Words with Ibbleobble

This is a really well designed and thought-out app that aims to help young children widen their vocabulary and increase their communicative skills. It is aimed at children who can already read and for those who are seeking to utilize these reading skills to extend their vocabulary. I would, therefore, recommend the app for children in year 2 onwards. 

 

The app is incredibly easy to use and has a slick design, which adds to the learning experience the app provides. It is clear to see from the developers’ website that they are very knowledgeable at creating and developing apps for this age range. Some of their other apps include maths-based content, as well as apps based on sequences and patterns. The design profile for these apps is very similar, helping to build a

sense of familiarity for young people; helping them appreciate and understand the applications. The developers’ website is also a useful tool as it contains information on who they are, who to use the apps and a content filled blog. This is underlined by how easy the developers are to contact if you have a problem or question concerning any of their apps.

 

Once you open the app you are welcomed by a colourful home screen and information on how to access the content of the app. The pictures are clear and this really helps with the accessibility of the app itself. If you need the rules to the game, there is a button to click on to get this and then an option to contact the developer from the app. Again, this is via a different button on the screen. At the bottom of the

page, there is an ability to view the scoreboard, to set the difficulty and to learn a bit about the characters (or friends) who play an integral part throughout the app.

 

The middle of the home screen is where the main content of the app is and where 'friends' come into it too. The user scrolls along and selects a friend that they want to learn with. Each friend is different, not just in who they are, but also in the themes that they represent and the learning experience they give. For instance, Kelly, the Rabbit helps the user learn about ‘Holidays and Travel’, whilst Florence the Fox helps the user learn ‘All About Me’. Once the user has selected the friend they are going to learn with, they are taken to the main game part and the content of the app where a picture appears on the screen and then three descriptions underneath. The user must read the description and select the correct one. There are three difficulty options ranging from easy to medium and hard, which helps make this accessible to different learners, allowing them to move through the levels, demonstrating improvement.

 

Overall this is a great app for helping young learners to increase their vocabulary and make them more confident in their language skills.