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Technique |
How... |
| 1 |
Get a microphone and plug it into the computer.
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Look for the microphone jack on the back of the computer. These days, there is usually a small microphone to indicate where to plug it in. |
| 2 |
Bring up the Sound Recorder tool.
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Click and hold 'start' in the lower left of the screen, then move the cursor to 'programs' then to 'accessories' then to 'entertainment' then to 'sound recorder' and release. This will bring up the sound recorder window. |
| 3 |
Ask the child to introduce him/herself as you click on the red dot at the lower left of the small window to start recording. Click on the black square just to the left of the dot to stop.
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You can see how loud or soft the sounds are the microphone is by looking at the window. |
| 4 |
The sound should just fill the window. If it always fills the window it may be too loud. If it barely moves, it is too soft.
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You can adjust the audio level by double-clicking on the audio icon at the lower left of the computer screen. This will bring up a little audio control panel. You can drag the marker on the Volume control at the left to increase or decrease the volume. If that is not the problem, it might be that the microphone is too far away from the mouth of the child or that it has an on/off switch and is turned off. If it has batteries, the batteries might be weak or dead. |
| 5 |
Once the levels look good, you can start a new recording using the text you want the child to read.
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To start recording a new section, click and hold on 'file' in the sound recorder window and select 'new'. This will pop up a box asking if you want to save the previous file. If you have just set the levels, you probably want to click 'no' at this point. |
| 6 |
Save the recording.
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If you're using your own laptop you can save the file in a folder you make to keep the child's records in. Or you can save to a floppy disk and keep yourself or in the child's folder. |
