THIS APP IS GOOD FOR KIDS WHO NEED HELP WITH:

Focus

Getting started and then maintaining attention and effort to tasks.

Users practice Focus when absorbing news stories. Whether reading an article, studying the included photographs, watching a video, or learning a fun fact, users will be presented a wide variety of information and must work to focus on the key points. News-O-Matic also includes mini-games which draw on the information presented in each article. Being successful in the mini-games is greatly helped by first reading articles and remembering key details. To gain the most from each article users must focus on important facts and details to gain an understanding of each new story.

Self-Awareness

Understanding our own actions, thoughts and feelings.

News-O-Matic can help users learn about the world around them while also learning about their own preferences, tastes, and opinions. Selecting articles to read can help users determine what topics are most interesting to them. Though topics are designed to be appropriate for young children, users are still able to make decisions about values and opinions based on topics. In addition, News-O-Matic helps users learn about people and cultures outside of their own. Learning about unfamiliar cultures can help users gain perspective on their own culture and way of life.

Reading

Each story contains a text-based article specifically designed for children. The app can introduce users to the journalistic writing style while providing additional reading practice in or outside of the classroom. Articles provide descriptions of locations, facts, and other important information which users must be able to absorb and remember. Whether following a story about the Amazon rainforest, or an interest piece about an airplane recovered from the ocean floor, users will practice reading skills while using News-O-Matic.