First Phrases vs Fun & Functional

From SmartAppsforKids.com: "In my opinion, First Phrases is a must-have for parents of children working on increasing expressive vocabulary, as well as the therapists and teachers who support their learning. First Phrases is creative, utilizes the iPad’s features in effective ways, and is engaging for young children. Highly recommended." This interactive, illustrated and animated app is perfect for a toddler, preschooler, or any child who is learning to put two or three word English phrases together. It provides many opportunities to hear (receptive), see, and say/record (expressive--if the child is talking) 72 different verb + noun combinations, such as: eat the carrot, blow the bubble, ride the bike, throw the ball, sleep on the bed, put away the toys, and more. With 6 different characters performing the actions, there are 456 possible animations so your child will never be bored! Each verb form is paired with several associated nouns to make a logical phrase such as "eat the apple" or "eat the banana" or "eat the carrot". It is also a great way to teach the article “the” in a meaningful phrase context. Use with 20 children, making it an excellent choice for professional use by a speech-language pathologist. There is also a group setting that allows several children to be engaged at once yet still have their own personal settings. Replay missed items, email results or print them out on the Session Results page! How to play: Tell the characters what to do! Touch the illustrated parts of the phrases in order one at a time (e.g. “eat... the... carrot”). The child hears the pre-recorded spoken phrase modeled. You can have this repeated once, twice or three times in the settings for maximum auditory input. Children who are not yet talking can skip the recording option and simply tap/see the associated animation on the Easy Level to learn the meanings of the phrases and to build language comprehension. The child then watches the character (bear, mouse, cat, dog, boy or girl) perform the command to help associate the words with their meaning. Now it’s the child’s turn to say it and tell them what to do! Tap the microphone and record, listen again, and watch the character follow the direction. Use the optional visual support to help remember what to say! On the scoring page, an adult can indicate what parts of the verb phrase were produced correctly for data collection if desired, then tap "Done". When all parts of the phrase are correct the character gives a thumbs-up. This format is especially powerful for children with speech delays and autism spectrum disorders who need strong visual support with as little background clutter as possible, and for use in speech therapy sessions. The format also is a terrific way to support early literacy for left to right orientation, reading (with text on feature) and word boundaries. Options include text on/text off, recording feature on/off, girl or boy narration voice models, presentation of the phrase in 3 segments (verb + the + object) or 2 segments (verb + the object). A perfect speech therapy app for children with special needs! PRIVACY POLICY: We do NOT collect personal data from our users and have no ads. Personal data regarding user performance on the tasks on this app are self-contained and not transmitted in any way. This is a one-time download fee. We do not have subscriptions. Developed by noted speech-language pathologist Patti Hamaguchi, M.A., CCC-SLP who is also the author of books such as "Childhood Speech, Language & Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know", "A Metacognitive Treatment Approach to Treating Auditory Processing Disorders", several tests (RESCA-E, ELCI, TAPS4) To find out more about this app and our other upcoming projects, go to: www.hamaguchiapps.com Questions or need Tech Support? Email us at info@hamaguchiapps.com

Unlock the power of functional communication with Fun & Functional, the premier speech therapy tool designed to teach children and adults how to understand and describe the use of everyday objects. Created by certified speech-language pathologists at Smarty Ears, this app bridges the gap between simply naming an item and truly understanding its utility in the real world. Whether you are a clinician working on Common Core standards, a teacher implementing RTI (Response to Intervention), or a parent supporting language at home, Fun & Functional provides a research-based curriculum to build "word consciousness" and advanced literacy. Why Choose Fun & Functional? Evidence-Based Practice: Built on linguistic research, the app targets verb-based vocabulary—concepts that are typically more difficult to acquire but essential for narrative and expressive language skills. Dual-Mode Learning: Addresses both receptive language (identification) and expressive language (verbal description) in a single session. High-Quality Visuals: Features over 20,000 Smarty Symbols to represent real-life items with professional clarity. Multilingual Support: Fully localized in English, Spanish, and Portuguese—the selected language determines all commands, stimuli, and clinical reports. Powerful Features for Professionals & Families 10 Functional Categories: Target specific themes including Electronics, Grooming, Occupation, Kitchen, Vehicles, and more. Customizable Complexity: Adjust settings to show 2, 3, or 4 choices per screen. Control task difficulty by selecting "Less Similar" or "More Similar" distractors. Precision Data Tracking: Automatic "Report Cards" track student progress chronologically, identifying specific areas of mastery. Therapy Report Center (TRC) Compatible: Seamlessly sync data for easy report writing and caseload management. Versatile Design: Appropriate for a wide range of learners, from early elementary students to older individuals with severe cognitive deficits or those in stroke rehabilitation. Educationally Aligned Fun & Functional is the perfect companion for the classroom, meeting Common Core State Standards for sorting common objects into categories and producing complete sentences in shared language activities. It provides the intensive monitoring required for successful RTI Tier II and III interventions. Download Fun & Functional today and help your learners move beyond naming to true functional communication!