By Guest Author Jessica Kapachinski, a Special Education Teacher at Huntley High School, Illinois

A technology solution for auditory learners who need material read aloud

As a special education teacher, I always struggled with having to read tests aloud to multiple students at the same time. I would have some students who would be ahead of me, some behind, and sometimes we wouldn’t even get the test done in a single class period.

A few years ago, one of the general educaton teachers I collaborate with and I were talking and they suggested that I try recording the tests for class. I went through a quick training on using Camtasia and my life has never been better on test days!!

Use HaikuLearning.com to provide audio testing to students

Students can listen, and pause, at their own pace.

Nowadays, I use an online service called HaikuLearning.com to host my tests. I record the audio of the test at home (so I don’t get interrupted) and I upload it to a class I’ve set up in my HaikuLearning.com account. Then, I set the test to be “live” during my students’ class period (I can define multiple class hours for each test). They log into the Haiku page on test days and take the test during their class period.

The nice thing is if I am not at school my sub does not have to worry about running the program. I can monitor the program from wherever I am to be sure it is working properly and to track student progress.

The feedback I have received from my students has been well worth the time it takes to record and upload the tests. They like the fact that they can test at their own speed and they can pause, rewind, fast forward and that I am (usually) available in the room if they have questions.

Right now I am one of the few who use this program. I have gotten a few English teachers to try it and the health teacher used it last year. For my US History classes it has been great!

Use this strategy to support auditory learners at any level

Susan’s notes: Thanks so much to Jessica for sharing this great idea with us! While she is using it only in her U.S. History class, at present, this is a great idea for any subject area. The best part about this strategy is that it can be adapted to support auditory learners in any grade, whether they need this kind of intervention, or not. Even better is the fact that this tool is FREE to individual teachers and quite affordable for most districts!

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