Earlier this year, the developer of the Sayin’ It Sam iPad game reached out to share their new iPad app she launched in the Apple App Store. Sayin’ It Sam iPad game is an iOS app designed to promote speech in early language learners, children with autism, and children speech impairments. This speech and language app helps students practice saying different colors.
Sayin’ It Sam App
How does it work? When students, teachers or families open up Sayin’ It Sam for the first time, you’ll have to grant permission for the app to access the microphone on your device. This speech and language app uses voice recognition instead of the touch screen. This makes the microphone necessary for children to play along with each level. Like any app that requires the microphone, if you do not grant permission when the notification first pops up on your screen, you can always change the permissions by heading over to the settings on your device.
Since the app does require voice recognition, you’ll want to make sure students are in a quiet place when responding to prompts in Sayin’ It Sam. For example, Sam will ask players to name the colors of each item on the screen and students will have to say it loud enough for the device microphone to hear. If it is an app you frequently use with one child or in stations (with students rotating around a classroom as they use Sayin’ It Sam), you may want to use an external microphone that sits on a tabletop or one that is connected to headphones. It’s definitely not necessary, but you may find it helpful if you are in a space with a lot of background noise.
Speech and Language App
You can play Sayin’ It Sam through a student’s voice. Instead of tapping and touching the screen as students often do in other mobile apps, students will use their voice to play. There is a pause button within the app too so you can pause while talking to students about the colors that appear on the screen. This way your voice won’t activate the app, and you can resume playing so students can practice speaking into their device.
Students can move through the first two levels for free before there is a prompt to access more content. They’ll see Sam pop up on their screen and encourage them to say the color of the different items. As students start talking, the word “listening” will hover at the bottom of the screen so you can be sure that the microphone is picking up what they say. This is a new app, and the designers are definitely open to feedback and suggestions – including as it relates to the voice recognition software.
If this isn’t an app you would use in the classroom, it may be one you want to recommend to a family looking to make the most of mobile devices to support their children as learners. Sayin’ It Sam is available on iPad and iPhone and is free with in-app purchases to access additional content. Head over to the Apple App Store to check it out!