growth. Consider how the apps feel like playtime, and try incorporating them into your normal play schedule.
What’s more, practicing in the safety of their own home with only their family or caregivers around them can make children feel more at ease. Factors such as a comfortable place and being surrounded by people they know will contribute to better performance.
Since there are so many apps out there, it can be confusing to know which ones are effective and which aren’t. That’s why we have selected the best speech therapy apps with kids in mind.
SEE ALSO:Top 20 Useful Physical Therapy Apps for Patients to Try
Best Apps for Speech Therapy: Articulation
Children whose speech is impaired due to a physical issue—such as a cleft palate or problems with the jaw—can benefit from apps that help them practice articulation.
1. Speech Tutor
How often have you felt the frustration of not being able to show patients the inside of the mouth so they could see precisely how to place the tongue or move the throat to make a specific sound?
Speech Tutor is one of the best speech therapy apps to give a clear overview of what happens inside the mouth and throat during speech.
It offers 132 animations depicting both a front view and a side view of the mouth so children have an accurate, visible example of how to create sounds.
Speech Tutor app is available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch and costs $9.99.
2. Articulation Station Pro
This app is a comprehensive tool for children with speech sound delays.
It offers exercises to practice 22 sounds at both the word and sentence levels, as well as the longer story level.
It includes six activities:
- flashcards
- matching
- rotating sentences
- unique sentences
- level 1 stories
- level 2 stories
With colorful photos and a suite of tools including voice recording for auditory feedback, scoring, and data tracking, it’s easy to use by speech-language pathologists and parents alike.
Articulation Station Pro is available for the iPhone and iPad and costs $59.99.
3. TallyTots
One of the best speech therapy apps for toddlers who need help with verbs, two-word combinations, counting, and concepts.
Described as action-packed, this is one of the engaging speech therapy apps for iPad users. It includes 20 awesome mini-games that help kids have fun with numbers.
This app features:
- 20 puzzles and mini-games that teach quantity, order, and sorting.
- An awesome sing-along counting song.
- An assisted counting guide that helps toddlers count all the way to 100.
The TallyTots app is $2.99, requires iOS 8.0 or later, and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
4. Talking Pierre the Parrot
Talking Pierre the Parrot is a virtual pet who repeats everything your child says in a funny voice. Although this isn’t a dedicated speech therapy app, it’s a great way to motivate your child to articulate correctly so Pierre sounds good!
This app is lots of fun for kids because it is less structured. Consider using this app as positive reinforcement after more intense sessions.
Talking Pierre the Parrot is free, requires iOS 7.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Best Apps for Speech Therapy: Stuttering
Stuttering or stammering is a relatively common speech impediment in children. Fortunately, most are able to overcome their condition—only one percent of children are permanently affected.
5. Fluency SIS
Intended for school-age children who stutter, SIS (Smart Intervention Strategy) reshapes the approach to stuttering modification.
Its goal is to help the child become an effective and confident communicator by desensitizing him or her to feared stimuli, thereby reducing anxiety.
Using creativity and humor, it teaches the child how to maintain a positive perception of him or herself.
The award-winning Fluency SIS app is available for the iPad and costs $10.99.
6. Fluency Tracker
One of the best speech therapy apps for the parents of children who stutter and aims to increase children’s positive feelings about speech, as well as reduce avoidance behavior.
Users can enter data regarding how often the child stutters throughout the day, when and where this occurs, and with whom the child was speaking. They can also record when and why the child avoided speaking.
This data is processed to provide an ongoing overview of a child’s anxiety and attitudes toward speaking so that the speech therapist can better customize his or her therapy.
Fluency Tracker is available for $9.99 for the iPhone.
Speech Therapy Apps for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Children with autism spectrum disorders can experience difficulty learning language and acquiring basic conversational skills. The following apps can help.
Articulation App Laptop Free
7. Keyword Understanding
Aimed at enhancing comprehension in children with autism and special needs, this is one of the best apps for speech therapy with exercises to practice auditory and written instructions.
It has three modes:
- auditory only
- text only
- auditory and text
With an easy to use interface, colorful photos, and 3D objects, users can create thousands of “tasks” for the patient to perform.
For example, you can create the task, “Touch the flower,” and follow it up with, “Touch the vase.”
Eventually, when the child has mastered simple task comprehension, you can create the more complex task, “Touch the flower and then touch the vase.”
Keyword Understanding is available for the iPad and costs $9.99.
8. Let’s Be Social
This speech therapy app provides exercises to practice pragmatic language or social skills.
There are 40 lessons that are divided into five skill sets:
- personal interactions
- navigating the community
- school behavior
- handling change
- social relationships
Lessons depict “normal” interactions and teach the patient what the expected emotions and behaviors are in that interaction. This is shown through a video with thought bubbles to reinforce learning.
Users can also create their own lessons thanks to the intuitive interface.
Let’s Be Social is available for the iPad and costs $9.99.
9. iSequence
iSequences is an educational app for children with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome that enables them to practice 100 different sequences of everyday situations, such as:
- Autonomous habits like brushing their teeth, washing their hands, getting dressed or going to bed
- Fun activities like going to the beach, to the movies or do sports
- Everyday situations like falling down, taking the bus, going the doctor, buying bread or getting wet in the rain
- Emotions like happiness, sadness, surprise or fear
Talking along with the lead character in the app provide opportunities to practice speech.
The iSequence app is $3.99, requires iOS 8.0 or later and is compatible with iPad.
Of course, there are many more useful apps for a wide variety of speech disorders. Some will be more suited to younger children, while others are specifically for teens and young adults.
Articulation App Laptop Version
In your experience, what do you think are the best speech therapy apps? Did we miss any on this list?
Let us know in the comments!