Repetitive Study More Effective
Sayings such as “Practice makes perfect” reflects the well-known fact that repetition improves learning. It’s no secret that integration and ultimately retention of information improves with the number of times the information has been studied. But teachers, parents, and students all know time spent focusing on repetitive exercises without a strategy or a proper tool can be ineffective. Is there a way to make it more enjoyable and efficient? Yes, Califone Personal CD Player can help. In this article, we’ll share some tips on how to utilize various functions of the CD102 to make even repetitive learning tasks more enjoyable and efficient.
One side benefit to using a personal media player such as an MP3 player or a CD Player is it makes differentiated learning easier not only for teachers to implement, but they also allow students (individually or as a small group) to study at their own pace without drawing any attention to themselves. More often than not, they appreciate the opportunity to use a tool other than the textbook or syllabus to help them learn or sharpen their skills.
The Personal CD Player features several functions which are helpful for repetitive drills:
- Repeat Track – A single track can be continuously repeat playback by pressing the REPEAT button once so that the repeat symbol and “ONE” is lit on the LCD screen. Students can use this feature to memorize spelling of new vocabularies, math or science formulas, definition of new terms etc. This feature could also be used in ESL or Special Ed classes to help students memorize important phone numbers such as home phone number, parent’s work number, or 911.
- Repeat All (Entire CD) – To continuously repeat playback of all tracks on a CD, press the REPEAT button twice so that the repeat symbol and “ALL” is lit on the LCD screen. This function can assist students to memorize objects in an order such as time lines of historical events, multiplication tables, and countries in a continent.
- Intro Playback – This selection playbacks the first 10 seconds of each track and automati¬cally skip to the next track. Users select this setting by pressing the REPEAT button three times so that “INTRO” is lit on the LCD screen. This trait enables students to self complete spelling new vocabularies with a clue of the beginning of the word, or to use as a multiplication “Q & A” as the track plays “2 times 4” and student answers “8”.
“Most importantly, we’ve seen on average a 36-40% (or an average point score increase of 14.6 per student) improvement in grades for all of our intervention program participants.”
- Random Track – The random track function can be set by pressing the REPEAT button four times so that “RAND.” is lit on the LCD screen. Students can use this feature to review and test what they have memorized.
- Programmed Playback – To playback certain tracks in a specific programmed order, first make sure the CD is playing. Then press the PROGRAM button. Use the forward and reverse skip buttons until the desired track number is flashing. Then press the PROGRAM button to program the track. Continue to program tracks by using the forward and reverse buttons until the desired track number is flashing and then press the PROGRAM button. After all desired tracks are programmed, press the Play/Pause button to start playback from the first programmed track. Since people typically can only hold an average of five to nine pieces of information in their short term memory at a time, it is helpful to concentrate on only a few pieces of data. Students can repeat the first group of items until they have memorized all then move on to the next group by setting a new programmed playback. This programming function also enables students to focus on selected tracks of learning material that they are not so familiar with and still need to spend more time on.
Hillary Wolfe, a Learning Specialist at Northview High School in Covina, CA, began a reading intervention program using material from Recorded Books and the CD102. She shared, “Most importantly, we have seen on average a 36-40% (or an average point score increase of 14.6 per student) improvement in grades for all of our intervention program participants.”
