Hamaguchi Apps for Speech, Language & Auditory Develop presents a groundbreaking app for the iPHONE designed for adolescents-adults who would benefit from practice interpreting vocal intonation, facial expressions, body language, and idiomatic or slang expressions. Using real photographs, voices and short mini-video clips of a variety of social situations and expressions, this app provides a dynamic way to help learn and understand the messages that are “between the lines” and simply can’t be replicated with worksheets and static flashcards.
*THIS IS NOT A SOCIAL SKILLS MODELING APP. Some people say and do things that are rude, such as interrupt a conversation, say something that is insensitive, lie, etc. That is why we suggest adult coaching to supervise, especially if you are concerned about someone learning inappropriate behaviors.
Check out a demo of this app on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7uV5kMSjko&feature=plcp
This lite app provides 12 samples of each of the three activities for a total of 36 tasks and is for a single user only. (The full version provides 65-75 activities for each task)
This app uses American expressions and body language, and requires comprehension at least within a 10-12 year old age equivalent of the English language to use this app. It is best used in the context of being coached or instructed, so that subtle elements within the videos can be explained and reviewed with the user.
There are three distinct activities in this app:
1. Listening: The user hears a voice speak a sentence, e.g., “Are they gonna turn that music down?!” (Often the same phrase is heard spoken in several different ways throughout the activity, but with different emotion and inflection) A question is then asked, “Who said it?” The user is shown a series of photographs. Depending upon the settings selected, there can be 2, 3 or 4 choices shown. The user touches the correct facial expression that matches the voice.
2. Body Language: A very short video-clip is shown that depicts an interaction or situation. For example, one teen girl says to another, “I’m thinking I might go out with Jack on Friday night. What do you think?” Her friend responds by making a wishy-washy kind of “I’m not sure” face. The camera closes in on this actor and the narrator says, “What is she thinking?” The user’s task is to look at the choices of responses and select the one that matches the facial expression/body language.
3. Expressions: A very short video-clip is shown that depicts an actor speaking a sentence that contains an idiomatic or slang expression, e.g., “Oh that salesman was a smooth talker!”
The lite version is for a single user only. Settings include: Selection of the activities, order of the activities (or random), praise phrases and correct sound effect bell on/off; answer choices (group of 2, 3 or 4), how to display choices (automatically or manually) and whether to move forward automatically or by touching an arrow. Progress can be tracked, and displayed or not displayed.
Reward animations are provided at selected intervals for a welcome fun and break. The lite version includes one game, Dunk Tank.
Data can be printed, saved or emailed.
PRIVACY POLICY: We do NOT collect personal data from our users and have no ads. Personal data regarding user performance on the tasks on this app are self-contained and not transmitted in any way, unless the user chooses to email them to someone else. There are no in-app purchases in this app. A demo link will allow a user with internet access to view a video on YouTube to learn about the features of this app, as well as a link to our other apps in the iTunes store.
Developed by licensed speech-language pathologist and author, Patti Hamaguchi, M.A., CCC-SLP. Visit our website: www.hamaguchiapps.com