Topic: Icons and apps on my phone and tablet

When I am done this lesson, I will know:

● How to identify the icons on my phone or tablet.

● What the common apps on my phone or tablet are for.

Pre and Post Self-Assessment

Pre Pre Post Post

Yes, I know No, I want to Yes, I know I still need more

this learn this this practice to
learn this

I know what all

the icons do on
my phone or
tablet.

I know what the

common apps
on my phone or
tablet are for.

New Words and Terms

app
device
icon
pictogram
smartphone
tablet

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 1

What is an icon?

An icon is a pictogram on a device touchscreen that helps the user navigate the operating
system. These icons work as buttons on the touchscreen. Devices like smartphones and
tablets have a touchscreen. You can tap or touch an icon to perform a task or action. The
icons look similar on different types of devices.

Common What is this? Description

Icons What can I do? or
What does it do? or
What does it mean? or

Power You use this to turn the device on and off.

Lock You use this to see if the device is locked or unlocked.

The lock will be closed for locked and open for
unlocked.

Phone You use this to open the phone.

Wifi You use this to see if your wifi is on and how strong
your wifi signal is. The more bars that are showing, the
stronger your signal.

No Signal When you see this symbol it usually means no Internet

service is available.

Bluetooth You use this to see if your Bluetooth is on.

Battery You use this to see how much power you have left in
your battery. The more bars you have, the more power
you have left.

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 2

Battery The battery will have a lightning bolt in it when you are
charging your device.

Airplane mode When this is showing, it means airplane mode is turned

on. When airplane mode is on you cannot use the
Internet or send and receive phone calls.

Home You use this to return to your home screen.

Settings You use this to adjust the options for a phone, tablet,
or in an application.

Delete or Trash You use this to remove one or more items from a list or
delete a message.

Dictation You use this to use your voice to dictate text.

Favourite You use this to flag or save a favourite item like a

personal contact or a webpage.

Action Bar You use this to display a pop-up menu.

Action Overflow You use this to see a list of actions. It is like a menu.

Add You use this to add or create an item.

Done You use this to dismiss an action bar.

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 3

 Close You use this to close an item or clear text from a field.

Share You use this to share information you have stored using
email or social networking.

Refresh You use this to reload the information on a webpage or

get new information on a webpage.

Search You use this to search for information. You need to

type in a search term.

Edit You use it to edit text, add text, or fill in fields.

Location Pin This tells you where something is located on a map. It

can also mean your GPS location services are turned
on.

Keyboard This lets you open a keyboard on the screen so you can
type on your device.

What is an app?

The word "app" is a short form for "application." Some apps come pre-installed on a device.
Other apps can be downloaded and installed. Apps usually run on a device, but can also run
through a web browser. An app is usually a program designed to help people perform a
specific activity or task. Depending on what the app was designed for it can use text,
numbers, audio, graphics, and a combination of these elements. Apps also have their own
icons and use icons. The icons look similar on different types of devices.

Common What is this? Description

Application What can I do? or
Icons What does it do? or
What does it mean?

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 4

Browser App You use this app to access the Internet.
(Apple)

Browser App You use this app to access the Internet

(Google)

Email App You use this app to send and receive email messages.

Messages App You use this app to send and receive text messages.

Camera App This opens your camera app to take pictures.

Facebook App This app opens your Facebook account if you have one.
Facebook is a social media application.

Facebook You can use this app to send and receive messages to
Messages App your friends on Facebook if you have a Facebook
account. You can also see the messages when you are
logged into your Facebook account.

Instagram App This app opens your Instagram account if you have
one. Instagram is a social media application.

Twitter App This app opens your Twitter account if you have one.
Twitter is a social media application.

WhatsApp App This app opens your WhatsApp account if you have
one. WhatsApp is a messaging application.

Facetime App This app lets you video call your contacts. Facetime
only works on iPhones, iPads, and Apple computers.
Both the sender and the receiver need to have an
apple product to use Facetime.

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 5

 Weather App You can use this app to check the weather.

Calendar App You can use this app to keep your appointments in an
online calendar.

Calculator App You can use this app as a calculator.

YouTube App This app will open YouTube. You can watch videos on
YouTube. If you have an account, you can also save
lists of videos called playlists and upload your own
videos.

LinkedIn App This app opens your LinkedIn account if you have one.
LinkedIn is a social media application.

Application Store This app opens the store where you can download new
App (Apple) apps if you have an iPhone or iPad. Some apps are free
and some are paid.

Application Store This app opens the store where you can download new
App (Google) apps if you have an Android phone or tablet. Some
apps are free and some are paid.

Discussion Questions

1. Which apps in the table list do you have on your tablet or smartphone?
2. Which apps in the table would you like to try?
3. Are there any apps you would like to download?

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 6

 Check Your Knowledge

Name three different social media apps.

1.

2.

3.

Try this/Practice

1. Click on the link below to play the matching terms and icons game.
https://www.purposegames.com/game/icons-quiz-game

2. Download and install one new free app on your tablet or smartphone.

Optional: I Want to Learn More

Use this tutorial with videos https://www.learnmyway.com/courses/using-

to learn how to use a a-touchscreen
touchscreen on a device

Source: Learn My Way

Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework Connection

Competency Task Group(s)

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 7

Find and Use Information ● Read Continuous Text (L2-Involves on text, may
include unfamiliar elements)
● Interpret Documents (L2 - performs limited
searches using one or two search criteria, extracts
information from tables/forms)
● Extract Information from Films, Broadcasts, and
Presentations

Communicate Ideas and ● Interact with Others (L2 - brainstorm ideas)

Information ● Writes Continuous Text (L1-Conveys simple ideas
and factual information)

Use Digital Technology ● Uses an online game to reinforce knowledge

● Download and install an app (L2)

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 8

Icons: Flaticon.com

Literacy Link South Central

(March 2021)

www.llsc.on.ca literacylink@llsc.on.ca

Icons and apps on my phone and tablet 9