No! Not that kind of a graphic novel…A graphic Novel APP! You didn’t know those existed? Neither did I! A friend of mine answered a question I posed on twitter while I was researching/updating which apps to present on next month at the Oklahoma Speech Language Hearing Association annual conference. When asked to tell me ONE must have app, Tej Sohan of www.letstalkspeechlanguage.com answered with the Middle School confidential Graphic Novel app…(okay, that was MY name for it not hers!).

Who better to write about what this fun little app will do…than the person who recommended it to me. So, without further adieu…I give you my first guest blog post (well, a repost from one of her earlier posts over at http://www.letstalkspeechlanguage.com!).

Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are is a stellar graphic novel app I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. It is an engaging comic that brings readers into the lives of middle schoolers who are simply trying to figure things out. Issues such as bullying, blowups, looks, popularity, stress, peer approval etc. are all addressed.

Readers get a glimpse 6 middle schoolers (colored)

Jump to any of the 8 chapters

What I love:

• Not only does this graphic novel address hot-button, relatable issues middle school students face in their daily lives, they also offer strategies for dealing with them.
• The layout deviates from the typical picture books for those in elementary school and thus makes it more appealing to adolescents.
• Stories involve kids talking to other kids and doesn’t come off as “preachy”
• Chapters are broken up in a manner that allows for users to work on and address issues and concepts over a period of time, not all at once. This gives users time to process what they’ve heard.
• Users are able to view the full page or view it panel-by-panel. The zoomed in panel view allows for prediction and foreshadowing to take place.

Users can view the comic via full page or zoom in and view each panel

• Each frame is accompanied by music and sounds. No narrator here, the user is the reader.
• It’s a great jumping off point for deeper discussion on the issues addressed in the comic. Important language skills/concepts such as perspective taking, foreshadowing, problem solving, can all be targeted.

Bottom Line: This is app is a gem and worth more than the $2.99 price tag!

App Compatibility:

Be Confident in Who You Are is Compatible with NOOK, Kindle Fire, nabi, Android tablets, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Take a look at this demo provided by Apps for Children with Special Needs

Disclosure Statement: I was provided a copy of this app by the developer. No other compensation was provided. This review includes solely my opinions. 

Tej Sohan Kelly is a middle school SLP and author of Let’s Talk Speech and Language. Her blog focuses on her experiences as a middle school SLP and growing private practice. She frequently posts app reviews, freebies, and giveaways.

 

So…Have YOU used this app in therapy? Let me know what your favorite app for middle school is! Drop me a note here…I can’t wait to find out!

 

Until then…Adventure on!

Mary