Califone New Audio-Based Learning Tool Helps Struggling Learners, Beginning Readers and ELL Students
Posted by Denielle on 6th Mar 2014
Califone International, Inc., the premier manufacturer of high-quality audio technology for the education market, today introduces a new auditory learning device, the Card Reader.
Language comprehension is the benchmark for children’s education, yet many students struggle to keep pace with their classmates when it comes to language skills. Educators must adapt their instruction to accommodate multiple learning styles and to better serve a range of student needs. To aid in these efforts, Califone has designed the new Card Reader to help children learn through auditory, visual and kinesthetic cues.
With auditory reinforcement, students are able to improve their skills and decrease their frustration. The Card Reader uses magnetic cards featuring written words with pictures or symbols to play pre-recorded sounds, useful for speech language therapy, early literacy development and ESL applications. Students learn to link letters and sounds to solidify the mental connection between written and spoken words as they gain skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language proficiency. The product adapts to keep pace with a student’s growing abilities.
The new Card Reader is constructed of rugged ABS plastic to withstand repeated, daily use. Built-in speaker—with slotted baffles for student safety—headphone and microphone inputs, and a carrying handle provide the flexibility and portability needed by educators, speech pathologists and audiologists. The lightweight auditory device can be taken anywhere, anytime—even checked out for home use—for students to learn and practice their skills.
With the unique Califone warranty that covers school and library use, the Card Reader is a cost-effective option for any classroom or school program. This is particularly important as schools strive to meet the demands of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires schools to demonstrate increased student achievement for all students, including special needs and ESL/ELL students. This is a growing challenge as the number of non-native English speakers in the K-12 student population is expected to expand to 50 percent by 2015.
There are 10 sets of magnetic cards available for purchase to use with the new Card Reader. Each set contains 48 full color cards, sequentially numbered for easy management, with whimsical illustrations and word identifications. Card sets come in the following categories: phonics, reading readiness, compound words, rhyming words, food, money, survival signs, and everyday words such as “airplane” and “computer.”
Califone was founded in 1946 and continues to be a leader in the design, development and manufacturing of audiovisual and supplemental curriculum products for use in education, presentation and professional markets. The company offers a complete line of audio solutions, wireless systems and multimedia products for small, medium and large presentation needs. Califone serves millions of educators and children in the PreK through higher education school environments and has expanded to serve business and industry, houses of worship, parks and recreation and other presentation markets as well.
