How an iPad App Saved Me

So . . . I speak English.  That's a good thing since I've lived in the United States my entire life.
In high school, I took two years of Latin.  In college, I was not required to take a language.
So . . . I speak English.
Last Spring, a friend and I took a beginning Spanish course at a local community college.  My main reason for taking the unexpectedly highly overpriced course was so that I could write in Spanish to the children I sponsor through Compassion International.  
I worked hard.  I stressed a lot (perfectionism).  I learned a lot.   
I can now write simple letters to my children in Spanish.  Because they are very young, that works out just fine, and some of them have thanked me for learning Spanish, and they say they know I did it for them.  Aw.  Heartwarming.
So now I can say I speak Spanish.  Un poco.
One thing I learned is that online translators are NOT accurate. If you use them to translate for letters or anything else -- don't. 
I do not know French.
Does that matter?  It did this week.  Our social studies classes have been taking local assessments in the computer labs.  On Tuesday, a sixth grade class came into the lab at the end of the day.  One student, named Gabrielle, speaks ONLY French.  Great.
We were trying to explain to her what to do, and she had no idea what we were saying.  Then I remembered that I have iTranslate on my iPad.  Okay, I know I just said that online translators are not accurate, and this app is like an online translator.  But I was desperate.
I typed questions and directions to her in the app and translated to French.  I'm sure it wasn't perfect (who knows what I actually said!), but it worked.  She understood . . . and she smiled.
And we decided that she did not know enough English (I think at this point, that would be zero English) to take the test.
Even though she had one of the Harry Potter books in French to read, I gave her one of the school iPads (I asked her which one she would rather do) so that she could practice English using an app that's actually designed to learn French.  But she sort of used it backwards, and . . . she smiled.  :)
Thank you, Apple.

Cool Science App - For Free!

While I was searching for some physical science iPad apps for a teacher this week, I found this one - Science Language Central (made by Pearson).
It contains four categories:  Introduction to Chemistry, Forces and Energy, Sound and Light, and Science and Technology.
Each category has Flashcards, Trivia, and Word Fly.   
Flashcards are obvious - learning the terminology.
Trivia is a set of multiple choice questions.
And then there's Word Fly.  It's hilarious.  You may already know what that is, but all I will say is that the Iguana is hilarious.
The app is definitely excellent for practice and memorization, but I like it just for the Iguana.  :)

iPhones in Congress (from Apple Gazette)

I just can't help getting excited about the growth of Apple products. iPhones rock! Besides, that's a gorgeous picture of the Capitol. I'm always in awe when I see it in person.

U.S. Congress is looking at the iPhone…for themselves

Posted by: Michael on Oct 23, 2008

Next year U.S. Senators could have iPhones in their pockets because congress is considering the iPhone as its newest communication device. Congress’s Chief Administrative Office is testing a set of iPhones among its ranks to see if the device will function within the needs of Capital Hill representatives and support staff according to MacNN.
The Blackberry is currently dominant in the Senate, but my members would to use iPhones. “The reason we’re trying them out is because we heard a lot of people wanted the option to have them.” said CAO spokesman Jeff Ventura.