My new BFF: the I EARNED THAT app!

Yes, it’s true! I have a new BFF.   

A free and awesome app that has put an end to the hours

I spend making token reinforcement charts for my students with autism and behavior challenges.  My life just got drastically easier!! 

It’s the handy little app called I EARNED THAT

Where, oh where, has this been all my life!?! 

My go-to expert on autism told me about it today and she is “so not techy” 

(her words, not mine) so she was stoked that I had never heard of it.  

HELLLOOOOO how did I not know about this? 

Have I been living under the proverbial rock? 

It’s apparently been around for years, so to many of you, this app may be old news, but to me it’s new AND MAGICAL!!!

I feel a little foolish doing a post about it since I’m probably the last SLP on planet Earth to hear about it but here it goes anyway. 

Besides, you may have been living under a rock just like me :) 

and I think that after all the joy it’s given me it deserves a little tribute. 

TADA!!! 

You can find it on iTunes for $1.99 but I chose to download the lite (and free) version.  

So far, it’s done the trick.  I can only have 1 student in it at a time, however.  

So I have a couple of students who really do not want to do.....well.... anything except what they want to do.  They’re really not fond of doing anything language related and are prone to showing me just how NOT FOND of it they are.  

They need lots of positive reinforcement and motivation. 

You know any little guys like that? 

I can see you nodding :) 

 So when I’m working with one of these students, I let him/her choose what he/he wants “to work for.”  I either give two choices or they immediately let me know what they want to work for- usually it’s candy, bubbles, computer time, iPad time, etc.  

This app lets me instantly take a photo of the item with my phone or iPad OR choose a photo from my camera roll! 

Today it was bubbles (he’s a big fan of the little wedding bubbles) for 1 little guy 

and dinosaur train on pbskids.org for another kiddo. 

After I’ve quickly taken a picture of what the child is “working for” the app makes a 3D jigsaw puzzle out of the photo.  I can choose the number of puzzles pieces I want the puzzle to have based on my student’s needs.   2?  4?  10?  20?  60? You choose! 

The screen shows the puzzle pieces face down.  

To reinforce the student, touch a puzzle piece while giving verbal praise and a glimpse of the reward will be revealed!! 

You can adjust the settings for visual and sound effects! The pieces can appear slowly with lots of fanfare or quietly and instantly.  

I set the app so that the pieces spin around and make all kinds of irresistible noises.  It really makes a BIG DEAL out of earning a puzzle piece which I love! 

When the last puzzle piece is in place and the whole picture is revealed, then the kiddos get their reward!! Woohoo!!  

Many bubbles were blown and none lived to tell about it :) 

In the end, everyone is happy! 

The SLP (that's me) got her therapy on and little dudes earned their rewards! 

All was right with the world and not one photo or symbol had to be printed, cut out and laminated.  In fact, there was not even one single velcro dot needed! 

Token reinforcement made easy!! 

I love easy! 

Do you use it? Love it? 

Can you tell me about any other APPs I need in my life? 

What do you do to reinforce your students? 

Please enlighten me.  I can't believe I just found out about this! 

Happy reinforcing! 

*** UPDATE: Unfortunately, this app has been discontinued and removed from the app store
:(