Library & Classroom Listening Centers
Tammy Cummings
Library Media Specialist Binghamton City Schools
I remember a time when the library had racks of bags with plastic hooks at the top. They were filled with listening center items. A Cassette tape and a book. Some schools and public libraries still have these. Teachers and students got to check them out to listen to. Then schools started to switch to audiobooks with MP3 files. Tried with MP3 players and Kindle tablets to make it work. Sora is now the go to in the schools that I am familiar with but it just isn't the same. So I started to think and look online to what I could get for the library to bring back that feeling you would get listening to a book on tape with the book to follow along.
In my online search I found an article comparing the different options that were currently available. Storypod. I also talked to other librarians in a couple Facebook groups. After all this I decided on Tonies I can't help but pronounce it as Toonies. They are fun and portable. I decided to purchase 4 starter sets for each of my two school libraries. I am lucky to have a great support person at BOCES to help me get the orders processed. I was able to pick out the color Tunies I wanted. I went with Green and Purple but purple was out of stock so I am trying Green and Red. The green ones have arrived. I also ordered about 30 character figures to use with the speakers.
Yes I took a risk. No one in my district that I know of has tried these before. I did listen to some cautious tales about issues. I was forewarned and had an idea of a work around thanks to my online librarian friends.
PROS:
1. Small, light, & Portable
2. Only needs internet when downloading content
3. Around 200 characters can be downloaded (so my 30 characters are no problem)
4. Classroom use - no set up required. Just charge the device every other day. Charger provided.
5. Students cannot bring Tonies from home because they wont work. Only Library Tonies will work.
6. There are creative Tonies so students can record themselves reading a story or singing a song. Then I will upload and download it to the figure & device. They can listen over and over to their creation.
7. You can use and iPad app or a website to manage the devices. Nice flexibility
8. So easy to use my Kindergarteners were able to figure it out without any prompting. After a little experimenting I did go over FAQ and expectations.
CONS:
1. I had trouble connecting them to the internet for the setup. I had left my laptop at the other school library that day. So I decided to take one home and set it up. I have not gone back yet to finish setting up the others but I'm positive I can get it to work at school. I'm just too impatient at times.
2. You have to leave the character on to download no quick switches. Double figures you still had to put each on to download. Probably has to do with the microchip identification. So that takes up 2 spots instead of one. But I did want them to be able to use it on any of the speakers.
3. barcodes! Marking the items as library property! This is the current challenge I am working on. I have all cataloged now. I did them individually since I wanted teachers to be able to select the story figures themselves. The base kit will have a Tonies bag with a charger, speaker, and a place for up to 6 figures, but I have to decide where to put the barcode on this.
4. How do I attach the barcodes? My current thinking is laminated pouches and zip ties for the characters. As long as this is out of the way of the magnet in the base of the figure it should work.
5. Worried about students stealing them.
6. Worried about spending my own money on the figures when I see them in stores. This is a huge worry for me since I love to collect things.
So far I am feeling good about my decision to get the Tonies. I have a lot of work to do yet before I can loan them out to the classrooms. I need to figure out the labeling and get it done. To promote this I am showing each of the classes the devices and playing them when we line up to wait for their teacher to pick up the class. I will be having 4th and 5th graders record themselves reading a story with sound effects or music for the younger grades to listen to. That is part of our storytelling unit.
I was thinking I could create character cards for each figure and I need to print and laminate the simple directions just as a precaution. Each figure has multiple tracks and I thought it would be good to know what tracks are on each figure for the listening station. Still need to figure this out and print them out.
The last thing that is missing from the old cassette listening centers is the physical book. I have many of the stories already in the collection and I can purchase copies of the ones that I don't. I need to figure out a way to connect to the options. Do I purchase a copy just to go with the Tonies or do I make an entry in the catalog saying don't forget to check out the book too?
So much to do but this will be worth it. Each year it will be easier to add new Tonies to the collection. Hope this inspires another to give this a try. I will update as I come up with solutions to the cons listed and the unknown that I run into.
