I was really surprised with how many apps and online resources there are to aid students in the writing process. I teach kindergarten, and a few apps stood out to me that I would like to use with my young students.
Handwriting is a really important part of our kindergarten curriculum, so I was really intrigued with the handwriting apps. I definitely enjoyed exploring the app, iWriteWordsLite. I found it more engaging than some other handwriting apps that I investigated. It included fun sound effects, encouraging verbal cues, and immediate affirmation or correction to facilitate proper handwriting strokes. Practicing handwriting via this fun app would be a fun and engaging way for kids to reinforce their paper-pencil handwriting skills. This app allows kids to practice letters, numbers, and short words.
Tracing Letters was another handwriting app that I was able to explore. I didn't like it as much as iWriteWordsLite because it merely had kids trace letters. There were no sound effects and limited guidance as to how to properly write the letters. Essentially, kids could scribble on each letter and advance onto the next letter without any redirection or guidance as to how to correct their work.
Story Dice was also an interesting app that I could see using with my class. Within this app, an assortment of dice with pictures on each face are given. Students can use the images to help them brainstorm story ideas. One objective of our writing curriculum is for students to practice narrative writing. Typically, the kids do this by writing a personal narrative through a small moment story. Each year, however, some kids request to write their own fictional stories, and Story Dice would be a fun way to cultivate these imaginative stories.
Finally, Flipsnack seems like an interesting virtual way of publishing student work. I especially like how student work can be scanned to compile online. Often, my students create more hands-on work, and being able to scan it into a virtual format is a fun way of publishing class books and projects. Also, virtual projects and publications can be more easily shared with students' families if appropriate permission is obtained.
Another idea for publishing student work is using Studentreasures by Scholastic. This is not really a virtual method of publishing student work, but I wanted to share it anyway! Students can each create a page to be compiled into a class book, or students can write and illustrate their own full book. I have had my kindergarteners each write a page to be compiled into a class book. Then, the student work is sent to Scholastic where it is published into a book! Parents can then choose to order soft cover or hard cover versions of the book. The whole process is free (except for any copies that families order), and teachers get a free copy of the class book! I just wanted to share this resource; when we do this each spring, my kids love it and feel so accomplished as writers! More information can be found here: https://www.scholastic.com/poetry/index.html
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