Processing and Understanding Language Toolbox
Personal Listening Devices

Listening and hearing considerations may help students better understand speech more easily and may improve attention and comprehension.

Using a FM System involves speaking into a transmitter microphone, which sends a wireless FM signal that is broadcasted to the receiver. The signal is amplified and delivered directly to the listener by loud speaker(s) positioned around the room. As stand-alone hearing system it may help an individual to hear better anywhere that there is background noise, distance, and or echo that can interfere with understanding speech.

Individuals may reject using such a system because it makes them self-conscious and feel "different." A certified audiologist with expertise in FM system should work with a team, teacher, and the school's speech and language pathologist, to decide whether an assistive listening devise is necessary for a student to succeed.

Other tools for recording and playback may provide access to print materials such as books when auditory strengths are used. A variable speed tape recorder can especially helpful. Tape recording textbook chapters if the student has reading levels well below classroom peers, but he/she has no difficulty with content. Parents, volunteers, an older student or an efficient peer reader, can do tape recording. A tape recorder may be used for taking notes, recording lectures and assisting students to express themselves for writing activities.

Consider

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Processing and Understanding Language Toolbox
Tape Recorders

Personal recording devices (tape recorders) capture spoken information, such as a teacher's instructions or a classroom lecture, so you can listen again at a later time. This helps kids who have difficulty understanding or remembering what they hear. Before recording, however, you must ask the speaker for permission to tape.

Local or online office supply and electronic stores sell many brands and models of portable, handheld tape recorders. Units use micro cassettes or standard sized cassettes.

Variable speed control (VSC) tape recorders allow you to slow down or speed up the recording. These devices usually are larger than the handheld and pocket-sized machines.

MP3 Readers and Converters can read text at the desired speed and voice while recording it into a wave and or MP3 file format (smaller file size and efficient). A user can listen to email, web pages, eBooks and documents on the computer or a portable MP3 player. MP3 files can be saved to the hard drive or a CDROM to be replayed many times.

Consider

  • TextAloud (PC) NextUp Technologies www.nextuptech.com/ Demo downloads available
  • DocReader Premier Programming Solutions www.premier-programming.com Demo downloads available
  • Electronic retailers carry a variety Portable MP3 players and brand names.
  • Search and download free MP3 players (PC/Mac) from www.tucows.com

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Processing and Understanding Language Toolbox
Graphic Organizers

Graphic Organizers software can provide more visual learners opportunities to visually organize and plot information. Assist with outlining and brainstorming to organize written work.

Consider

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Processing and Understanding Language Toolbox
Multimedia Presentations/Creativity/Authoring

Multimedia Presentations/Creativity/Authoring software tools can combine written word, content, graphics and sound in an interesting creative, interactive format and presentation. Information can be highly motivating, interesting and visual to the user. A television, VCR and videotapes used creatively can be good mediums for learning. These tools can be used to create instructional materials that present information using a variety of modalities and a simplified grammatic structure, making comprehension easier for the individual with limited receptive language abilities. Some word processors have graphic sound features that can easily add more multimedia features to work.

Consider

WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use the learner's time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Consider

Ebeam is an electronic marker system that captures notes and diagrams from a board or chart paper as they are created so they can be viewed, saved, edited, shared, and printed using any Windows PC. It can be used to record and replay lessons so that the student can review the presentation including diagrams and written notes. More information is available at http://www.e-beam.com.

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