Bottom Line: With a wealth of content and settings this is a very well executed app at a great price.
The fourth installment in the TeachMe series does not disappoint. This app tests children in six different areas of reading and math: spelling, sight words, long addition, long subtraction, fast addition and fast subtraction. If you’re familiar with the previous TeachMe apps then you already know this one’s features. For those who are new to the series, here’s a very brief run-down of its key selling points:
- For spelling and math solutions, kids can enter their answers using the keyboard or write the answers on-screen due to the app’s character recognition capabilities. Terrific feature.
- Correct answers earn children coins which they can then spend on rewards at the Photobooth, the Shape Store, the Art Store (my personal favorite), or to build their own aquarium at the Fish Store.
- The app has multiple settings allowing for the tests to be personalized to fit the child’s abilities.
- Progress is tracked via an achievements screen.
- The app provides information tracking for up to four children with the capacity to track up to 35 with an in-app purchase.
At a cost of only 99 cents, TeachMe: 2nd Grade represents exceptional value. When you consider the depth of the content together with the quality of the app’s execution, it is clearly a Top Pick. There are a few things I would love to see 24x7Digital consider for future iterations however, either for this app or additions to the series:
- With a couple of exceptions (explanations of long addition and subtraction, for example) this app isn’t really so much ‘TeachMe’ as ‘TestMe’. When the child requests help I would love to see hints provided rather than answers (perhaps dependent on the level of difficulty selected by the parent).
- Admittedly I learned to write characters and numbers in the UK, a long (long) time ago, but a few times the app did not recognize the answers I had written. This made me wonder if an option could be incorporated allowing the parent or teacher to mark an answer as correct even if the app views it as an error. Children with fine motor difficulties or learning disabilities might answer a question correctly, but if the app doesn’t recognize it as such, this could be demoralizing for them.
- I’d like to see the testing pause at certain points and prompt the child to take breaks to explore the reward screen. Currently testing continues until the child (or parent/teacher) chooses to stop – I foresee that for some children, the delayed gratification that could occur might undermine their motivation to continue.
If your child is working at a Grade 2 level then this app is a must-buy to help them to practice and reinforce their skills. If they have challenges or need support in certain areas it may be better to focus on apps that target those skills and defer use of this one until they are performing comfortably at this level.
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If you would like to purchase TeachMe: 2nd Grade please use the links provided. The cost is the same, but Smart Apps For Kids receives a small percentage. Thanks for your support!
iPad ($0.99): U.S. Canada Europe Australia
This review was written by Deanne Shoyer who still feels cheated because she was made to skip second grade. 24x7Digital, the developer of TeachMe: 2nd Grade, is an advertiser at smartappsforkids.com
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