I had originally published this post as a request for suggestions, and had planned to turn them into a “The Best…” list. For now, though, I’m turning it into a Best list itself and suggesting that readers check out the recommendations left by others in the comments. I’d also suggest you look at this post at Ask A Tech Teacher.
I’m going to compose a new “The Best…” list that’s more specific than The Best Resources For Beginning iPad Users.
Please leave a comment with your suggestions. I’d like to divide them into the categories of reading, writing, speaking, and listening (obviously, some apps will overlap).
I’ll credit you for your suggestion when I publish the new list. Thanks!
Larry, I think Haiku Deck is a great tool not just for ELLs but for any student we want to encourage to express their thoughts and feelings. I love that it offers us CC licensed images and encourages us to build decks and set our stories free. You can find more of my thoughts in my review: http://www.thebookchook.com/2013/03/set-your-stories-free-with-haiku-deck.html
I suggest http://monzo-cube.com/s/ for your consideration.
The above site(‘monzo cloud’) is not a smartphone or tablet app, but a ‘cloud’ site that any language learner or teacher can create with ‘monzo’, a Windows software.
Since ‘monzo cloud’ is a website, it can be opened with a browser of a smartphone or tablet, as well as a pc.
I believe the ‘monzo cloud’ site is one of the tools no learners or teachers of English, or any foreign language for that matter, can do without.
Some FREE apps that I like..
iCell – Cell simulator for biology
Endless ABC – Great for elementary/preschool
Mad Libs
Word Mover
Grammaropolis
What’s Next? Success in School
What’s Next? Getting a Job
Cambridge Phrasal Verb Machine
Words4U
USALearns Apps
Bluster (McGraw Hill)
Idioms by “professor potts”
Games like Bookworm and Words with Friends for times when you need a quiet independent activity (finished a test early…)
Try the ‘Lex Word Game’ iPhone app (also playable online at http://www.lexwordgameapp.com). Unlike most vocab apps which just require basic recognition/guessing with a matching/multiple choice interaction, the Lex app has a fun boggle-style input to respond to questions which is both more fun and more challenging. You can import wordlists from Quizlet to use in the game, making the content extremely flexible.
Quizlet of course also has its own excellent free site and app.