Whisper phones are a powerful tool! Also known as “Toobaloos” or auditory feedback phones, these plastic “phones” are used while students are reading aloud and help students self-monitor for accuracy and focus on their reading fluency.
The Power of Whisper Phones
Not only are whisper phones fun to use, but they help students monitor their own reading and identify any errors they may need to fix up. Many students who have poor reading accuracy often don’t even realize they are making reading errors. While using whisper phones, students are able to activate their cueing system and listen for anything that doesn’t look right, sound right, or make sense. These “phones” provide auditory feedback and help students hear their reading errors so that they can can focus on error correction. Students can then reread for fluency and comprehension.
Whisper phones also encourage metacognition and self-awareness for students while they reading independently. As they listen to themselves read, they become aware of their fluency strengths and weaknesses, which then helps them identify fluency goals and skills they need to work on.
As an added bonus, whisper phones can improve focus and help students block out noises from the classroom. This is especially helpful for small group reading or independent reading in a busy classroom where there is lots of distractions.
How to Use Whisper Phones
So, how are whisper phones used? Similar to an old-school phone, students place one end of the whisper phone to their ears like an ear piece and then speak into the other end of the phone with their mouths. Students use a whisper voice that’s loud enough for them to hear themselves and for you to hear, which is great for informal reading checks and read behinds.
Whisper phones are great for other students to use in your small groups while you’re doing reading conferences or running records. You can focus on one kid reading while the other students use the whisper phones to complete independent reading. Students are able to focus on their own voices and their own reading, and you’re able to hold them accountable because you’ll be able to tell if they’re reading or not!
DIY Whisper Phones
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If you don’t have the budget for ready-to-use whisper phones, you can always make them yourself! It’s very easy to make whisper phones with PVC pipe and elbow connectors. Just follow the directions on Make Take Teach to create your own. I was able to cut these pieces with a power saw, but I know some teachers have had luck asking the customer assistants at stores like Home Depot to cut the PVC pipe for them!
Once I assemble the three pieces, I like to use colorful washi tape to brighten up the whisper phones and customize them a bit. This makes them more inviting and motivating to use for students. I also like to create these PVC pipe ones as take-home options for students, as these are far less expensive for a class set than store bought ones.
More Reading Tools for Your Literacy Toolbox
Want to learn more about reading tools that are helpful in the classroom? Check out my post on how to Increase Student Engagement with Fluency Tools: Reading Trackers and Pointers.
