Top 10 apps for speech and language therapists
By Dan Allard
Technology can be an effective tool in speech and language therapy, particularly when you're working with children and young people who are often confident in using devices such as mobile phones and tablets.
Here's our top 10 pick of available speech and language therapy apps (in no particular order)!
1. Cuespeak
Developed by an aphasia specialist for use by speech and language therapists or independently by clients themselves, Cuespeak is a speech and language therapy workstation for iPad or iPhone. It features a suite of therapy exercises with lots of spoken feedback on errors and spoken cues to facilitate spoken word production.
2. Language Therapy 4-in-1
Tactus Therapy is a Canadian developer specialising in speech and therapy apps. Language Therapy 4-in-1 is a popular choice among speech and language therapists working with people who have chronic aphasia. It brings together four key areas: naming, reading, writing and comprehension.
3. Seeing AI
Originally designed for people with visual impairment, Seeing AI is used by those working in speech and language therapy roles for patients with acquired dyslexia following a stroke or neurological condition. As you'd expect from Microsoft, it's a really smart app. It 'narrates the world around you', using AI to read documents, as well as labels on products and even barcodes. What's more, it's free to download.
4. CBeebies Storytime
Available for parents to download, with regular updates, this BBC app supports young children's language and communication skills. Featuring a wide range of free interactive story books, the app has 'read to me' and 'read to myself' options, with words highlighted as the child reads.
5. Chomp
This is a fun interactive app for young children which puts their faces into a range of different scenarios, from spinning around in a washing machine to having your head blown up like a balloon. SLTs, parents and carers can help children to describe what they're seeing, building vocabulary and strong descriptive skills.
6. Talk Around It Home
Recommended by the NHS, this is a speech and language therapy app for anyone with word finding difficulties, including those with aphasia, asnomia and stroke. It uses evidence-based techniques to help improve word retrieval and features an extensive library of images, as well as written and audio cues to help with naming exercises.
7. Balbus
An online programme of exercises, Balbus uses continuous and systematic training to help those who stammer in gaining control of their speech. Regular feedback tracks the user's progress, inspiring and motivating them to achieve more.
8. DAF Pro
Using technology called altered auditory feedback (AAF), DAF Pro is designed for those who stammer or have a neurological condition affecting their speech, such as Parkinson's disease. As you speak, it records and plays your voice back to you with a slight delay. Many people who stammer find that this helps them speak more slowly and fluently.
9. Conversation Therapy
Another Tactus app, Conversation Therapy helps those who have difficulty expressing themselves. The app uses engaging pictures, topics and questions to stimulate discussion, encouraging the user to talk about their thoughts and feelings, and to share experiences and ideas with a speech and language therapist, family member or carer.
10. Proloquo2go
This AAC symbol-based app helps children, teens and adults express themselves and build language skills. It's used by speech and language therapists for people who are unable to speak because of cerebral palsy, a serious brain injury, motor neurone disease or stroke.
