Blog

When you start to see more and more yellow school buses on your morning commute, you know that it is back to school time for all the students and teachers out there. There are many apps available to make going back to school an easier transition for both parents and students. The following apps are available for both Android and iOS.

• iHomework

If your student struggles with staying organized, this is the app for him and her to keep all assignments and due dates in a place that is always with them, their smartphone! iHomework is basically an agenda/planner that keeps everything organized and reminds students of important deadlines. As a parent, you can also download the app to keep track of your child’s progress on assignments and projects. Students can also track their grades on assignments through the app, which charts their progress in the course allowing them to take ownership of their successes. Overall, this is a great way to get rid of that agenda or planner (that is often lost or left at school.) Your student can start creating some good habits of staying on top of tasks by using this app!

• Brainscape

One of the best ways for students to study for major tests is by creating flashcards to help memorize all of those important terms, dates, and concepts. Now, with Brainscape downloaded to their smartphones, they no longer have to use a pencil and index cards to create flashcards. Brainscape is an app that ensures that your flashcards are with your student wherever they go! There are many great features in this free app. Since Brainscape is backed by cognitive research science, it guarantees an increase in retention for higher test scores. When using the app, students create their own flashcards and can also share among devices and with other classmates. The main reason why Brainscape is better than your standard flashcard system is because it challenges your student by recording how quickly they can identify the terms and then adjusting the speed to ensure that the information is transferred to their long-term memory.

• Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a great app to have on your student’s tablet or smartphone to encourage him or her to extend learning outside of the classroom. Students can search by topic to use interactive exercises with step-by-step guidance to help them obtain learning objectives. This is a great tool to reinforce concepts learned in the classroom, and it will allow students to learn more about other topics that peak their interest. Not only is this a great app to use during the school year, but it is also wonderful for keeping students’ minds sharp on those holiday breaks throughout the year.

• Duolingo

In the global society we live in, we all know the importance of speaking a second language for future success in the professional realm. Duolingo is an awesome free app that teaches your child a foreign language of their choosing right on their smartphone, tablet, or computer. Even if your child is not yet taking a foreign language course at school, he or she can start building the foundational skills required through this app. As a user, you can decide how many minutes a day you want to practice with the language and create goals for yourself. There are interactive games in the app to keep your student engaged in his or her learning. Duolingo would be a great way for both a parents and their students to learn a new language together!