ORIGINAL TARGET:
Has anyone heard of "reading pens?"
One of our teachers is asking that we purchase "reading pens" for the
students that "can't read" or read very poorly.
He wants these for his classroom but they would be used in the library
as well.
Does anyone know of which brands to buy?
Has anybody used these in the library?
I think you slide them over the words on the page and the pen reads the
word out loud to you.
RESPONSES:
Look here
http://www.mindconnection.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Categor
y_Code=PENS-READING
*****
We tested some of these with students, both we and the students were
frustrated at the lack of reliable accuracy. It seemed like the pens were
incorrect about 10% of the time, which doesn't seem like a lot, but in
practice, it was. Unfortunately, they weren't the answer to our prayers for
poor readers, like we hoped! I think the brand was Reading Pen????
*****
I thought this was interesting, too:
TestTalker is a "scan and read" talking program to help students take tests in
multiple formats.
http://www.freedomscientific.com/LSG/products/testtalker.asp
None of this is cheap, however. You might find helpful free resources at:
Learning Through Listening is operated by RFB&D (Recording for the Blind and
Dyslexic) and CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). Users can register for
access to the site, which includes free listening materials, activities, lesson
plans, and teaching strategies.
http://learningthroughlistening.org/
*****
Hi, I did research on this for a list of resources I compiled as part of a final
project in my special ed class last semester:
Quicktionary and ReadingPen2 are two assistive devices to help students with
reading difficulties and even students learning English as a second language:
http://www.wizcomtech.com/eng/home/a/01/
http://www.wizcomshop.com/Readingpens_c_46-1-0.html
*****
My mother purchased the Leap Frog reading pen for my 4 year old niece.
I played with it a bit, but can't tell you much beyond my experience
with it. The one thing I noticed is the person has to run the pen over
the word slowly enough for the word to be recognized. I have a feeling
this will not work for younger students, but perhaps older students that
are patient will be able to calmly scan the pen across the words. Also,
the pen that my mother purchased only worked with books that recognized
this book, thus, you had to buy their "extras" to make the original
product work.
*****
I've seen these in bookstores marketed by Leapfrog. I think they only work on
Leapfrog books.
http://www.leapfrog.com/tag/
*****
I was looking through my new DEMCO catalog and I saw some of those in their section
that had assistive technology devices.
*****
_____________________________________
Patricia Sarles, MA, MLS
Librarian
Damrosch Day Treatment School
NYC Department of Education
750 Jennings Street
Bronx, NY 10459
voice: 718 378-0006 x2172
fax: 718 589-9544
p s a r l e s @ s c h o o l s . n y c . g o v
http://damroschlibrary.blogspot.com/
http://wjdlibrary.wikispaces.com/
"Ten guards and the warden couldn't have torn me out of those books. Months passed
without even thinking about being imprisoned....I had never been so truly free in
my life." - Malcolm X
"Some kids go to the library ... Others to the street. But they can't go to the
libraries if the libraries are closed." - Officer Dombranski, NYPD
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