M's classroom has these and I'm making one each for the kids at home. They're called phonics phones, sound phones or reading phones. I love the idea and the theory behind them. A class set of them would be fantastic- does anyone now a plumber?!
How to make one:
More information found here http://www.righttrackreading.com/phonicsphones.html
A phonics phone is a simple tube shaped like a
‘telephone’ receiver, often made from plastic PVC pipe. There are
several different versions of these phones, however most are simple
hollow tubes that allow the student to speak quietly in one end and hear
their own voice through the other. Students use the ‘phone’ to listen
to their own voice as the practice reading. This device allows students
to better ‘hear’ themselves when they speak quietly.
The phones are an ideal tool for phonemic awareness
activities ( learning the 'sounds' of letters). The tube design funnels sound directly to the ear and tends
to block out other background noise. Not only do the phones likely boost
physical hearing they also directly focus the child on listening to and
hearing sounds. When a child holds a phone, they intentionally listen
to the sound coming out the earpiece. This direct focus on sound is
vital to developing necessary phonemic awareness, the ability to hear,
recognize and distinguish the sound structure of our language.
here's some more information about how to supprt you child as they learn to read:
http://missionforhealth.com.au/helping-your-child-as-they-learn-to-read
