Based on the ever popular children's book, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy for iPad is an app version of the little black dog's tales. As well as a fantastic story, it's perfect for promoting literacy skills.
What is Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy for iPad?
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy (Penguin New Zealand Pty Ltd, £2.99) is an interactive version of the children's book, or QBook. It lets pupils read along with the story by either tapping each individual word, or running their finger along text to form sentences, paint directly onto pages and record their own voice. The book retains the same charm of author Lynley Dodd's writing rhythm and watercolour canine hero, which is all enlivened by David Tennant's thespian narration.
How can it benefit the classroom?
Hairy Maclary is a perfect aid for early learning and literacy development. Pupils can start by playing the story and reading along with the narration then, when confident enough, can record their own. Touching individual words teaches how they are supposed to be spoken and spelt.
What's the most useful feature?
A great book for guided reading, the main thing we love about Hairy Maclary is how it can aid literacy skills in a fun way. The addition of painting tools adds to the engaging story, as pupils can draw along on each page with a colour palette and a number of different paint brushes. Handily, there are even videos which include sign language too.
Where can I get it?
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy (Penguin New Zealand Pty Ltd, £2.99) is available from the App Store on your iPad, or from iTunes. It's also available under Apple's Volume Purchase Programme, meaning you can get it for £1.49 per app when you bulk buy more than 20 instances.
- Missed last week's app? Catch up on our review of Hopscotch for iPad here.
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