27 Word Work Apps for the Elementary Classroom

Whether a teacher uses Daily 5 in the classroom or not, word work is an important piece of student daily learning. This article will provide an extensive list of iOS word work apps. Each app is listed by grade level and state, showing how it will best serve your students while they work with words in the classroom. All apps are free unless otherwise noted.

Creation apps for all grades:


poppletPopplet Lite – Create a word web using Popplet Lite. In the center of the web the student types the  word and in the web extensions students can add illustrations, drawings, use the word in a sentence, type the word’s meaning, etc.
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EducreationsNewEducreations – At the end of a unit have students create a short presentation with their words. Students can write the words and their meanings plus add an illustration or a picture. Then students can add voice by pronouncing the words or using their words in sentences.

 


ioscamHave students take pictures or videos of themselves acting out words with the iOS camera. The pictures or videos can then be used in other apps or viewed and shared from the camera roll.
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picstitchAny Picture Collage Creating App like Moldiv, PicCollage, PicStitch, Skitch, and Aviary, etc. – Students can use a photo collage app to create a visual for their vocabulary words or to create customized flash cards. Import the collages into story book creating apps, like StoryKit, Book Creator, and Scribble Press, to create a vocabulary or sight word book.

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Practice apps for a variety of grades:


Winning WordsWinning Words: (Synonyms, Compound Words, Singular & Plural, Homophone, Antonyms) – Winning Words matching apps have a variety of word matching apps focusing their matches on singular and plural, antonyms, homophones, compound words, and synonyms. Great for grades 1-5.
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spellingcitySpelling City – With a free account, teachers can create their own word lists for students to play a variety of learning games using the teacher created lists of words. This is a great app for students to work with specific word lists. (Grades 1-5)
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WordsWithMonstersWords With Monsters (99c) – Words With Monsters is a paid app, however, every once in a while it is free. Grab it when it is free! Students love this app. It is a child version of the app Words with Friends or the board game Scrabble. Players receive seven word tiles and take turns against a monster to try to create words adding up to the most points. (Grades 2-5)
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ChicktionaryChicktionary – How many words can you make with a set of seven letters?Find out by playing Chicktionary. Students love this app and it is perfect for a word work center or when a student has all of their other work completed. (Grades 1.5-5)
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Practice apps for pre-kindergarten to third grade:


Sight Word NinjaSight Word Ninja is an extremely fun way to practice sight words. Just like Fruit Ninja, the user slices through the appropriate item, in this case sight words. After a student’s time is up, they can review the words that they need to work on. The settings can be adjusted by difficulty and grade level up to 3rd grade.
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SightWordsSight Words by Photo Touch is a great virtual flash card app. In the settings there are options to customize grade levels up to 3rd grade. The user can also adjust the amount of choices to be displayed.
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SightWordsListSight Words List allows the user to create their own flash cards including the voice recording of each word. Students can create their own flashcards for their classmates or a special person like a parent could create lists! The app comes loaded with lists of words for PK-3rd, plus a set of nouns.
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BuildAWordExpressBuild A Word Express has a wonderful phonics component built into the app. As students assemble the words asked of them, the app will pronounce letter sounds. When the correct word is spelled the app sounds out the word and pronounces it. Then several dinosaurs drop from parachutes to congratulate the child. The free version only comes loaded with a small selection of word sounds. Build A Word Spelling and Easy Spelling are $2.99 each.
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Honorable Mention:

Read on Sight – Unscramble sentences. (K-2)
Sight Words Bingo – Practice sight words BINGO style. (K-2)
Tic Tac Toe Phonics – Learn words, vowel sounds, syllables and more. (1-3)
ABC Magnetic Alphabet: make and read words!Create words and if a student clicks the letters in the word, the word will be read to them. (K-1)

 

Feature image courtesy of Flickr, nooccar.

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