Universally compatible with
all Apple devices
Match2Say
I absolutely LOVE the idea behind Match2Say! I need to let that be known right off the bat. I think it's a great idea. And since kids enjoy playing matching games, this seems to be an app made in heaven... almost.
Match2Say is deceptive, but in a good way. Learning is masked with a game. It's your standard matching game where you must touch two cards that are identical. But the developer, Smarty Ears, took it a quantum step further, digitized the decks of cards, and organized them by phoneme (sounds of speech). So when your child plays Match2Say they hear the phoneme that you pre-selected at the beginning. Oh, and there are many phonemes to select from. In fact, every sound in the English language is available within this app. Once you select the phoneme each word/image card in the deck uses that same phoneme but each pair of cards uses it with a different word. It helps your child distinguish one word from another and learn those words all the quicker! Coupled with the images, they learn to distinguish the word both audibly and visually. Nice!
Match2Say is a universal app designed to look and work great on the iPhone and iPod Touch as well as the iPad. If you're using it on the iPad you get two extra levels of difficulty (Super Easy and Super Challenge) and you also get more cards per level. On the iPhone there are three levels to choose from: Easy, Medium, and Challenge. Easy uses a total of 8 cards (4 pair), Medium uses 12 cards, and Challenge uses 16. Of course, those numbers are different on the iPad.
It has long been my mantra, at least in regards to education, that everybody learns more when they're having fun. And they have more fun when they're having fun. Does that make sense? Anyway, with Smarty Ears combining matching and 'speech therapy' into one fun game this app very nearly hits the mark in my book. But there's one big thing missing. When a child completes the matching game they are not given any kind of reward from the app. No reinforcement. No reason to do it again. Match2Say leaves that part up to you. And you can indeed provide the reward yourself, outside of the app, but I think Match2Say should include one also.
My son has another matching game app on his iPad. This other app has nothing to do with speech therapy, it's just for fun. But this other app gives rewards after my son completes the matching. And because of the rewards he keeps coming back for more! Smarty Ears - Please include a reward at the end so my autistic boy keeps coming back!
Although the interface is pleasing, and easy to figure out, I noticed that some images used on the digital cards are elongated and distorted. All images in every app should keep their aspect ratio. I don't think any of us want to see images as if we're looking in the mirror at a fun house.
Another minor quirk; There's no 'Back' button if you accidentally select the wrong phoneme. This is a minor quirk, but a quirk none the less. And once you're in the matching game you can tap 'Done' to return to the phoneme list.
In summation, Match2Say is a good little iPhone app for your autistic child. And if you're going to buy a matching game, why not get one that teaches your kid while they're having fun? Hey, learning is a reward in itself, right?
