Minimal Pairs Academy
I would give this app 5 stars, if not for one issue. Initially, I was unable to get it to work. It appears to be a glitch with prevocalic voicing. As long as I don’t select prevocalic voicing, the app works as expected. Smarty Ears customer service has been responsive and states they are working to correct this problem.
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Takes a little time to set up
This app takes some time to set up initially so is not a good one to pull out last minute. It is nice to have an app that addresses phonological processes.
Useful tool
I have found this app to be a good addition to my phonological therapy. The kids like when the cards spin when they get it correct and they enjoy the feedback of the recording. I do find some of the pictures difficult for kids to recognize and the repetition is random but that may be a setting I have yet to discover. This one is a keeper.
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Graphic issues
I have used this app, and every time I go into the section where it shows flash cards the part of the screen that you need to use goes black. The buttons still work but you can't see what you are pushing. Even when you press the next button, it only partially fixes the problem. The app will be great if this error is fixed
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Good access to pictures but can be cumbersome to use.
I am very pleased to have access to minimal pairs on my iPad and not have to carry around many different packs of cards (I work itinerantly as an SLP). I like most of the word pairings and pictures, though some pictures are hard to grasp for my 3-5 year olds.
I do find it difficult to adjust to my needs and would like to see an option for a different interface where you can simply pick the deck you want to practice, the game to be played, and the child(ren) who will be participating.
Pros:
- finally minimal pairs on my iPad!
- different games/levels of practice
- ability to track data for more than one student and target
Cons:
- if you set up the app the way they suggest, you don't have control over which target is used each time you play (for students with more than one target)
- if you want to target the same target twice in one week you have to tweak the student's goals each time you play in order to select only the one you want to practice - which is a good work-around but more cumbersome than I think necessary
- only requests the target sound during auditory discrimination tasks, not both to see how well a student can identify either.
- some of the pictures are unclear, especially for younger students
I do find it difficult to adjust to my needs and would like to see an option for a different interface where you can simply pick the deck you want to practice, the game to be played, and the child(ren) who will be participating.
Pros:
- finally minimal pairs on my iPad!
- different games/levels of practice
- ability to track data for more than one student and target
Cons:
- if you set up the app the way they suggest, you don't have control over which target is used each time you play (for students with more than one target)
- if you want to target the same target twice in one week you have to tweak the student's goals each time you play in order to select only the one you want to practice - which is a good work-around but more cumbersome than I think necessary
- only requests the target sound during auditory discrimination tasks, not both to see how well a student can identify either.
- some of the pictures are unclear, especially for younger students
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Needs improvement
I bought this app with high hopes but am disappointed with the poor quality of photos used. Many of them are abstract stick person type drawings that are simply too difficult for low language and ESL students to understand. Also, not enough selection for potential targets being worked on in any given category. Needs more work on the selection of auditory discrimination targets to represent what SLP's and AVE's are really working toward with their clients/students.
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Must Have!
This app is a must have for your bag of tricks. It is fun and engaging, I love it more than my kids! Worth the money!
SLP that loves this app
My students and I love and enjoy this app! I appreciate that I can work with a group and the different choice for data collection plus the ability to email it are time saving and efficient.
Great Listening App
Minimal Pairs Academy is not just an app for speech. It is a great app to use with students with hearing loss. They often struggle to differentiate sounds in conversation and this app provides some nice practice for them both with individual words and also with words in context.
great app
This is a great app for artic practice and also for auditory discrim practice.
