Our library has been awarded a grant from the Snohomish Education Foundation which enabled us to purchase 2 Califone Performer Plus Listening Centers for the library (1 for library use, 1 for teacher/classroom checkout). Students love to be able to sit and simply listen to stories when they come into the library.
We have found that this is an excellent technological resource that can assist and supplement literacy needs for students with visual impairments, students who are auditory learners, or students with learning disabilities that inhibit their ability to read at grade level and enjoy literature.
According to Dr. Susan B. Neuman of the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading achievement, "Audio books also give [students] an important introduction to listening-- a skill that she must master in order to learn to read" (Neuman, 2008). She goes on to state, "The more they listen, the greater the likelihood that they will learn new vocabulary words" (Neuman, 2008). Listening centers can also create excitement for literature that might otherwise be lost if a reading-challenged student is spending too much time trying to sound out difficult words.
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