Parents' Guide to Grade 6 Vocab Audios and Pics

Grade 6 Vocab Audios and Pics is one in a series of vocabulary-building apps featuring cartoon illustrations, extensive audio definitions, and examples in context. What makes these apps stand out are the quirky cartoons depicting each word, the "short stories" or usage examples usually three to four sentences long, and the ability to listen to both in coherent, fully formed sentences at the touch of a button. The app adapts to individual kids with a simple yet effective method: separating words into mastered and "don't know" lists. Though Study and Flashcards modes might seem redundant, Study gives access to most information up front, but Flashcards gives only the word and part of speech, then allows tweens to tap for the cartoon as a hint or flip for the definition.

Even with all these great features, there's room for improvement. Definitions are generally right on, but cartoons are sometimes a bit off. For example, the word "intensive" shows a bunch of business people resting on the beach in their suits and skirts assumedly after some kind of conference or business meeting, not during it -- cute, funny, but a bit confusing (and adult-oriented). Settings don't seem to work well, and performance statistics are only available at the ends of quizzes. With a scant 218 words, kids will be left wanting more; if they're ready, they can move on to Grade 7 Vocab Audios and Pics.