AbiTalk Learning is Fun!

AppyMall Review – Multisyllabic

By Jenny Webster

March 22,2015

Overall Impression

Multisyllabic is another great app developed by Abitalk Incorporated. This app aims to assist children from the age of six years, to hear and correctly enunciate words in syllables: and is relevant to children in mainstream settings as well as those in special education settings. It contains hundreds of words consisting of two, three, four and five syllables in the categories of animals, people, geography, US of America, food and transportation. All words are accompanied by realistic images. The app begins by teaching words in syllables, and then these same words are used in phrases and the final step is where they are used in sentences. Multiple users can be added, and settings can be adjusted to suit the individual child’s needs, making it very useful in all classroom settings, as well as in the home. There are no IAPs or advertisements, and external links are locked to children. I recommend this app.

Age Group: Lower Grades (Age 6-8)

Overall Rating: 5

Appy Ratings (Appy’s):

Educational Value: 5
Entertains/Engages User: 5
Customization/Settings: 5
Value for the money: 5
Ease of Navigation: 5
Quality of Graphics: 5

Goals:

Expressive Language

Features:

Support Multiple Users? Yes
Track Progress? Yes
Support Multiple Languages? No
Support Multiple Countries (ex: For money etc..)? No

Overview:

On the home page of Multisyllabic is the menu bar which includes the start button; an icon to add users; adjust settings; as well as an icon to a locked section where teachers and parents can access other apps by Abitalk, leave feedback, rate the app and more.
To begin, the child needs to tap the ‘Start’ button, select a category, then begin with ‘Words’, and progress to ‘Phrases’ and then ‘Sentences’. The words can also be sorted by phonemes; which can be initial, medial or final.
This app helps to develop the child’s ability to hear and correctly pronounce the syllables in the word related to the image; the majority of these images being photos. The photos are very clear about what they represent, for example in the section about people; it is very obvious from the activity of the man that he is a plumber, or that another is a carpenter.
Once the child has selected a category, for example animals, the first stage is to begin with ‘Words’. The word ‘rabbit’ may appear on the page, broken into two syllables. As each syllable is tapped, part of the image is revealed, and the narrator pronounces the syllable exactly as it is said as part of the whole word. Then the whole word is pronounced. Next, the child needs to drag each syllable into the orange box to make the word. The activity is self-correcting in that the syllable will not remain in the orange box if it has been incorrectly placed. The child is praised as each word is completed.
The child also has the opportunity to record him/herself articulating each word, phrase or sentence. This can later be accessed by the teacher/parent to assess the child’s progress.
In the ‘Word’ level, a ribbon is achieved for each of five correct words, and then there is a thirty second opportunity to play a mini game where the child can pop as many balloons as possible and see how many points they can achieve.
There are three different levels within the app: the first being single words, then the child can experience the same words in a phrase. The word ‘rabbit’ appears as: ‘I see a rabbit.’ in the phrase section; and then becomes, ‘I saw a rabbit at the zoo’ and the next one is, ‘I have a book about a rabbit’ in the sentence section of the app. In the phrase and sentence sections, the child can tap on the image and the written word appears, and by tapping it again, the image reappears.
Multiple users can be added, making it perfect for use in the classroom. The settings can be adjusted to suit each individual child: these settings include being able to turn on/off having the word read when tapping the image, audio reinforcement after the correct answer, enabling the bonus award, as well as the audio instruction to make the word.
One very useful aspect of this app is that a detailed report is generated for each child, and the teacher/parent can listen to the child’s recording of the words, phrases and sentences. It is also possible to email these recordings.

Issues/Wishlist:

Issues – None.
Wishlist – I would like to see a settings option to choose US English or UK English, and couple of the words such as ‘zebra’, could be adjusted to suit the English and Australian vernacular.
For use in other countries, it may be better if the US of America section could be omitted.

How this app can be used in the classroom/Therapy?

This is suitable for use in both mainstream and special education classrooms: to assist children to correctly articulate words from the six categories included within the app.

How can Parents use this app at home?

This app is suitable for use in the home for parents wishing to assist their child in correctly articulating words from the six categories included within the app.

About Jenny Webster:

Jenny Webster is a qualified primary school teacher with 25 years of experience in classrooms from Kindergarten to Year 12 high school and 5 years in special education. Retired this year.