I received an exciting thing in the mail this week — a Easi-Speak Recordable Microphone from Learning Resources. 

 

I won it during Jenn from Finally in First‘s giveaway week.  This thing is amazing. It is about the size of my hand and has so many uses.   I was amazed to find out all that it can do.

I started doing book clubs this week. About this time of year, I get so tired of doing reading groups and so do the kids. This is a great way for my kiddos to keep on reading but in a different way. I’ve been using Hilary’s Book Clubs packet.  I absolutely love the layout of this. It keeps the kids interested and really thinking.

My kids are so excited to be reading their books. We are reading The Chocolate Touch, Magic Tree House: Vacation Under a Volcano, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Well, needless to say, my struggling readers cannot read these books and I racked my brain trying to find a way to include them in a group. The Easi-Speak Microphone saved the day. I read the chapters into the microphone, recording each one separately. All I had to do after that is plug the microphone into the USB port on my computer. I imported the recordings into iTunes and they are all ready to go.  After their book club meets and decides on what to read for the next time, I let my struggling readers listen to the chapters on the computer as they follow along in their book. They really loved being included and being able to read a chapter book.
Have you tried out the Easi-Speak Microphone? What do you use it for?