Keep on the Right Track
Creativity is one particular trait that educators possess that proves both important and effective in a classroom setting. In an age of decreasing attention spans and fast-paced action, critical elements in the learning process can often be overlooked and undermined.
Teaching students day in and day out how they can master their language skills can be challenging, especially when their minds can quickly become occupied with something else. Integrating easy-to-manage classroom audio equipment for students to independently practice language learning can free you up to create new activities for your beginning readers. One proven way to use equipment such as the CardMaster™ card reader is by having students continuously slide previously recorded card programs that teach them basic vocabulary words, food words and other essential key words. Shares Maria Bowden, a K-1 Special Ed teacher from Rockaway, NJ: “The CardMaster helps me promote independence by being able to run independent schedules. The children run the audio card and it directs them from one activity to the next without me or my aids having to provide verbal prompts which are so hard to fade. This is an essential tool when working with children who have autism spectrum disorders.” This form of repetition allows language learners and students in specialized learning programs to hear the proper pronunciation of the words so they can repeat and practice pronouncing it for themselves.
“The CardMaster helps me promote independence by being able to run independent schedules… This is an essential tool when working with children who have autism spectrum disorders.”
However, as students become more and more accustomed to using the card programs presented before them, they may become distracted at the monotony of those specific words. Using either the built-in microphone or its dedicated monaural headset, you can create your own customized cards using the teacher track recording feature to continue to challenge them and enhance their progress. To activate the feature, “unlock” the teacher track key located beneath the reader’s battery compartment. After you have activated it, you can record your very own words or phrases directly onto blank cards to introduce new and fresh vocabulary words to your students for more effective language learning. This is especially important because when it comes to students using the play-only READER, only cards that you create using the teacher track feature will be able to be played through that specific card reader. By switching the teacher track feature back to the “lock” position on the CardMaster, students can then determine how they can improve their pronunciation by recording and playing back their own vocal responses to their practice words onto other blank cards as they will not be able to record onto what you have created. The reader is essentially in “student track” mode and they can only erase and re-record directly onto whatever blank cards they are using.
