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45 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, January 24, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 8, 2004 Fourth-graders Kassidi Hodge, left, Hunter Burfield and Kasidy Cobb listen to teacher Shannon Reed during class on Monday. Reed says a $325 amplification system bought for the school by the Table Rock Kiwanis helps her voice reach all her students. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Making a difference A donated wireless microphone system helps one Central Point teacher get through to the whole class By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — Shannon Reed’s fourth-grade students are quieter and more focused and getting in less trouble than they were just a few weeks ago, thanks to a wireless microphone that helps her voice reach every child, she said. "There are 34 kids in my class, so it can be hard for them to hear," said the Central Point Elementary School teacher. In late April, she started using a $325 portable amplification system the Table Rock Kiwanis club bought the school. "It feels a little bit more mellow now," Reed said. "The kids all seem more focused." Studies have shown that with amplified instruction to help them hear, students’ test scores rise, their behavior improves and fewer of them need extra help, Central Point Elementary speech pathologist Sandy Wasserman said. The school had one microphone and speaker system that a parents’ group bought for a second-grade teacher who often loses her voice. Advertisement Wasserman presented information about amplified teaching to the Kiwanis club this spring. Impressed, members took on a challenge to buy at least three more speaker systems. Kiwanis member Jim Ward spearheaded the fund raising by making fudge, cookies and pumpkin bread that he auctions to fellow members. He’s also raising money with a contest for people to guess — for a fee — the number of jelly beans in a jar that will be on display at various Central Point businesses this month. Each system includes a wireless microphone that clips to a teacher’s lapel and a small speaker. So far, the club has bought the unit Reed is using and raised most of the money for another system, Ward said. Members want to earn money for one more and hope to see other clubs and businesses get involved, he said. "This is a bit of technology that truly makes a difference," Wasserman said. Reed’s class agrees. "Even if we sit way in the back of the class, we don’t have to miss stuff she says or make her yell," Rylan Pruett said from his desk in the back row. "Now that Miss Reed has it, I don’t have to go up and ask her what she said," Joey Moore said. Reed’s class got the system because several students had some hearing loss, Wasserman said. One had relied on a personal amplification system with headphones to hear Reed but now benefits from the new system along with classmates who hear normally. Other schools in the Rogue Valley use the technology, too. Southern Oregon Education Service District supplies amplification units for teachers who have students with hearing loss. Reed wants to continue using the microphone. "I’m kind of counting on it for next year," she said. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] . Now hear this About 75 percent of each school day is spent on listening activities. Up to 43 percent of kids have minimal hearing loss on any given day. Temporary hearing impairment because of colds or ear infections is common. The number of students placed in special education programs dropped 40 percent when amplification systems were used. Teacher absenteeism due to voice and throat problems dropped from more than 15 percent to less than 4 percent with the systems. Students in amplified kindergarten through third grade classes outperformed peers on tests of listening, language, vocabulary, word analysis, reading and math concepts and computation. — Source: federal Department of Education study of amplified teaching in elementary schools Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers