Whisper Phones - How do They Work?
If you've been in an elementary school classroom lately, you may have seen these little contraptions. They are plastic devices, usually “c” shaped that are used to assist children in learning to read, increase fluency, and edit their writing.
The way they work is almost as simple as their construction. Normally when you speak or read aloud, you hear only fragments of the sound waves that are created, as they are projected out and away from your ears. Whisper phones work to concentrate those sound waves and direct them to your ear so that what you are hearing is a more pure and clear depiction of your voice. In a sense, your voice is being amplified. They name "whisper phone" comes from the fact that you need only whisper to hear what you're saying clearly. This is ideal for classroom reading, as students don’t have to speak loudly to hear themselves read aloud. It’s also a great tool for helping language learners with fluency, as you can hear every intonation in your speech clearly as if you were listening to someone else.
You can find fancy versions of these for sale in educational stores now, but teachers have been making them for years using just PVC pipe and fittings. They are super simple to make and require only a few inexpensive parts. The version I use is made of two 1” size PVC elbows and one 3” length piece of 1” PVC pipe (schedule 40 white). Simply slip the pieces together and you’re ready to go! For extra durability try gluing the pieces together. This will also prevent children from taking the phones apart and distracting from reading. The phone you see pictured above is made of 3/4" elbows and pipe. I recommend a slightly larger version - hence the 1" sizes. Check out the instructions below and get the supplies you need to make your own!
These are very easy to make, and you could even get students to help you make them as a fun project. An expert tip: use acetone (nail polish remover) to take off any printing or barcodes on the PVC parts. You can even paint or decorate the phones to really jazz them up. Kids love them!
