Tips on Setting Up a Listening Center in the Elementary Classroom
The listening center is a great resource for any classroom. It gives children the opportunity to hear language and enjoy books that would ordinarily be too challenging to read. Children tend to enjoy their time in the listening center because there's no pressure. They don't need to stress about decoding tricky words; they can just sit back and enjoy the book. The listening center is an asset to any classroom.
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Table
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Set the listening center up at a large round table so the children will be able to see all the other children and so that they have plenty of room to work. For English language learners and lower level readers, they will need to see when the other children are turning the pages to do the same. This center should be off to the side so the other students do not distract them.
Books
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Keep your listening library books together in one large crate next to the listening center. Store all of the books with the matching tape inside plastic bags for easy access. Always have the tape in the tape recorder and one set of books on the table to avoid confusion.
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Tape Recorder
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Place the tape recorder in the center of the table so the student monitor will be able to press the "Play" and "Stop" buttons easily.
Headphones
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If possible, keep a headphone rack on the table as well. This will prevent the headphones from getting tangled and damaged.
Task Cards
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Post task cards on the bulletin board right next to the listening center. This will remind the students what they need to do as soon as the tape is over. This is an effective way for the teacher to check for comprehension.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit headphones image by musk from Fotolia.com
