Panasonic WX-LR100 Using Sound - Page 1

Using sound-field systems to teach phonemic awareness to pre-schoolers (Summary) Kate Kemp Biley, Carol Flexer, Cheryl Harkema, Alyssa Hinkley, John Holcomb The Hearing Journal, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 38-44 March, 2002 Improving reading scores of American students is a high priority for educators. This study was conducted to see whether sound-field amplification would reduce identified at-risk pre-school readers. Because the basic skills of reading include phonological and phonemic awareness (skills involving sound), it seemed logical that enhancing the sound in the classroom would improve the development of reading scores. Details of the Study The study included three separate classrooms (groups) which lasted for one year beginning at the second semester in pre-school and continuing through the end of the first semester of kindergarten. Students took the Yopp-Singer Test at the beginning of the study and then at the end to measure their reading improvement. Each group received different interventions. Group A received standard preschool and kindergarten curriculum. Groups B and C attended additional inservice sessions instructing them on meaningful phonological and phonemic awareness activities. In addition, Group C attended two additional in-service sessions covering acoustic accessibility and classroom amplification systems. Two Audio Enhancement Ultimate Infrared systems were installed. Teachers wore wireless microphones transmitted to four loudspeakers. Also, each classroom had pass-around microphones for the children. All teachers received instruction about the use of the technology. Results Reading scores generally rise when phonological and phonemic training is combined with sound-field amplification. Only 17% of Group A scored above the mean for the second administration of the Yopp-Singer Test whereas 78% of Continued...