Getting an iPad was one of the best purchases we made for our kids, especially our two boys with autism. They've all learned so much about geography, the human body, animals, math, and even social skills.
My son was in a social skills group that helped him immensely. Then we moved to a rural county, and the only autism resources here involve moving back to where we came from. When he was in public school, their idea of social skills training was letting him eat lunch in an office by himself. Needless to say, we needed some help in that area.
I downloaded several social skills iPad apps for my boys, but none were a good fit. It seemed like the apps were either very expensive or poor quality. They are kids, so if it's not fun, they aren't going to stick with it.
I was so happy to discover teach2talk's Behaviors With Friends app. At $4.99, it's a great investment. It's also fun, so my kids feel like they are playing a game and not learning.
Why It's Different
The app uses videos to model behavior for kids, which teaches play skills, social skills, and appropriate behavior. The different lessons are laid out like a board game, so it feels like they are playing a game and gives them an incentive to keep moving forward.
The child watches a video, and it pauses when the child must make a decision. This gives your child time to learn about the best choice.
If they make the right choice, they get rewarded on the screen, which also reinforces their learning.
The app has several lessons, including conflict resolution, dealing with anger and frustration, sharing, telling the truth, not interrupting, and being nice.
Founders
Behaviors With Friends was founded by Sarah Clifford Scheflen, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Jenny McCarthy. Sarah Clifford Scheflen is a clinical SLP who specializes in working with children with autism and developmental disorders. She has a private practice in Santa Monica, California, and is the senior SPL for a partial- hospitalization program at a university in Los Angeles.
Jenny McCarthy is an actress, producer, and best selling author. Her son Evan has autism, and Jenny soon grew frustrated with the poor quality of educational products for home use. She used her work experience to collaborate with Sarah to create teach2talk.
Want to learn more about Behaviors With Friends? Follow teach2talk on Facebook and Twitter.
