Engage your classroom wirelessly with our latest guide on ClassCast
ClassCast supports speaking and listening activities inside and outside the classroom. Ideal for communication development, group reading, language learning, and more.
Developed by TTS educational experts, ClassCast is a powerful classroom tool that goes far beyond simply playing audio, it can transform the way your pupils learn, collaborate, and concentrate. This is ideal for supporting language and communication skills.
Whether you’re teaching early years or upper KS2, here are 15 creative ideas to make the most of ClassCast in your classroom.
1. Differentiate with Ease
Use the three different channels (A, B and C) to organise children into three groups. Give separate, scaffolded tasks such as certain vocabulary to focus on, instructions or reminders. This allows for different group tasks to be set without causing distraction to others. Perfect for managing whole class learning while still meeting individual needs.
2. Guided Reading that Flows
Plug the transmitter into a device that plays audio and play an audio book either to the whole class or individual groups. If you have more than one transmitter and more than one device that can play audio, you can play different audio books to specific groups.
Set different comprehension questions for specific groups (e.g. Use the transmitter to instruct children on Channel A to answer questions 1-10, then instruct Children on Channel B to answer a different set of numbered questions, so each group is clear which questions they need to answer)
3. Inspire Creative Writing
Spark imagination by playing mood-setting music, atmospheric soundscapes, or story excerpts. Ask pupils to continue a narrative or describe the scene they hear. With headphones, even the most distracted writers can stay focused.
Play music through the headphones to aid concentration for those children who like to write while listening to music. Play audio files to inspire writing, such as music that evokes a distinct atmosphere or mood which will help children to place themselves in a certain scenario. Play a passage from a story with sound effects and ask children to continue the narrative. Watch and listen to video stimuli for writing without being distracted by noises in the classroom and beyond.
4. Manage Outdoor Learning Smoothly
From bug hunts to data collection, outdoor activities can be tricky to coordinate. Use ClassCast to keep pupils engaged and connected with clear instructions, even when they’re spread out. Use the transmitter to provide instructions during outside activities when children are spread out and it may be difficult for some children to hear. Useful in the Early Years during free flow activities, as well as for older children who may be taking part in educational activities such as bug hunts or data gathering etc.
5. Audiobooks
Plug a transmitter into an audio device that plays audio books and provide children with the opportunity to listen to an audio book either individually or in a group. This can be done in a book corner, school library or outside area during free choice activities or during silent reading time. A great opportunity for children to gain access to language rich texts which may be beyond their current reading capabilities.
6. Watching Educational Videos
Sometimes it can be difficult for children to concentrate on educational videos due to classroom distractions and external noises. Use ClassCast to focus children’s attention to help them take in the audio as well as the visual imagery. For videos specifically for individual learning or small groups, plug the transmitter into a tablet or laptop so children can watch the videos at their desks.
7. Fun Listening Exercises
Improve listening skills by playing games such as ‘What’s that sound?’. Play recorded sounds such as a toilet flushing, a lawn mower or a church bell. Can the children directly identify the sound? A perfect activity for Phase 1 Phonics. Use the ‘Sound Collector’ poem by Roger Mcgough as inspiration and invite children to record their own sounds from different areas around school, at home or out and about. Use ClassCast to listen to the recorded sounds. Can they guess where the sounds were made?
Play wildlife sounds such as a squeaking mouse, a chirping chick or a baaing sheep. Can the children identify the animal? Where might they find the animal?
Play specific instructions, such as how to draw a house. Ensure that the children cannot see anybody else’s work. Can the children follow the instructions precisely? Do all their pictures look the same?
8. Enhance Modern Foreign Languages
Block out classroom noise with the headphones and say or play words and phrases in a foreign language for children to repeat. This allows for children to hear the correct pronunciation modelled clearly. Listen to conversations in a foreign language, songs or excerpts of books being read out. Use different channels on the transmitter to differentiate the level of difficulty of the conversations/excerpts that the children listen to.
9. Explore Different Viewpoints
For debating activities or compare and contrast activities, use ClassCast to allow children to listen to varying viewpoints. With more than one transmitter plugged into different audio devices, a different viewpoint could be played on each channel (A, B and C) for the children to listen to gain different perspectives on an event or time in history.
For example, if children were learning about life in Anglo-Saxon times, they could listen to a viewpoint about Anglo-Saxon life from a nobleman’s, a freeman’s, and a slave’s point of view. For debating purposes, you could select which groups listen to which viewpoint so they can argue from that point of view. For example, a debate on building a new runway at an airport might result in one group listening to a government minister or business leader, another group listening to an environmental activist and another group listening to a local resident. A variety of auditory, video and written evidence could be studied to support their cases.
10. Bring Music Lessons to Life
Cut out potential classroom distraction and play pieces of music through the headphones so that children can focus on the sounds. Can they identify the instruments, the artist or the genre of music? If you have more than one transmitter, play a different type of music on each channel that the children can move between on their headphones. How are the pieces similar/different? What is the common theme? What genre of music does the pieces belong to? What might the music be about?
Inspire children to draw or paint pictures while listening to the music. What does the music make them think of? Compare each other’s artwork afterwards. Did the children draw similar images?
11. Calm Minds with Guided Meditation
Use ClassCast to help the whole class (or individuals) settle after busy playtimes. Teach mindfulness through playing guided meditation tracks, such as calming music or breathing exercises. Use for specific individuals, groups or the whole class. Play meditative music to promote calmness after exciting activities or break times. Softly give instructions after the meditation has finished to start activities calmly and regain focus.
12. Music for Concentration
Play music to individuals or groups of children that need music to help them focus on independent tasks. With more than one transmitter, more than one music genre could be used if some children respond better to one type of music compared to another.
13. Support Self-Regulation
Use ClassCast to help children self-regulate. This can be through playing the child or children calming music, white noise, guided meditation tracks or breathing exercises. Or simply play relaxing music and give step-by-step instructions quietly into the transmitter for a child or children to follow.
14. Meet Auditory Needs
ClassCast is an excellent resource for blocking out classroom and external noises so children with auditory needs can hear oral instructions clearly. The added volume control also enables children to set the volume to a level that suits them.
15. Silent Discos!
Play music through the headphones and have a silent disco without disturbing others. Great for class parties, school discos or even as a class reward. Use three transmitters to stream a different song on each channel so children can choose which song they want to listen to.
Children also have the option of choosing not to listen to any music by turning off their headphones, allowing them to have a conversation without the noise.
Children have the option of altering the volume of the music on their headsets. This is particularly useful for children with auditory sensory needs.
ClassCast isn’t just about playing sound, it’s about giving you flexibility and pupils focus. It supports inclusivity and creativity across the curriculum. Whether you’re trying to manage a lively class, inspire budding writers, or create a calm learning environment, ClassCast adapts to your needs.
