Giveaway Monday Sponsored by Learning Resources!

I was contacted recently by Learning Resources about reviewing some of their newest items in a line of affordable technology products. Being the techy chick that I am, I happily accepted, so check back each Monday for the next three weeks for a chance to win some fantastic resources. The first one I'm going to share with you is the HearAll Assessment Recorder. The HearAll allows you record students who are working in groups or partners while you are working with other students in another part of the room.
Source: Learning Resources
My first reaction to the HearAll, was that I couldn't believe how lightweight it was. I was afraid that might be an indication that it was an inferior product, but I could not have been more wrong. It turns out the HearAll is exceptionally sturdy and of great quality. Being so lightweight was an added bonus. It traveled back and forth to school with me for days and I didn't even notice the difference with it in my bag. You can see the relative size in the picture below. It's actually just slightly larger than my iphone, but noticeably lighter.

The HearAll has 4 omni-directional microphones that do an incredible job of picking up sound while reducing background noise. I used the recorder while my students were at centers and I was working with a small group in the back of the room. The first time, I didn't set the recorder in the middle of a specific group, I just placed it on a table in the middle of two groups who were working on different tasks. I couldn't believe how much I was able to hear from all of the students! The second time I used it was during a buddy reading session. I placed the recorder between one pair of students to hopefully just capture their voices. Again, the HearAll amazed me. I could hear the two students exceptionally well with just a hint of the background noise of the other students reading.


Imagine the possibilities with this little gadget! We often have parent volunteers complete fluency checks with students. As much as we trust our parents, we often wish we could also hear the students as they read. Now we can just by leaving the HearAll with our volunteers! There is an LCD display on the device that adds to ease of use (although I wouldn't suggest letting students use it in that way).

A fun little by-product of the HearAll was an increase in on-task behavior! I did tell my students that we were using the HearAll so that I could hear how well they were working together. The next day, I left the recorder on the table in the same spot, and even though I didn't turn it on, they assumed I did and were sure to be on their best behavior!


The HearAll is just out of sight on the table. Look how closely the students are leaning in to talk and staying on-task. A huge improvement just because they knew the recorder was there!


The HearAll does not use batteries, it actually charges through an included USB cable connected to your computer. The charge lasts about 4 hours, which is more than enough time for normal classroom use. There is no software to install and is ready to use right out of the box. You can also store the sound files on your computer and email them to other school personnel who may work with your students.

This great little device sells for $99.99, but Learning Resources has generously offered to let me give one away to my readers! Again, I'll be using Rafflecopter. Each task you complete is worth one additional entry. Be sure to click "read more" if you don't see the Rafflecopter gadget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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43 comments

  1. I think the Hear all device is stellar, I would use it in a variety of ways, but to start with I would use it for my groups that can't seem to get along. This might help the group and me get things going better.

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  2. I just found your blog through Kindergarten Lifestyle... I am pretty sure I might cry- it's so beautiful! I already think you are amazing (and I have only been surfing your blog for 20 minutes), I am pretty sure I need another couple of weeks to fully digest it all... thank you for sharing. THANK YOU.

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  3. This would be so cool to use in the classroom. I have been trying to find an easy way to record my kids!

    Samantha
    Samantha
    Ms. Beattie

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  4. This will be so useful for fluency and just checking in with other kids when I am busy with a small group. Thanks for te review.

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  5. Hi there! I am a reading remediation teacher, and I would use this HearAll to record students while they are reading and then play it back for them so that we can work on fluency!

    Mindi

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  6. As a brand new teacher, this would be a wonderful way to monitor fluency (and behavior) of my small groups!

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  7. I want to use this with my guided reading groups. It would be beneficial for my struggling readers, they could build confidence!!!

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  8. This would be a wonderful to have in the classroom for a number of reasons. Classroom management, being able to actually tell if students are discussing what they need to during center time, etc.

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  9. This looks really cool! I would love to have one of these in my room!

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  10. What a neat product! And lucky you to get to test it out! I would love to use this in my classroom small group work as an extra set of ears.

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  11. i would love to use this in my small group.this would definitely help those students who are struggling with their sounds.hope i win!

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  12. I would love to use this to help with my running records when I need to be in 2 (or 3 or 4 or 5) places at the same time, at my word work station to make sure students are staying on task, in my math centers to see who is having difficulty working together, etc!!
    Amanda

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  13. This would so awesome to use in my tutoring sessions. I'm in school for Early Childhood Education and in one of my classes, I have to do 10 tutoring sessions in which I have to perfom one miscue anyalsis. This would be great to use it for that and for my student to listen to himself read!

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  14. This looks like an awesome product (and boy could I use it this year! :)

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    1. I would use this to monitor my WHISPERING students who think they get away with it.

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  15. I would use it for my reading and math groups to increase students on-task behavior. I would also use it for reading fluency checks.

    Jennifer
    jenniferlalsip(at)yahoo(dot)com
    The First Grade Dream

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  16. Hmm. think my other comment got erased?! Really weird. Anyways this gadget seems amazing! I'm planning on doing guided reading/CAFE next year and since I"ll be new to it I'm sure this could help me catch a lot more than I could from only listening to the kiddos once. I could replay their reading back for myself! Very useful

    Courtney
    Teaching in Paradise

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  17. I would like to have my higher level students read a story to practice fluency... then my lower level students could listen and follow along :)
    aconnolly1216@gmail.com

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  18. I love the idea of using this while I'm helping other students across the room. I would definitely use this to measure fluency as well!

    Lisa
    fsuteach81@yahoo.com

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  19. I would so use this for fluency and to build confidence. Very cool teacher tool! Gina

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  20. I would love to use this in a fluency station during daily 5.

    Jen
    hellomrssykes@gmail.com
    Hello Mrs Sykes

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  21. I would use this as a way to record students reading and build their confidence with reading aloud. Thanks for the opportunity!

    kellybrown28021@gmail.com

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  22. Like many others, I would love to use this for small group time to monitor "those" groups!

    Meg
    Third Grade in the First State

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  23. Awesome technology! Along with the obvious classroom management benefit, it would be great for recording children's reading with immediate feedback. How many times have you tried to explain to students how they can improve fluency, but they don't quite know what they did wrong. Playback (with the student) giving immediate feedback would be so meaningful! Could even share with parents.

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  24. This would be a great tool for use with Daily 5! I often wonder if the Read to Someone kids are actually stopping to check for understanding and helping to coach each other. I also might use it during my own running records to double check my own accuracy.

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  25. I would use it to listen to my students read....I think it would be great to use during Daily 5!

    Ali

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  26. As a new teacher, this would be a great way to monitor fluency and improve my running records!

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  27. I would use to record student ... and to monitor fluency.


    First Grade Delight
    imgoingfirst@gmail.com

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  28. I would use this to record book discussions for small groups to listen to their talks and to record the general classroom so they can all hear what a learning classroom vs a noisy, non stop chatter classroom (THEM) sounds like !

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  29. This would be great to record book club discussions and to use for fluency interventions. Kids could hear their own voices and make observations to improve fluency!

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  30. I would definitely use these in my intervention groups! Much more effective when kids hear themselves then when I model how they sound.

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  31. I would love to use this exactly how you described to keep see how well my students are working together while I'm working with a small group. Sounds like a great idea.
    bcallahan@usd259.net

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  32. This would be fabulous for small reading groups. I would love to give them some sense of accountability.

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  33. I love this. I've been eyeing this awesome technology! I think it would be a great management tool and wonderful for recording children's reading fluency with immediate feedback.
    Caroline
    brantcc@bay.k12.fl.us

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  34. I would definitely use the HearAll for a fluency center with my third graders as we do A LOT of station work throughout the day!

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  35. This device sounds amazing! I have recently started using Kagan's strategy of "Sage-N-Talk" I would love to record the groups I am not working with (since I have an odd number of students I usually have to be a partner) and see how well they are understanding the concept of one person being the sage, the other being the scribe, and taking turns! Of course there is also book clubs and reading to each other, and... the possibilities are limitless (okay possible limit, but you know what I mean)!

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  36. This would be ideal in my split class. The kids are getting pretty tech-savy and would love the opportunity to try something like this out. I also have a few chatty kids who tend to be off task, so I could really see this working as a keep me on track kinda mechanism.

    rkkelly@tbaytel.net

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  37. This would be a fantastic small group tool. I would love to hear what my groups are up to and then allow them to evaluate their discussions! Thanks so much for putting this post together!
    ☮Monica
    The Schroeder Page

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  38. This would be a wonderful resource to use for Literature Circles!! My kids would love to use this tool and I would love to hear their discussions. :)
    TeachPrayLove

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  39. Oh, this sounds so cool - kind of James Bond-like! Have certain little groups of learners during centers that I would LOVE to out this by, you know what I mean!

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  40. I would love to use this for students to be able to listen to themselves read. It would be a great device to practice and teach fluency.

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  41. I would use it for my kids during their Daily 5 - read to self - to improve fluency. I would also use it for one student who has great writing ideas but has difficulty getting them on paper. He gets so frustrated. This WOULD definitely help him.

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  42. Of course, I would love to use it for reading. I wonder if I could use it for peer writing conferences, monitoring math games, or even problem solving (friendship issues)....the possibilities are endless. This would be so interesting to try out! I'm excited to hear more about what you think.

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