Monday, December 29, 2014

TalkPath Therapy: Cognitive Exercises {app review}

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

If you remember way back to July, I wrote a review for an app called TalkPath Therapy.   You can find my initial review here.    Today,  I want to take a look at their newly added cognitive exercises!



Check out this video explanation here:


As before, there are activities for listening, speaking, writing, and reading.  Now, they have added activities for memory, reasoning, and ADLs.


When you first log in as an SLP, you see this dashboard.  It allows you to view exercises, make changes.



There are three types of cognitive activities: memory, reasoning, and ADLs.

Memory:

In Immediate Memory, you have six choices of activities.  In unfamiliar items, the patient is asked to indicate which item is not familiar between a series of pictures. They are then asked to identify the picture of the item that does not belong.   In related word recall, the patient will find words that share a common theme.  The app gives two words aloud. The patient is then asked to select the words that they have just heard.  In letter recall, the patient is shown a letter and then is asked to identify the letter from a couple of choices.  In picture recall, the patient is shown a picture and then is asked to identify the picture from a couple of choices. In number recall, the patient is shown a number and is then asked to identify the number by typing it into a calculator. In unrelated word recall, the patient is given two words that are not related.  They are then asked to identify each of the words from a couple of choices.


In recent memory, there are three activities to choose from.  In paragraph detail, the patient answers questions about key points from a paragraph.  The paragraph is read aloud to the patient.  In sentence detail, the patient listens to a sentence and answers specific questions about the sentence. In delayed memory, the patient is asked to remember a set of words spoken aloud after a brief distraction.


In remote memory, there is only activity: general knowledge.  The patient is asked to recall facts about general knowledge.  For example, "How many days are in October?"  or "What is the capital city of the USA?"



Reasoning:

In categorization, there are three activities: parts of a whole, name the category, and what belongs?
In parts of a whole, the patient is asked to identify elements of a given word.  In name the category, the patient is given a set of words and has to identify the category in which they belong.  In what belongs?, the patient is given a set of words and then has to choose the word that belongs from a set of choices at the bottom of the screen.


In general reasoning, there are four choices of activities: inference, signs/symbols, what's wrong?, and symbol machine.  In inference, the patient will listen to a sentence and then answer the question written on the screen/that is spoken aloud. In signs/symbols, the patient is asked to use their knowledge of signs and symbols to answer questions about their function.  For example, an "x" means multiplied by. In what's wrong?, the patient is asked to look at a picture and then locate the inconsistency/ what's wrong in the picture.  In symbol matching, the patient is given a symbol and has to identify the symbol that matches most closely to it.


In math, there are five activities: addition, division, mixed, multiplication, and subtraction. In addition, the patient performs addition problems with the help of an on-screen calculator.  In division, the patient performs division problems with the help of an on-screen calculator.  In mixed math, the patient is asked to apply knowledge to problems that have more than one step (e.g. (7/7) x 20 =  ___ ). In multiplication, the patient performs multiplication problems with the help of an on-screen calculator. In subtraction, the patient performs subtraction problems with the help of an on-screen calculator


Activities of Daily Living (ADLs):


In Finding Information, there are five categories.  In All About Dogs, the patient uses the table of contents from a book called All About Dogs to answer various questions. In Cookie Index, the patient uses information from a book about cookies to answer questions. In Food Label, the patient practices reading food labels and answers questions about them.  In Languages of the World, the patient uses the index of Languages of the World to answer various questions. In Prescription Label, the patient will locate appropriate items on the given prescription label.

In Reading Menus, the patient is given a menu and is asked to answer questions/ follow directions. For example, "Touch the grilled chicken."  There are four menu options.

In Getting Around, there are three options: city map, shopping mall, and train schedule. In city map, the patient practices navigating through a city using the given map.  In shopping mall, the patient uses  map of the mall to answer questions.  In train schedule, the patient will practice reading and using the given train schedule.

In Telling Time, there are two activities: reading analog clock and setting analog clock.  These activities are just as they sound.  The patient will practice reading the clock by matching it with the digital display of the same time and will practice setting a clock to the correct time.

In Scheduling Events, there are four activities.  In reading calendars and schedules, the patient will answer questions based on a given calendar/schedule.  In Oscar's Best and Sunrise Cinema, the patient will use a flyer to answer questions about movie showings.  In Party Invitations, the patient will practice reading and using a party invitation by locating important details.

One of my favorite features of this app is the reports section.  They are so detailed, breaking it down by day and activity completed.


Things I Love:
-The different levels for every activity
-The indepth reports
-The large number of questions under each activity
-The practicality of each activity
-Visuals for correct and incorrect answers (green check mark and red X)
-The multiple choice set up for questions
-These can be assigned as homework and can be completed by the patient without the SLP present (as homework)
-The client can have their own log in

Overall, this continues to be a great app for use with adult clients.  I can see many uses for these activities with some of my elementary students as well.  These activities make for practical therapy sessions while keeping the patient engaged.  Additionally, they make for easy homework for the patient.

Do you see yourself using this app? 

post signature

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Monthly Must-Have Sale: December

Happy December!  The 7th of another month, so that means another monthly must-have sale!



Polar Express Expressive Language will be discounted today only.  Get it while it's on sale!!


post signature
Pin It button on image hover