HearAll Assessment Recorder Review and Giveaway and a Grant Opportunity!

It's Friday!  Whoo hoo!

Remember this box that Learning Resources sent me...?

Well, we have been using the HearALL Assessment Recorder like crazy in my classroom and I would love to tell you aaaaalll about it!

My first reaction was how light and tiny it was when I pulled it out... I couldn't believe it...

But, its size and weight did not disappoint... this small wonder truly has helped me do some amazing things in my classroom.

I have used it to:

1.) record a group discussing a book without me there to facilitate and then listen later to gauge the quality of their conversation.

2.) I have a student who is a great comprehender, but isn't very accurate... seriously... how does he know everything that happened in a chapter when he's literally reading about 60% of the words?  I had him record himself reading a chapter of a Magic Tree House book.  I made a copy of the chapter, sat with the recorder, and read along highlighting all of the words he missed... it was A LOT.  I showed him and he insisted the recorder must have been wrong.  So then I saw down with him and we listened to it together and he was SHOCKED at all of the words... we're talking whole paragraphs... that he was skipping!  For the next several days, this student did all of his independent reading into the HearALL and then we listened to it together and I was then SHOCKED at how much his accuracy improved just by being made aware, seeing, and hearing his inaccuracies!

3.) I recorded a set of directions and questions on here for one of my reading groups.  When they met, I was able to facilitate their discussion via the HearALL!  They thought it was so funny- I even gave them time to answer the questions I asked and offered little praises to their answers that I couldn't even hear... they loved that!

What I loved about it:

1.) Who doesn't want to be in more than one place at one time?  This truly has made that possible for me!

2.) No batteries!!!!!  This charges right from the computer and is also super easy to get files off of for sending to parents and documenting.

3.) The voice quality is great!  It picks up voices well and doesn't pick up a lot of extra classroom background sounds.

Learning Resources has offered to give you one too!  All you have to do is leave a comment... I hope you'll go and like Learning Resources on Facebook too!  I have one more Learning Resources giveaway that will be coming up in a few weeks... so I hope you'll follow my blog if you aren't already so you can have a chance for the next one... it's a biggie!  This giveaway ends on Sunday, so you have two days to comment and like!  Go go go!

Want more info on the great product?  Check out these links!
https://www.facebook.com/learningresources

http://twitter.com/#!/learninghandson

http://www.youtube.com/user/LearningResourcesInc

http://pinterest.com/learninghandson/

Not only that- but Learning Resources is sponsoring an AMAZING grant right now where you can win some technology for your classroom.  You better believe I'll be entering this one!

Learning Resources announces the sponsorship of a teacher grant hosted by WeAreTeachers. To apply, teachers must answer this question: “How would you use portable interactive technology to create collaborative lessons?” After the application process concludes, educators can invite colleagues to vote for their favorite lesson ideas. Each of the three top vote getters will win a set of three now!Boards and three GeoSafari Tuff Cams, a prize package valued at $2,000. Additionally, two merit-based winners selected by a panel of teachers will each win one now!Board and one GeoSafari Tuff Cam, a total value of $700. Teachers can apply for the grant online through May 22, 2012.

For more information and to apply for the grant, visit http://www.weareteachers.com/teaching-ideas/grant?grantId=102.