Here are some suggestions for engaging young children in speaking and listening as well as some reading and writing.

An Easispeak (microphone shaped) MP3 recorder are an important item to have in the classroom.  Children can record their voices and then play it back to listen to themselves.

You will probably have (in the EYFS) some Walkie Talkies or pretend mobile phones.  They are fun for friends to play with.

Also possible are voice changers, recordable postcards, talking clipboards etc. TTS are great for that sort of thing. http://www.tts-group.co.uk/primary/ict-computing/speaking-listening/

What about a sing-along CD player?
TTS also have such items as “Talking Tin Lids” and “Talking Pegs” and “Talking Buttons”

 

 

Here is a list of iPad apps that could help with communication:

iPads offer many ways to support communication, from full (more expensive) AAC Apps to cheap or free Apps offering limited but useful communication. You would want to choose based on whether an app can be personalised easily and what kind of speech output it has (male/female/child) and voice quality. How easy is it to learn and can your edits be backed up?

Meanwhile some apps to just encourage utterances and vocalising might be:

An App that encourages speech: Talking Tom/ Taking Gina … https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/talking-tom-cat-2/id421997825?mt=8 The animal repeats what you say.

Mad Pad  is a great app for making music but you can programme buttons with your own recording so can turn it into a talking machine: (see Richard Hirstwood’s video on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-OnVavvAqM )

(My ChoicePad    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/mychoicepad-pro/id422681762?mt=8   is a cross between a signing App and a communication aid App, offers a combination of 450 core vocabulary Makaton symbols and Makaton signs. My ChoicePad has video clips of signing accompanying the symbols, as well as line drawings of how to make each sign, and speech output. You can also use your own photos and voice recordings.)

Picture stories (with record voice facility) for expressive language

Our Story (From the OU) https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/our-story-for-ipad/id681769838?mt=8 for putting together photos, speech and text

Shadow Puppet Edu   free  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/shadow-puppet-edu/id888504640?mt=8 allows the user to tell a story across pictures drawn from the camera roll or various online galleries.

Also Sago Mini DoodleCast (2.99) https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sago-mini-doodlecast/id469487373?mt=8  (record your speech whilst drawing a picture)

Click n’ Talk (2.29) https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/click-n-talk/id416650367?mt=8 An augmentative communication app that allows the user to attach text and voice to individual pictures, and organize photos in photo albums

TalkBoard (12.99) https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/talkboard/id416436888?mt=8  turns your iPad into a communication aid and visual prompt board. TalkBoard is affordable because it does not come with built-in pictures or symbols, which many other apps charge extra for. You can easily use your own pictures and symbols to personalise the app.

Working together to stimulate speech and communication:

The Toca boca  apps are marvellous for stimulating talk: https://tocaboca.com/

On a browser: If you have PurpleMash there are lots of tools that allow voice recording like 2CreateAStory and the MashCams.

JiT (free on the LGFL) can add spoken word to drawings, animations etc  http://j2e.com/jit?idp=lgfl

Communication Apps

Scene and Heard is a good app for the beginning of communication. This would need to be set up with familiar pictures and recordings to work for your children.