![\"smartphone\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/smartphone-accessories-300x169.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nIn an age of disrupted school schedules,\u00a0a smartphone is no longer a nice-to-have, it is an essential learning tool for school children during times of national lockdowns. While it\u2019s not a substitute for teacher-led classes or peer interaction, mobile technology can help children to avoid falling behind during school closures.<\/p>\n
Not convinced? Here are just a few ways that smartphones can enrich remote learning during the pandemic. We’ve also taken it one step further with a few recommendations for some of the most useful Android apps for schoolchildren:<\/p>\n
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A smartphone can put a wealth of rich learning materials at a learner\u2019s fingertips. Check out Free Gutenberg Books<\/a> for access to more than 58,000 free eBooks, which will keep even the most curious young minds occupied during lockdown. The Kindle<\/a> app is also a valuable resource for paid books. Better yet, if you don’t want your child on their smartphone 24\/7, why not invest in a dedicated Kindle for learning and reading?<\/p>\n Find the best prices on e-Readers online with PriceCheck now:<\/em><\/p>\n There are many great apps that children from the early years to Grade 12 can use to sharpen their skills with mathematics. MathU Infinity<\/a> has classes and exercises from top South African teachers and engineers, making learning more engaging and effective.<\/p>\n Outside the classroom, kids and parents need to take responsibility for staying on top of homework, deadlines and timetables. MyHomework<\/a> is a homework agenda that makes it easy to keep track of assignments. School Planner<\/a> helps you keep your timetable and daily schedule near at hand and plan your studies accordingly.<\/p>\n One of the things that kids miss most about school is the time spent with their peers. Houseparty<\/a> is a face-to-face social network that makes connecting face-to-face effortless, helping them to maintain some contact with their friends when they can\u2019t hang out together in the real world.<\/p>\n Tools such as Zoom<\/a> and Microsoft Teams<\/a> have become essential for remote schooling, allowing teachers and kids to see each other on video, share documents like schoolwork and work together on learning tasks. The Vodacom e-school website<\/a>\u2014zero-rated for data use\u2014provides personalised learning experiences for students in grades R to 12. The learning content has been designed to supplement and support, all major subjects in the public and private school curricula.<\/p>\n YouTube Kids<\/a> features video content curated for kids. The library is filled with family-friendly videos on all different topics \u2014 science, history, math, and some videos just for fun.<\/p>\n Apps can also help older kids and teenagers later this year when they\u2019re preparing for exams. Local app\u00a0Afrika Test-Urself<\/a> lets you choose your grade and subject to download tests on specific areas of each subject. For older kids, the Matric 2021 app<\/a> offers one-stop access to previous years\u2019 exam papers across most subjects.<\/p>\n![\"view](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Buttons_ViewOffers-300x57.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nA virtual maths tutor<\/h3>\n
Personal organiser<\/h3>\n
![\"houseparty](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/housepartyapp_2-300x169.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nA place to hang out<\/h3>\n
A virtual classroom<\/h3>\n
![\"Youtube](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/youtube-kids-blog-1138x658-300x180.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLearn through video content<\/h3>\n
A brilliant revision tool<\/h3>\n