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!

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