easi-Speak Digital Microphone from Learning Resources Giveaway!
For the past few months I’ve seen several giveaways floating around in cyberspace featuring some awesome products from Learnng Resources. I managed to enter a few of the contests/giveaways but never won. 🙁 And then…. Learning Resources contacted little ol’ me about reviewing some of their products and I said “yes, yes, YES!” (Okay, I was probably more calm and professional in the email response but I was screaming excitedly in my head!)
Today I am reviewing the easi-Speal Digital Microphone from Learning Resources. If you read through this post, youâll find out what the easi-Speak is, how to use it in your classroom, AND how to WIN one for yourself!!
Learning Resources describes the easi-Speak as:
Fun-and-easy wireless recorder encourages even reluctant students to speak up!
Just one button to record, then simply play back and listen (up to 4 hours of
audio). Extended uses across the curriculumâoral language, fluency, phonics,
speech therapy, intervention, math facts, podcasts and more. Built-in USB to
charge via your computer and download (PC, Mac). Upload student-created files
(WAV or MP3) to digital portfolios for authentic assessment, or share with other
educators or parents. Integrated speaker offers quality playback for instant
self-assessment. Headphone jack for quiet listening.â¢Â Is a great tool for storytelling, emotions, phonics, tongue twisters,
fluency, speech therapy, intervention, math facts, podcasts, dramatic play,
assessment, teacher conferences, field trips and moreâ¢Â Boosts studentsâ 21st century skills
â¢Â Invites all students to talkâideal for reluctant speakers and
readersâ¢Â Download to your computer (PC, Mac) and send files to other teachers,
parents and specialistsâ¢Â Upload to your class website, virtual learning network or digital portfolios
for assessmentâ¢Â Provides simple operation for young students. Reading not required, and
easier to use than a tape recorderâ¢Â Allows teacher or student to listen without disturbing others
â¢Â Does not require purchase of batteries
â¢Â Choose the file format/size that’s right for you
â¢Â Inspire creativity and budding musicians
â¢Â Offers convenient portability and safety
I literally squealed when I got this little gadget in my mailbox. First thing I noticed was the size of the box. Nice and compact. I do not like having to store bulky boxes in my classroom or home.
Even though the box was small, it sure fit a lot of things inside!
The first thing I did after removing everything from the box was look to see what size batteries it took and guess what – it doesnât take any! How many times have you had students tell you things aren’t working only to find the batteries are dead? Not with the easi-Speak! It only takes a few hours to charge completely. You could always plug it in during lunch or planning to make sure you always have enough charge or leave it charging overnight.
To charge the easi-Speak simply plug it into your computerâs USB port. It comes with a USB cable too in case it isnât convenient to have a little microphone hanging off your computer or if your USB ports are on the back of your desktop tower.
The microphone is very light weight and the perfect size for kids. There most important buttons are color coded on the handle of the microphone (red button for record, green button for play/pause). There are also yellow volume control buttons (V+ for volume up and V- for volume down) and yellow double arrow buttons to skip between audio recordings. It comes with a lanyard also in case you or your students would like to wear it around. Great fashion statement! 😉 The USB is concealed by a lid that fastens onto the bottom of the microphone. There is a string attached to it so you donât have to worry about the lid going missing!
When you turn the easi-Speak on, the light will blink an orange color. When you are recording, the light is red. When youâre listening to audio, the light is green.
Now I know a lot of really awesome teachers who tell me things like, âIâm no good with technology and computersâ or âIâm computer illiterate.â Well Iâve got news for them – anyone can use the easi-Speak Digital Microphone! Itâs easy peasy, lemon squeasy! Hereâs a quick tutorial-
When you plug the easi-Speak into your computer for the first time it will ask you to install some drivers. Follow the prompts and then you should see this:
If you donât get a popup like this you can always navigate to âMy Computerâ and locate the easi-Speak that way. If youâve ever used a flash drive, it works in the same way. Click on the drive. From the popup box click on âOpen folder to view filesâ and youâll see this:
To access your audio recordings click on the MIC_REC folder. The first time you open this folder you will already have one audio file in there – a sample audio about the easi-Speak. After your record yourself or your students youâll have a list of files like this:
To listen to your files simply double click on one and it should open with whatever media player you have on your computer. If youâre wanting to save the audio recordings you can either right click on the file and then click âSend toâ to send it to a location on your computer or âcopyâ to copy and paste it onto your computer. Alternatively, you can click on the file and drag it to your desktop or a folder like below:
When youâve saved your recordings or if youâre just needing to erase things, right click on a recording and choose âdeleteâ and itâs gone!
It really is very simple to use. A LOT more simple than connecting an external microphone and making sure all of the settings are correct. Thatâs really all there is to it to use it in its most basic form.
Now, how can you use this in your classroom?
- Record students during oral reading fluency assessments. Use the recordings with students and/or parents at conferences to show progress
- Use it after reading a story. Have students pretend to be characters from the book and interview them.
- Let students buddy read together using the easi-Speak. Later, you can listen to their recording and make anecdotal records of how students are performing.
- Need to scribe for a student? It can be difficult to keep up with them at times. Record them and then use the recording to help you scribe.
- Going on a field trip? Take the easi-Speak along and let students record their thoughts and learning.
- Know youâre going to be out of your classroom? Leave it for a substitute. Record the class a special message for the sub to play. (Alternatively, let the sub record your class!)
- Record directions onto the easi-Speak and leave at a center/work station so students can be reminded of directions.
- Recording a podcast would be a piece of cake!
- The possibilities are endless!
Here is a sample audio recording for your listening pleasure: Sample of audio recording
In addition to the ideas above I plan on using my easi-Speak at Christmas time this year. I always record my class singing four or five holiday songs. I then burn those songs to cds, take their picture for the cover, and give each student a copy to give to their parents as a gift. When I do this project, I have to bring my laptop and all of its accessories to school as well as an external microphone. No matter what, the settings with the external microphone always get messed up and it doesnât work properly the first several times. I plan on using my easi-Speak this year to see if that makes the process easier.
My students also participate in The Great Poetry Race weekly. I try to record the student who had the most signatures that week reading the poem so I can post it on my class website. Again, using the external microphone is a headache but the easi-Speak will make this so much easier I can actually stay on top of getting the students recorded in a timely manner!
Now the best part of all – Learning Resources was gracious enough to let me hold a giveaway so one of you lovely readers can WIN an easi-Speak Digital Microphone for yourself! You have EIGHT ways to enter!!
To earn an entry you may do any or all of the following: (make sure you enter in the Rafflecopter widget below!!!)
â¢Â Like Learning Resources on Facebook (tell them I sent you!)
â¢Â Follow Learning Resources on Twitter
â¢Â Follow Learning Resources on Pinterest
â¢Â Subscribe to Learning Resourcesâ You Tube Channel
â¢Â Like First Grade Brain on Facebook
â¢Â Follow First Grade Brain on Twitter
â¢Â Subscribe to my feed
⢠Leave a comment on this post explaining how you would use the easi-Speak in your own classroom
The giveaway is open from today, July, 10 and will end at 12:01 am on July 17th. A winner will be announced on July 18th. Good luck to all who enter and thanks to Learning Resources for an awesome product! 🙂
I would love to use the easi-speak to record my children reading and have them gage their own fluency, using our success criteria, and then ‘bump-up’ their reading with another read through using the easi-speak.
I have seen so many of these giveaways and I am dying to win one for myself! I will probably end up buying it though….
You never know! You could be the lucky winner Valerie! Good luck!
I would love to let my students use this while practicing oral reading. The easi-speak would certainly help when evaluating oral reading fluency. With this unique tool, students would be motivated to practice over and over. No doubt, their fluency rate will improve.
Hi there, I have been following you on pinterest.com for a couple of months now and simply LOVE the things that you put out on there and on your blog. You are my kind of educator!!
I’d love to have the Easi-speak. I teach in international schools all over the world (having just completed a contract in Turkey and about to start one in Singapore) and most of my students are EAL and many struggle with literacy and being able to record them and have them play back their reading and recordings would be a huge help in their fluency and pronunciation with English.
Thanks!!
I had a student from China this school year (that just ended). I can definitely see how this could benefit ESL/ELL students. Great idea! 🙂
I would love to use the Easi Speak microphone with my students while they are reading their own writing!
Ms. SIdra
http://hearditthroughthegradevine.blogspot.com
I would love to use this with my students. Being able to record will give e the opportunity to show growth in their language skills along with their academic skills. 😆
I would use it for many things. fluency, readers theater, etc. This is an awsesome tool that would be great in any classroom.
imgoingfirst@gmail.com
I would love to use this in my centers this year!!
I would love to use this microphone in my fluency center. The students need to practice reading and listening to themselves for self-assessment. My fluency center has a small fake microphone. This one would be great.
thIs is a really cool piece of technology. I would love to use it in my classroom for students to not only read and then listen to themselves, but to also have them read a story and make it into a small video that others can enjoy. these two ideas are only a few things that could be done with this awesome gadget. I would love to win this for my students!
I would use this in my writing class and have my students read their published pieces. Thanks!
Ѽ Lori
Teaching With Love and Laughter
luvyorkies@gmail.com
I would love to get the easi Speak mic for my classroom! I´m currently using an old recorder with a small tape in it. It´s horrible! I Live in the Netherlands though, so I really hope that won´t be a problem 🙁
Love your blog!
WOW, way to get this first grade teacher excited about the year of reading to come on a muggy Thursday in July! The opportunities are endless! I would use the easi-speak digital microphone during daily five in so many ways or during guided reading! Great incentive to get students excited about fluency and expression! I love arranging opportunities for students to read aloud their own writing to the class, students could use the microphone just like an author might while presenting to create a recording. Students could burn to DVD and share with their families during Open House.
I would love to use easi-speak digital for recording students reading. Hopefully this audio resource can be added to our smart board lessons! Thank you for the chance to enter!
I would use the easi-speak digital for recording students during independent reading to support fluency. I would also consider using it with small groups to record reader’s theater activities
I would love to win one of these! I’ve entered the giveaways for every one I’ve found! I would use it for fluency and story retells. I also read an idea to record tattles for an entire day and I really like that idea, too.
Patti
pattib203@yahoo.com
Primary Pizzazz
I would love to use the easi-speak mic for so many activities ie buddy reading, oral assessment, story reading of self published stories, readers theatre, poetry parties just to name a few 🙂
I would use this during literacy block. I am going to be using the Daily 5 next year, and there are so many uses for the easi-speak while doing the Daily 5.
I would use the Easi-Speak to assess fluency.
Elizabeth
Epodolski@arcsgalloway.org
I think I am going to put that trust out there and have my sweeties take them home, record, and bring back to share them reading with someone at home-
I think it would be a great way to have those parent’s who cannot come in be a part of the room!
Staci
☞Go NuTTY with ME!
misssquirrels@yahoo.com
I would use it for fluency and assessment.
I would use them at small group or in lit. stations!
Jennifer
I would use it for assessment, fluency practice, and to share with parents during conferences.
Being a Musical Theater/Broadway FAN, I just may sing into it all day long, LOL. Not all day, I guess, the rest of the time I can have my kiddos record their repeated readings and read with someone readings. I might also use it for listening comprehension, where they listen to me read from the recording and answer questions.
I would use it to monitor the fluency progress of my students. I would also have my students share their writing with the microphone.
I would use it to listen to my students communicate and read to each other
Linda
I would use it for students to work on their fluency. Also, it would be a great form of assessment.
I think this “cool” tool would be great for my students to practice oral reading and speaking skills in the classroom.
I would love to try this and see my kids use it with a smile on their faces.
would be a great tool for speaking