The purpose with this blog is to share with others my struggles, successes, frustrations and discoveries using the iPad with my grade one French immersion class. I wrote a proposal in October to my school district around exploring the use of iPads in a primary French immersion classroom. In November I received my first iPad. It has taken me a long time researching applications to finally choose some to be uploaded to my iPad to use with my grade one French immersion students. I came upon my first hurdle trying to find relevant and 'good' applications to use with my French class. Now I am a complete beginner using this technology so please forgive me if I make simple mistakes. I began by searching the apple store but quickly realized that this was not a very efficient way to go. Then I used the web to find other blogs and youtube videos with lists created by educators for educators. I found many great applications but not many in French. Then I stumbled upon these different search engines that allow you to view the most popular applications by country and therefore in the language of preference. I used one called "Countries top Apps!" Between this new search tool, blogs, and youtube, I quickly became overwhelmed by applications. After some trial and error with my own four year old, I chose a list of applications and began to upload them to my iPad. Below is a 'working' list of the applications I am using with my students. I am sure I will add and substract applications from this list as I learn and explore. General App Cost Description google search Free An internet search engine chaîne météo Free Weather in France You can change the city but then it seems to default to English google translate Free Simple and very basic French to English or English to French translation tool It has an audio function to say the word out loud as well audiomemos Free To record audio (record child reading the story, or adult etc) You can send audio files as an email Radio Canada Free French radio Talking Tom Free Fun way to have a character repeat back what is said (audio recording) Make dice lite Free You can make a number of dice i.e. write topics for writing, questions such as who, what, where and when, or add numbers google earth Free Bird’s eye view of earth that you can zoom in and out of Petit Quotidien free French newspaper for kids ages 6 and up I have not figured out how to get the full version because you have to put in a phone number from France or something?? Time Timer $6.99 Custom settings La coccinelle By Gallimard Jeunesse $3.99 An amazing interactive app with beautiful ladybugs that move as the narrator shares information It is a very unique app (one of my personal favourites) Books App Cost Description 3 Petits cochons By Gallimard Jeunesse $3.99 A beautiful and interactive story When students touch the characters they speak (a personal favourite) Cendrillon by Gallimard Jeunesse $5.99 A beautiful and interactive story When students touch the characters they speak (a personal favourite) Le petit chaperon rouge (My first interactive Freanch book) $1.99 The words are highlighted as the story is read Boucle d’or et les trois ours (iPhone app) les contes classiques $0.99 The book can be read with or without text Les copains de la forêt free The story has a few interactive features such as breaking words into syllables, showing the vowels and the silent letters in French It is otherwise a basic French story Printing and letter names App Cost Description abcTrace $0.99 Practice at tracing and writing the letters in French For the most part the directions are good but it does not follow the “Writing without tears” approach to letter formation ABC tracing An excellent app for practicing writing but it is in English so turn off the volume iAlphabet It has 3 functions: letter names, printing practice (just ok), and choose the right letter Ok for very early primary letter recognition Puppets show and story creation App Cost Description PuppetPals HD Free You can purchase the app to be able to import your own pictures Create puppet shows and record your own audio in French You can export to youtube or email the video Sock Puppets Free Record audio in French to create your own sock puppet shows You can export to youtube Our Story Free Upload photos and add text to create a meaningful story Comic Lite Free Create a comic strip with thought and speech bubbles Import pictures to create your story You can email completed comics There is a full version that allows you to do more You can create slideshows with the images to make a story or presentation Games App Cost Description Famille Lite Free Fun quiz game for more intermediate students MotsMélés Free Crosswords have already been created and they are ok More for grade 3 and up TicTacToe Plus Free Simple tic tac toe game (English) Math App Cost Description KIDpedia Free The free version only includes the shapes Students can create a shape picture and the shape audio is French Purchase the full version to learn more vocabulary Numberland $4.99 For early primary only because numbers are only to 10 Very interactive and fun Feed Me! Free Find the solution to very simple (early primary) math problems and feed them to the monster Calculator Free Simple calculator Photos App Cost Description fotopedia Free Beautiful photos of Paris Animoto Free Very easy to create a video with music and photos that you take Full version allows more functions Art App Cost Description Louvre Free a beautiful app create by the Louvre in Paris that includes works of art and descriptions but they are in English Cluny (iPhone app) Free Musée National du Moyen Age guided visits in French CultureClic (iPhone app) Free Images and art examples with French descriptions Drawing (all English) App Cost Description HelloCrayons Free Drawing with crayons HelloPencilCrayons Free Drawing with pencil crayons Doodle Buddy Free Drawing application Whiteboard Whiteboard drawing application that can be using with another iPad cooperatively Doodle Kids A neat drawing on a black background with rainbow colours and shpaes TypeDrawing Free You type in words and then use the words to draw pictures Face iMake Free A very creative app where students can use different found objects to create funny faces
