5th Grade Readingpen Case Study Observation

Date: Monday, May 16, 2005
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Teacher/Class: Suzanne L’Esperance, Grade 5
School: Northwest Elementary School, Manchester, NH

Student Focus Group:

Suzanne suggested that we conduct the student focus group while they were waiting for water to boil for their science experiment on creating crystals. I read them all four questions and then gave them a few minutes to think about their answers. I explained to the students how very important this information was to the inventors of the ReadingPen. The students were very positive and anxious to share their thoughts with me. Nearly every student made at least one comment, if not multiple comments. The student responses to the questions follow:

1) What did you like best about using the ReadingPen?

• Liked being able to get definitions, scanning words was cool.
• The ReadingPen saves “flipping time” over using a dictionary.
• It has lots of good features, dictionary, thesaurus.
• "When I was stuck on a word I could get it quickly.”
• Helps with hard vocabulary words, keeps repeating the words or sentences over and over.
• Liked that the pen can pronounce the word for them. (they usually said “say” or “read” the word, but I clarified with them that it was the auditory feature that they were referring to)
• Liked the history feature, handy, creates a study list.
• Liked that they did not need to use the “heavy” dictionary, this was much faster and you could “hear” the word.
• Liked the right- and left-hand options.
• Liked that it could read from right to left. (about half the class raised their hands when asked if they scanned regularly in that direction)
• When you are not allowed to talk to your friends for help the ReadingPen can talk to you (help you).
• It is fun, motivating to read more and more often, wanted to read more.
• Helped with “hard books”.
• Liked that it could read a sentence/phrases.
• Liked the many options in the settings menu (inverse, scan speed, right/left).
• Liked the way it felt in their hand.

2) How did the ReadingPen help you with your schoolwork? With your pleasure reading?

• To help with science vocabulary.
• 8 students have taken a ReadingPen home to help with homework, independent reading.
• These students said they used it to help read the homework directions.
• Used the thesaurus to find synonyms.
• One student scanned words in the dictionary at home and compared definitions.
• Used for vocabulary assignments, dictionary skills (syllables, definitions, synonyms).
• Nine of the students raised their hands when Suzanne asked if they thought the ReadingPen had improved their reading.

3) What didn’t you like about the ReadingPen, was it ever frustrating to use?

• The buttons are too small.
• The dictionary definition for words in the past or future tense come up as the word in the present tense. (she did not know you could highlight the “present tense” and press the definition button to get the meaning)
• A number of students mentioned scanning challenges (crazy letters, symbols, single letters.
• When they pushed too many buttons they said the ReadingPen “freezes”.
• Some words scanned were not in the dictionary.
• Can not read RED letters/words/text.
• Can not read cursive printed text or hand written text.
• The students said it did not help the “smart readers” because it did not seem as accurate on long words that were printed in smaller font sizes.
• The color of the pen is “boring”.
• One student said that the ReadingPen might make some students “lazy” when they get older.

4) How could the inventors make the ReadingPen better? This question was presented to the students in the following manner, “If you were on the design team for the next ReadingPen, what features would you suggest adding?” In most cases, even if the feature already existed in this or other Wizcom products, we did not mention it, we just wanted them to brainstorm with no constraints.

• The first comment was to make the ReadingPen in colors and designs.
• Add the ability to increase the size of the letters in the window for the definition.
• “Fix’ the software to read cursive.
• Make a Braille reader.
• Add color and/or back light so you can see the words in the dark.
• Make the ReadingPen able to read a wider variety of sizes (adjustable).
• Change the scan color so it can read RED letters.
• Make the scanning wheels bigger.
• Attach the cap somehow so they do not have to worry about them getting lost.
• Invent a pen that can answer questions!!!

Class Activity Observed:

Suzanne had scheduled a hands-on science lesson creating snowflake crystals with water, straw, string, pipe cleaners, Borax, and hot water. I did not want to significantly alter her plans, so we fit the focus group in while the water heated and then I assisted as able with the students and the experiment.

Student Use:

No use of the ReadingPen was observed.

Teacher Management/Logistics:

Suzanne stated that her students respect and like the devices. Students are still taking them home with no problems of not returning them. Other than the one cap that was replaced early on, there have been no other lost parts.

Teacher Observations/Comments:

Suzanne mentioned afterward that a few of the students (especially two young ladies in the class who appear to have benefited significantly) were a bit shy in front of either me and/or the large group.

Suzanne added the following in her fax reply to me when I asked her to proof this summary of the focus group with her students? “I would just like to add that what I saw as the best part was the opportunity for 12 of my students to read independently and freely for the first time in their lives. Because of these pens they were exposed to more words, more definitions, and made more choices to read for themselves. Thank you for the opportunity to use these very helpful tools.”

General Comments:

Somehow, I entered the date of this observation in my Palm calendar one day early. Both Deb and Suzanne were expecting me the following day. Both agreed to slightly alter their plans to accommodate my error. Given my mistake, I will attempt to visit their classrooms one more time before the end of the school year.