Finding materials to target /r/ can be tricky. If you have students who are only working on /r/, finding new materials that are engaging is tough! Complete Speech, makers of the app Vowel Viz, have just released a Lite, and FREE, version of their newest app, Speech Racer!
Speech Racer, geared towards children 6 and up, uses sound recognition software to detect correct /r/ productions! It uses a fun, race track theme to give immediate, visual feedback about the production. If you download the app you will options for word lists and images, and other settings. In the Lite version you will see a tab for some Tips and Tricks for /r/ which is really nice. Other features that will be available on the complete app are: Speedometer (incremented, 27 levels) and Track (incremented, 27 levels), Bell sound effect, Word Lists ( 36 lists of “R” words: Initial R, Vocalic R, Blends, Initial, Medial, Final positions), Flashcards ( Card border changes colors to match scoring, Images and words on cards, Scoring,
Practice difficult flashcards, Curriculum ( Use free, available online curriculum to identify target word lists and keep track of progress). The Lite version currently allows you to choose from two different visual feedback meters, to give you an idea of what the full app can do. Just tap Quick Start to get started.
Both use the red, yellow, green lights to correspond to incorrect, approximate, and correct productions. The student holds down one of buttons and says their /r/ word, dragging out the /r/ sound. The app will then light up to the corresponding accuracy of the production. It was great for my kids to see right away how they did and nice to get feedback on their production from a different source. My kids really like the race car theme and were motivated to get their sounds into the green zone. It was great to use with my students who are working on self-monitoring skills!
Speech Racer from Complete Speech is FREE on iTunes. I can’t wait to see the full version!
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