Phonology MatchUps! [iPad]

Match Ups! is one of our favorite games of all time. The first version of Match Ups! was added to our Attention and Memory:Volume I CD in 1996 and we’ve been enhancing it ever since. This version uses the words and pictures from our Phonology and Minimal Pairs apps.

The game starts out with you against the computer. At first the computer plays randomly, but you can make the game more challenging by increasing the computer’s skill level to Beginner, Good, or Expert. When playing in the expert level, the computer rarely makes a mistake—it is very hard to beat. You can also play with a friend. Just type their name in the second box and away you go. If you want to play by yourself, you can do that too.

You can play with 4, 6, 16, 24, or 36 cards on the screen. The cards organized into four groups: Final Consonants, Initial Consonants, Initial S Clusters, and Initial L and R clusters. You can choose simple blue, green, purple, or red card backs or spice things up and choose fun backs.

Score the child’s speech production using the Correct, Distorted, Substituted, and Omitted buttons at the bottom of the screen. If the word was pronounced correctly, tap the green check. If the pronunciation was distorted, tap the wavy yellow lines. If a different sound was substituted for the target sound, tap the x/y button. It the target sound was omitted, tap the / button. You can record and score as many times as you wish on each screen.

Match Ups! is primarily a fun memory game, but this version was made specifically for phonology practice. SLPs tell us that they often use it as a reward at the end of a therapy session.