Creating a Listening Center

Check out the Kindergarten students using their iPad as a listening center.  This is a sample splitter that allows multiple students to plug their earbuds into the device to be able to listen to reading.

Mrs. Haberberger's Class

Mrs. Klosterman's Class

Creating a Listening Center

iBooks App After downloading the iBooks app, you can go the iBooks store and download free books.  If you scroll to the bottom of the Books section, you will find an area titled "Read Aloud Kids' Books."   Then you can select a variety of books for free.

K-2 teachers-Be sure to change the settings so that you can sync across your devices.  When you add a book to one iPad, it will magically appear on the others. Go to "Settings." Click "iTunes and App Stores."  Under automatic downloads, turn Books to "On."

Storia App:  Storia is an app from Scholastic that enables you to purchase ebooks and download to 5 different devices. You can use bonus points to purchase books as well.  Here is a post that explains Storia.

Tumblebooks: Be sure to bookmark from this link.  You will then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Books and Games: Tumblebook library.  Then click on the red circle: Story Books.  Students can listen to a variety of books.

To add this website as an icon or bookmark on the homescreen, click to read this post.  Talk about a time saver!

TabTale Stories Apps:  These interactive apps make reading fun for students.  Children can read aloud various fairy tales on the iPad.   Click on the link, scroll down, and select the app store.

They Will Want to Use the iPad to Listen to Stories

In Mrs. Kaeser's Kindergarten classroom at Kennerly, students are enjoying using the iPad as a listening station. She found this headphone splitter by Belkin which plugs into 1 iPad and allows up to 5 students to listen together.

These students were using the Scholastic app "Storia." First, the teacher downloaded the Storia app on the iPad (there is also an app for the computer) and then received 5 free books to download upon signing in using the Scholastic account email address and password. Additional eBooks can be purchased with bonus points or dollars. To learn more, visit scholastic.com/storiaclubs

Within the app, Storia bookshelves can be personalized for individual or group student reading. The engaging read-alouds help build reading confidence for the youngest readers. In addition to listening to the stories, many of the eBooks contain interactive elements that engage readers with fun learning activities.

These Kindergarten students were working together to read a book and interact with the enrichment activities.

Whether you are working together as a whole class or students are enjoying an eBook on their own during independent reading, the Storia app can work with your PC, iPad, or other Android devices. You can use your same account on up to five different devices at once.