Story Builder: A Review and Giveaway

 

10/12/2012:  Congratulations to Lynne who won a free copy of Story Builder!

Once upon a time, I reviewed Preposition Builder by Mobile Education Store.  Today, I’ll cover their app, StoryBuilder. One of the things I like about both these apps is their complexity and, while the illustrations are fun, they aren’t babyish. At this time, I work primarily with students that have mild/moderate speech and language issues. While this would seem an enviable situation on some days (and I am awfully happy with my current position), it can pose problems for materials. There isn’t always the variety of products I need at the level I need.  What happens more often is that I’m buying “regular” games and adapting them for specific goals, or coming up with something completely new.

StoryBuilder is an app however that is made for me.  Its target is narrative expression which, as we know, covers a whole host of skills including sequencing and inferences. The app has three levels each with a different level of prompting. Regardless of the level you are first given a picture–generally dramatic, often humorous.

Level 1 walks you through four question prompts (you can opt for the auditory prompt or just use written). After each question, the child records their response. To encourage complete sentences, you can opt to have a written cue to get you started.  So, in this scenario, StoryBuilder asked me, “Where did the women take their pets?”. I would record something like, “The women took their pets to the veterinarian.”. Once my answer is recorded it will prompt me with three additional questions, each based on the pictured scenario. At the end, I’ll have the opportunity to listen to my entire narrative. Fun!

Level 2 works similarly, except that there is a series of seven questions and they require higher level skills, often inferences.

Level 3 has you creating stories without prompts.

In addition to using this with kiddos working on language, I’m looking forward to using it with kiddos working on the carryover of their articulation skills and fluency clients.

And we all lived happily ever after. The end.

Wishing you had a copy?  It’s possible your fairy godmother could make your dream come true. Just let us know in comments your favorite fairy tale by midnight EST, October 11, 2012.  The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday, October 12, 2012.  Let’s see, mine is probably The Three Billy Goats Gruff. 

*** Also, ASHA Special Interest Group 1, Language Learning and Education, is sponsoring a Live Online Chat October 9, 2012, from 8 to 10 p.m. EDT, on the assessment and intervention of narrative skills in preschoolers and school-age children.

 

 

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This Post Has 36 Comments

  1. Joan O'Brien

    Favorite fairy tale? Jack and the Beanstalk – I love the idea of magic beans!

    1. Tanya Marks

      My favourite fairy tale is the ugly duckling. A story about personal transformation for the better.

  2. Valerie

    My favorite fairy tale is The Three Little Pigs. It’s nice to see the little guys win sometimes. 🙂

  3. Georgia Nash

    My 3 daughters and I love the story of Cinderella who was dilligent and kind and was chosen to be the bride of the prince. We love the happy ending.

  4. Stacey

    The Ugly Duckling. All things are beautiful even if it takes a little time for everyone to see it.

  5. Lara

    My favorite is the Wizard of Oz, if in fact you would consider it a fairy tale!

  6. Shannon G

    I love the Little Mermaid!

  7. Deb Childs

    I like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Use their picture and name – can the kids tell you why they have the name they do? Can they give you another name for each dwarf that means the same thing………

  8. leanne

    I like Andersen’s Five Peas from a Pod 🙂 What we do from our little corner of the world matters!

  9. Robyne M.

    My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast.

  10. M. Parker

    Love the “Musicians of Bremen” by the Brothers Grimm and have since a child. Great book to use with language therapy.

  11. Shane

    I like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The names of the dwarfs give you a visual picture of what they look like even before you see the pictures in the book (or of course, see the movie!). I was given a watch as a gift from a friend several years ago. My friend thought he was giving me “Sleepy”; turned out the watch face was Dopey! Mmmm…always wondered about that gift! 🙂

    1. Paula Taylor

      I love the three billy goats gruff! So many great learning opportunities that could come from this story, in particular I use music and drama to tell the story! This story always seems to get maximum participation in an ech setting!

  12. Carolyn

    My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast. I think it has a little to do with the songs and Cogsworth and Lumiere… and Mrs. Pots and Chip. 🙂

  13. Carrie

    I am fond of Beauty and the Beast as well as the Ugly Duckling. Learning to love what is on the inside regardless of the exterior – great lesson!

  14. Judy Ray

    The Three Little Pigs

  15. Jule

    My favorite fairy tale is the Princess and the Pea. I can remember Carol Burnett portraying this story on her show and it was hysterical.

  16. Erin

    I always liked Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretl.

  17. speechielo

    It isn’t a traditional fairy tale, but I love the Gruffalo! Lots of great opportunities to talk about adjectives, and different people’s perspectives.

  18. Christina Frenzel

    My favorite fairytale is Hansel and Gretl.

  19. Jackie

    My favorite fairy tale is Rumpelstiltskin.

  20. Connie

    Love Cinderella

  21. Katy Smith

    My favourite is Rumplestiltskin (and as an adult I am now hooked on Once Upon A Time which whisks me back to fairy land when I watch it!)

  22. Debra

    I love the different fairy tale versions of the 3 Little Pigs such as the the 3 Little Javelinas, and the Great Big Pig and the 3 Little Wolves, as well as the Cajun and Hawaaiian version of these stories…..this app is awesome for all ages and can target all areas of language. It is also great to address written language skills and to have students in groups collaborate to work on a story (social skills!!) 🙂

  23. Brandy

    Little red riding hood is my favorite fairy tale. Thanks for the giveaway.

  24. Jena Casbon

    My favorite fairy take is Jack and the Beanstalk. It’s a great lesson in being careful what you wish for!

  25. Lauren

    Cinderella

  26. Donna Rinaldi Reggiani

    I like many of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales, especially The Ugly Duckling. I like that the stories are also told in song.

  27. Erin Vance

    My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast.

  28. Lisa

    My favorite is Red Riding Hood!

  29. Hali

    Love Cinderella!

  30. Stephanie M

    I love Hansel & Grettel. I love to eat 🙂

  31. Shawn

    Billy goats gruff

  32. Carmen

    My favorite fairy tale is The Three Little Pigs.

  33. Lynne

    The Princess and the Pea has always captured my imagination. Love the idea that only a real princess would complain about a pea under 20 mattresses!

  34. Emma

    Little Red Riding Hood – but the version where Red and Grandma take down the wolf (they don’t need the woodcutter to save them 😉

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The views expressed in this blog are my own and are intended to inspire other speech-language pathologists in their own practice. If you are a parent, teacher or other educator, these ideas are not intended to take the place of treatment by a certified clinician. Read full disclaimer here.