Your smartphone just may be an untapped resource in working on skills with your learner. There are several apps out there that allow you to record audio over photos or type text over photos, and many of them are free.
While there are many similar apps out there, I prefer the app Over for adding text to photos because it’s easy to use, offers a variety of fonts, and allows you to move the text to different parts of the pictures ($1.99 in the iTunes store).
For adding audio to videos or photos, I love Shuttersong (free in the iTunes store). This video illustrates how easy it is to use.
You can use these apps to help your learner with a variety of communication and cognitive skills.
Skills:
- The apps can be used to help your learner identify people who were engaged in the activity with you. For example, if you take a trip to a petting zoo, you can take photos of the people who went with you. Depending on the level of your learner, this could involve naming the person pictured, discussing what animals were that person’s favorite, or describing things that person did or felt during the trip.
- Apps can also be used to allow your learner to write or record a statement describing what happened. This can be done in the moment or later for the learner to practice recall.
- You can print the pictures or save them to a document on your computer or tablet. Your learner can then put them in sequential order and tell you about his/her day.
- If the learner is working on recall skills with other teachers/adults, you can provide the images to them so they can provide prompts to your learner as needed.
Benefits:
- Allows you to provide visual prompts for your learner to aid in recalling recent events.
- If your learners is highly motivated by using the cell phone, this can be a great way to get him/her involved in conversation related to activities you’ve participated in as a family or class.
- It provides a functional use of the smartphone for your learner.