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Transforming Back-to-School Screenings: SLPs' Guide to Smarty Ears Apps

📅 August 18, 2023⏱️ 4 min read

In this article

AAT Plus gives a detailed picture of articulation skills, with recording, automatic analysis and instant reports.
The Basic Concepts Skills Screener checks spatial, quantitative, comparative and temporal concepts.
Pro-PA assesses phonological awareness from age 3, with color-coded analysis and group management.

The beginning of the school year brings fresh challenges and opportunities for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs). Screenings and evaluations become a pivotal task, as they help identify children who may need additional support. To empower SLPs in this critical phase, Smarty Ears offers an extensive suite of iPad apps, designed to enhance efficiency with automated metrics and report generation. Here’s a glimpse into some of our groundbreaking tools:

Articulation Assessment Toolkit

A Comprehensive Tool for Screening, Diagnosis, and Follow-up Evaluation

The AAT is designed to provide a comprehensive and detailed picture of an individual’s articulation skills. While standardized assessments often provide a limited view of a child’s phonetic and phonemic inventory (Elbert & Gierut, 1986), the AAT supplements this data, identifying articulation error patterns and enhancing the overall understanding of speech production.

2. Uses

Screening and Diagnosis: AAT enables quick screening of articulation skills and helps in identifying the presence of an articulation disorder.
Supplementing Standardized Measures: It’s not a replacement but a supplement to standardized articulation measures, providing additional insights.
Treatment Efficacy Measurement: Track the effectiveness of ongoing treatment with ease.
Follow-Up and Future Planning: Help in determining the future therapy plan based on detailed data.

Features That Make a Difference

Personalized Tracking: The AAT allows you to enter the student’s name and monitor their progress over time, providing an organized approach to data management.
Comprehensive Testing: It covers all phonemes of the English language, including clusters, ensuring nothing is left uncovered.
Flexible Options: With options for Screening & Full Assessment, it fits diverse needs.
In-App Recording: This handy feature lets you record the student’s production during the test.
Enhanced Data Analysis: Automatic analysis of speech production allows for more accurate assessment and reporting.
Instant Reporting: You can e-mail the test results immediately after administration, streamlining communication with parents and colleagues.
Positive Feedback: Providing immediate encouragement during test administration motivates and engages students.
Sample Recordings: Sample recordings for each target word simplify the process and aid in accurate assessment.
Compatibility: Designed for iPad.
Notes Functionality: The ability to add essential notes during the assessment keeps all relevant information in one place.

Basic Concepts Skills Screener (BCSS)

A Revolution in Children’s Conceptual Learning

The development of basic conceptual skills in children is a foundational step for their success in reading, math, and following directions. Recognizing the vital role of these skills in education and the challenges faced by children who struggle with them, Smarty Ears presents the Basic Concepts Skills Screener (BCSS), a technology-driven screening tool that pinpoints the gaps in knowledge of basic concepts and offers targeted resources for speech therapy.

What Sets BCSS Apart?

The BCSS is a motivational screening tool individually administered to assess the basic concept skills in children. Designed to be a vital part of the toolkit for speech-language pathologists, teachers, parents, or caregivers, BCSS aims to minimize the negative educational impact often described as the “Matthew Effect” (Stanovich, 1986; Walberg & Tsai, 1983). Through early recognition and remediation, the struggle with basic concepts can be addressed, ensuring continued progress rather than falling behind.

Concepts Targeted in BCSS

Spatial Concepts: Involves location and relational words like above, off, on, bottom, between, etc. (McLaughlin, 1998).
Quantitative Concepts: Focuses on understanding quantity and includes concepts like whole, all, empty, most, never, etc. (Bracken, 2006; Common Core State, 2012).
Comparative Concepts: Highlights relationships between items in terms of size, color, texture, weight, and feelings with concepts like tall, dark, cold, thick, sad, etc.
Temporal Concepts: Addresses how events relate to each other in time, including concepts like first, next, starting, second, etc. (McLaughlin, 1998).

Profile of Phonological Awareness

A New Chapter in Phonological Awareness for SLPs!

With the new school year on the horizon, the need for effective screening tools and intervention strategies becomes paramount. As Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), educators, and parents gear up to nurture young minds, it’s time to explore an innovative tool that promises to redefine speech and literacy development: the Profile of Phonological Awareness (Pro-PA) by Smarty Ears!

Created in collaboration with Tanya Coyle and designed with the understanding of modern education needs, Pro-PA is a game-changer for the field. Let’s delve into what sets this groundbreaking app apart:

Key Features of Pro-PA:

Comprehensive Evaluation: Assess children aged 3 and above for early reading, writing, and speech development.
Smart Tracking & Analysis: Color-coded analyses across vital skill areas, offering an immediate view of progress.
Time-Efficient Administration: Customize tests and reduce administration time – perfect for busy SLPs and educators.
Engaging Interface: User-friendly visuals and a color-changing counter to visualize segmenting.
Instant Reporting: Seamless collaboration with immediate reports via email or print.
Group Assessment: Manage student groups for targeted interventions.
Compatibility: Suitable for iPad running iOS 12.0 or later.

As the back-to-school season approaches, the Pro-PA app stands as a beacon for SLPs, educators, and parents. It offers a holistic approach to phonological awareness, helping you navigate the school year with confidence.

Back-to-school screenings and evaluations are pivotal, but they don’t have to be cumbersome. With Smarty Ears’ tailored iPad apps, SLPs are equipped to conduct more effective and efficient assessments. Our apps reduce administrative burdens and enable professionals to concentrate on what truly matters – the students.

Explore these apps today and redefine the way you approach screenings and evaluations for the new school year. With Smarty Ears, you are not just surviving the challenges of a new academic year; you are thriving.

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Free articulation assessment for iPad: screening or full assessment, in-app recording and automatic analysis of errors.

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