American English

Exercises to practise speaking at a sentence or conversation level.  The topics are all around problem solving situations

50 problem solving scenarios where the user must identify the problem, cause and solution in the photo.  The user can record their spoken responses and/r  they can choose from a selection of 3 written choices 

16 exercises providing written scenarios or questions to which the user must respond with a spoken response which can be recorded

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: the written scenario is also spoken aloud, on the multiple choice exercises, 3 options are provided to choose from

Record results: spoken attempts can be recorded. On the multiple choice exercises, results are recorded. On the exercises where the user is invited to provide spoken responses, the user must judge for themselves whether their response was correct however the fact they attempted the exercise is logged in the reports section of the app so they can look back at previous exercises completed. It is also possible to organise results by date. Results can be sent by email

Comments: after successful completion of tasks, the user is given a jigsaw to solve as a reward.  This option can be disabled

By turning off the audio, the  exercises could be used as  reading exercises

4 sets of sentence and conversation level exercises:

1. Using verbs to make sentences

250 concrete & abstract verbs. A verb is provided and the user must make 3 sentences by generating content or choosing from multiple choice options. They can write and/or speak & record their options.  The user is then encouraged to expand on their sentence.  6 activties are generated from each verb, encoraging more autonomy with differing levels of cues.

2. Comparing similar items

206 concrete & abstract items are presented in either image or text form.  The user is invited to verbalise how the items are alike and different.  They can record their spoken attempts.

3. Category association naming

320 concrete and abstract categories are provided.  The user must name from 3 to an unlimited number of associated items (e.g. things starting with /r/, appliances). This activity can be timed. There is also the possiblity to carry out a 1 minute semantic fluency test and a 1 minute phonemic fluency test to assess verbal fluency

4. Generating conversations

507 images are provided (e.g. funny food, unusual objects) to prompt description and/or conversation. Questions are provided to prompt the description or conversation.

Error handling: none. The user must decide themselves whether or not the got an item correct

Prompts/cues: In the verb sentences exercises, multiple choice items are provided.  The user can also opt to hear their sentences spoken aloud. Keywords are also provided as hints. No cues are given on the other exercises

Record results: a score is given at the end of each exercise and results can be emailed. The user cannot look back at previous results within the app

Free trial: yes, free trial available through Advanced Language Therapy Lite app

Comments: On-screen, aphasia friendly instructions on how to use the app are provided. Comprehensive written instructions are also provided however these would not be accessible to someone with compromised reading skills

Supplier: Tactus

3 exercise sets:

• sequences (automatic speech such as ABC, alphabet)
• 1-6 word phrases (7 levels)
• 2-5 syllable words (4 levels)
• 175 exercises in total

The words/phrases are of a functional nature, useful for conversation

Rate of speech can be altered

Visual (video & text) and auditory (spoken) cues given

5 stepped approach to verbal production (listen/tap rhythm/say with model/say with model fading out/say with verbal but no auditory model)

Items can be presented in stepped order of difficulty or randomised

User needs good self-monitoring skills to be able to self-rate whether they got the response correct

Self-ratings and audio recordings can be emailed to SLT

NB audio recordings are with an American accent

A free trial is available through Apraxia Therapy Lite app

Supplier: Tactus

Exercises to work on understanding numbers in the written & spoken form, speaking numbers & writing numbers

Choose to work on numbers in different formats (e.g. money, years, time, fractions, ordinals)

Option to add personalised phone numbers

Option to record spoken attempts

3 difficulty levels

A Free trial is available through the Number Therapy Lite app

Suppliers: App store & google play store

Supplier: Tactus

Cueing app

Keyboard and topics list to help cue a conversation partner into speech by providing context through topic area and/or initial letter(s)

24 topic areas 

Numbers & keyboard (ABC/frequency layouts)

Laugh button to express pleasure, "huh?" button to express surprise/confusion

No message window so user cannot build a message, they are simply using the keyboard and topics to cue someone into their speech

Supplier: Tactus

20 pre-recorded scripts (10 basic and 10 more advanced) are provided for the person with aphasia to practice.  

The SLT can also record personalised scripts using Aphasia scripts editor software which are then downloaded onto the person with aphasia's  player version of the software at home.

First, the user listens to the whole conversation; second the user practices each sentence of the conversation repeatedly; and third, the entire conversation is rehearsed in turn-taking with the virtual therapist.  There is a play back option so the person with aphasia can listen back to their performance.

Everyday problem solving scenarios and dilemmas around household problems, money, heath issues and personal dilemmas. May be useful with people who have had a brain injury

US voice and vocabulary

User needs good self monitoring to know whether their responses are appropriate, would be best used alongside a therapist or carer

Reads text aloud, word & line highlighting. Option to reduce text area to improve focus. Option to use large font size. Supports PDF documents, ebooks, web pages.

Useful for those who need visual and/or auditory support when reading

Free trial available

Games for working on attention, memory, concentration and reaction times

Can tailor exercises to particular needs (e.g. memorising names, multitasking, concentrating in busy environments)

Perhaps useful for those with TBI