Sunday, October 7, 2012

ASL Dictionary App Review & Giveaway!

I work with so many students this year that I sign with daily. I am always seeking new resources for myself, the educational staff members working with the students, the students themselves, and even their parents. I always look for reliable dictionaries because my biggest pet peeve is entering a classroom seeing outdated or inaccurate resources that the students and/or teacher are relying on!


 I found this app a while back and I love it! I now have it to share with you.
This app is for both the iPhone ($3.99) and iPad ($6.99)
The features on the iPhone app make it well worth it! This has become more than just an useful dictionary! Besides for the 5,200 + words, it's has ...
  • common phrases & 450 + idioms
  • the alphabet
  • numbers
  • dates, months, & years
  • money
Now the iPad app does have more features, such as creating favorite lists (this could be great for those words you use often, perhaps forget often, or the week's vocabulary list ... there's tons of things you could do with this feature!), but the biggest difference to me is the ability to use the app without Wifi or 3G internet around. I'm not always able to get on the Wifi at the several schools that I travel to so this is a burden for me when on my phone using the app. 


A feature that I love is the developers' understanding and acknowledgement of multiple meaning words (e.g. LIKE). When you see the options for 'like,' you will see "Like (pleasing)" and "Like (similar)". There's so many times I have to teach that ASL does not have a word-to-word correlation with English and therefore the meaning of the sign is more important than the orthographic symbol (a.k.a the written word).

When you click the word, it reminds you which 'like' you are watching the sign production for (pleasing vs. similar). The ASL videos have great features such as the 'loop' to play again and again, 'replay' and 'slow'.

Appsavers.com and Software Studios, LLC have some other great app options for you too such as ...

  • ASL Baby Signs

  • ASL Emergency Signs




Ok folks, here's the best part, I  get to give FIVE iPhone ASL Dictionary apps away free to you! (They work on iPad too)


a Rafflecopter giveaway
at

12 comments:

  1. Jenna RayburnOctober 7, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    I keep meaning to look up 'key'. We have been playing the Cariboo and I need that sign!

    ReplyDelete
  2. ErinOctober 7, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    Hmm...I don't know what sign I would look up first...maybe fruit snack?

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownOctober 7, 2012 at 9:11 PM

    okay this is try 10! I love these apps. Who couldnt use them. I cant wait to see who wins! Good luck Everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 7, 2012 at 9:54 PM

    Ahhh, don't know what happened to my last comment. I usually ask the kids for the sign first, but then check with the interpreters. This will make life easier for sure. Just recently I have needed signs for lizard, jackal, and ants.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Betty RichOctober 7, 2012 at 10:09 PM

    I would look up "My turn" first. I have a new preschool student who has about 75 signs, and I need to get up to speed with him!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mary MartinOctober 7, 2012 at 11:11 PM

    Flower!

    ReplyDelete
  7. ASWOctober 8, 2012 at 12:09 AM

    I would look up the sign for "puzzle" or maybe "games".

    ReplyDelete
  8. Stay-Away-From-Home MommyOctober 8, 2012 at 4:40 AM

    I would look up "forget." I always forget to look it up until I need to sign it with my daughter who is deaf with bilateral ci.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wendance DesignsOctober 8, 2012 at 7:03 AM

    I would use it to look up key words from lessons that I am teaching

    ReplyDelete
  10. quixoticmooseOctober 8, 2012 at 8:35 PM

    I like that it's up to date AND at my fingertips instead of always forgetting my dictionary at home. Plus I can use it to practice with the fam when we have down time :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Girl WonderOctober 10, 2012 at 10:20 PM

    I would look up movies. So I can ask my crush, who is deaf, to the aquarium. I am learning asl. So we can communicate better

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mary MartinOctober 17, 2012 at 5:12 PM

    who won?!

    ReplyDelete