Three Free Apps You Can Use in Your Classroom Today: Writing

The writing process has three key steps: prewriting, drafting, and reviewing. Educators can check out PUWW resources in our content area sections for tips on instructional practices. To help students practice all aspects of writing, check out these apps:

• Red Stamp: Let students practice writing letters by sending creative greeting cards! Writing for an audience can be a great way to motivate struggling writers. (iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android)
• Puppet Pals: Students can create videos by choosing characters, audio, animation, and more to tell a virtual story. (iPad)
• Moleskine: Like its namesake notebook, it allows users to write and draw in four different types of notebooks, including a ruled composition and a storyboard notebook. The app includes various tools to add colored text along with images, as well as a feature to export notebooks via email, Evernote, Facebook, and Twitter! 
• Tip: After students have drafted and reviewed a story, have them create a final “book” with the storyboard complete with images, and export for grading! (iPad, iPhone, iPod, Windows Phone 7.5/8, Samsung Galaxy Note)

Need more free writing apps? Try Lino to take notes, including videos and pictures (iPad or smartphone). Have writers block? Try Name Dice if students need assistance in creating character names in the early stages of writing (iPhone, iPad, iPod) or try WordDot: a random name and phrase generator to get those creative juices flowing.

Tablets are Everywhere – How Will You Use Them in Your Classroom?

With the cheaper iPad Mini and a wide variety of Android tablets now available, as well as newer budget-friendly tablets coming onto the market, more classrooms have access to some kind of tablet.

Is your school using tablets? If so, do you feel lost when it comes to finding apps that will integrate with evidence-based practices? We’ve put together a few resources and ideas to help you get started with great apps for education, but feel free to share your suggestions in the comments!

Finding Apps:

• Search for apps on the TechMatrix
• eSchool News: 10 of the best Apple apps for education in 2012
• eSchool News: 10 of the best Android apps for education in 2012
• iPhone, iPad and iPod touch Apps for (Special) Education
• Appolicious – App directory and search tool

Helpful Resources:

• Education’s Guide to Mobile Devices: Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Tech and Your Schools
• iPodsibilities – teacher website and blog dedicated to teaching with the iPod and iPad
• I Education Apps Review – A Community Effort to Grade Educational Apps