FREE Spelling Apps

Before purchasing any application of iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini or iPod Touch, it is a good idea to download a few free apps and see what is out there on the market. With a free app you learn what you want or do not want from an app. Here is a list of ten spelling apps generously offered by developers for free. The apps are all very creative and useful focusing on building that first academic stepping stone – SPELLING. 

1. Build A Word Express - Practice spelling and learn letter sounds and names App created by @Reks (http://www.atreks.com) helps children gradually master spelling skill through Presentation, Practice and Test. Children are expected to drag-and-drop or simply tap letter cards to spell the word, and are rewarded with a balloon popping game. The app also offers an option to track students’ progress and share it with parents. The free part of the app offers some built-in spelling lists and one customizable spelling list (type in a word and record your voice). Educators can share by e-mail the custom-created spelling lists with other educators, parents … More is offered through in-app purchase. The final option offers user a chance to make the app accessible to students with special needs. Target population: anyone, but mostly for ages 5+.

2. My Spelling Test: Free app created by Funflip Studios (http://www.funexam.com/my-spelling-test/) helps students practice their weekly spelling words. Creating spelling lists is pretty easy – create a word and record your voice. There is only TEST mode. Scores of tests are recorded and can be sent by e-mail. The student is expected to use a keyboard to type in words. Target population: anyone, but mostly for the ages 9 and up.

3. Skill Builder Spelling created by Ben Kaiser (http://kaiserapps.com/SPELLING) is another free spelling app. The app allows you to create up to 10 spelling tests for free. The good part of this is that you can edit those spelling tests, that is, spelling lists. Choose one out of two modes to be tested. In Classic mode you see the word first and it disappears once you start typing. In Jumbled mode the letters are jumbled up. There is no narration, that is, the user is not offered an option to record his voice. The user is expected to use a keyboard to type in words. Target population: anyone, but mostly for ages 7+.

4. A+ Spelling Test App created by Innovative Mobile Apps (http://www.alligatorapps.com/) offers a user a chance to create that weekly spelling list in minutes. The user can simply create a word and record his voice. The app offers three modes Practice, Unscramble, and Test. With the first mode the user hears the word and sees empty slots where letters should go, by using keyboard he should type in the letters. The Unscramble mode offers scrambled letters the user is expected to unscramble by tapping the letter-cards on the screen. In the test mode the user is expected to type in the word he hears using the keyboard. After each test, the user is offered an option to send his scores via e-mail. Scores are also recorded for later viewing. Target population: anyone, but mostly for ages 9+.

5. Upon opening SpellingCity app created by Spelling City (http://www.spellingcity.com/app/), the student is offered 10 spelling word lists from various levels. The student can access more lists from the database, including those created by parents and teachers. For additional lists a student or parent would need to log in. There are seven activities in which the student can use his chosen spelling list: spelling, sentence building, unscrambling words, guess the word (similar to hangman), missing letter, memory game, arrange by alphabet …  The student does not use the keyboard to do the activities. Custom word lists may be entered by registered members (registration to save lists is free!) on www.spellingcity.com for use in the games and activities on VocabularySpellingCity’s app. This app can be used by anyone, especially children. It is assumed that an educator / parent would log in for additional lists.

6. Spelling Grades 1-5: Level Appropriate Word Games for Kids - Powered by WordSizzler App created by Flink Learning (http://www.flinklearning.com/) offers five free sample games with 10 words each while more spelling words from grades 1-5 are offered through in-app purchase. Each grade has 360-720 words. The user is not expected to use a keyboard. The app also offers a progress report. Target population would be elementary school children or older.

7. Spelling Bug App created by Power Math Apps (http://powermath.wordpress.com/) offers 50 spelling words with visual and audio prompts for each word. The spelling words are organized in 9 chapters without scoring. The user is offer a picture of the object and hears the word once. The letter-cards are scrambled and need to be placed in the slots in the correct order. The app does not offer Settings section.   Target population should be preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary school children based on the kids friendly artwork. However, since there is a banner during game play inviting the user to tap and get to youtube, one would expect the user to be much older.

8. ABC SPELLING MAGIC Short Vowel Words App created by Preschool University (http://preschoolu.com/) helps users practice three-letter (three-phoneme) words. The user has both visual and audio prompt before dragging and dropping the correct letter into its appropriate slot. There are two modes: Word Building (scattered letter-cards on the screen), and Moveable Alphabet (the whole alphabet is placed on the screen so user gets to choose the correct letters). In each mode phonemes (sounds of letters) are narrated upon tapping letter-cards. No scoring is present. Target population would be preschool or elementary school children considering the appealing artwork and the use of letter-cards. However, the access to social media (Facebook and Twitter) on the homepage would require the user to be much older.

9.  Animal Words(PRO): Spelling & Learning Game For Kids App created by Joy Preschool Game (http://www.facebook.com/Joypreschoolgame) offers for free 82 animal words to be used for practicing spelling in four languages (English, German, Spanish, and French). Five other word families are offered through in-app purchase. Visual prompt is given in form of an appealing picture. There are also discreet letters in the letter slots that need to be filled with scattered letter-balloons. Letter names are narrated upon tapping the letter-balloon. The two modes, A-Z and Scenes, do not offer scoring. The target population seem to be children with all the fun sounds, animation and cute pictures. However, social media connection (Facebook and Twitter) in the Menu section suggest a much older user to be ‘tapping the app’.

10. Spelling Words Card Matching Game created by @Reks (http://www.atreks.com/) helps students memorize spelling words by sight while playing an entertaining memory game with narration. The user can create his own spelling list focusing on a specific word family for the memory game. The game can be played in pairs (against a friend), alone, or against a computer. Players are given visual and audio cues when to take turns. The app’s design suggests younger population, but older users can enjoy it as well.