Feb 24 2012
iPads and the Write Stuff
I truly love to write and as a classroom teacher, I wasn’t shy about sharing my enthusiasm for writing with all my students. However, I learned from experience and reading the research that writing was more than just an opportunity to develop creativity and language skills. It is an essential key to helping students improve their reading comprehension and develop their communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills.
So now when I consult with parents about their gifted/2e child, I welcome their questions about how to best help their own children with writing assignments. Unfortunately, there is no easy or a one-size fits all answer. Writing is truly a complex task and impacted by so many internal and external factors.
Yet, now with the availability of the iPad and some incredibly helpful apps, parents and teachers can provide the tools, strategies and encouragement for beginning and developing writers. All the students need is the desire, patience and willingness to work hard to conquer the writing process.
Whether you have a motivated or a struggling writer at home or in your classroom, there are numerous iPad apps that are worth trying out. Some of these apps are highlighted in Bakari Chavanu’s January 11, 2011, online article, “7 Apps That Will Help You Use Your iPad for Writing Projects” which can be found at: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-apps-ipad-writing-projects/
Here are three of the seven apps that Chavanu reviewed:
1. Infinite Pinboard: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/infinote-pinboard-for-todos/id364356810?mt=8
This is a great app for brainstorming ideas in a note card format, is easy to use and available from iTunes.
2. Evernote: http://www.evernote.com/
This is a Web syncing service that allows you to combine text based files, photos and audio notes and sync it all to your iPad, your Mac or your PC.
3. Clockwork Notebook https://market.android.com/details?id=com.evernote&hl=en
Anyone who likes to combine typing with handwritten notes and doodling will love this app. It even has the ability to add stickers and allows you to create a PDF file and send it via email.
I hope you will consider using an iPad as an essential writing for your child. Equipped with an iPad and user-friendly apps, your child will become engaged quickly in the writing process and discover that while writing takes time, patience and persistence, it is a process that can turn into a rewarding journey into the fascinating world of self-expression and creativity.
