Teachers' Ratings of Cassettes Developed at the Clinton Pilot Cassette Center, Clinton Elementary School, Summer 1971.

Fourteen elementary teachers evaluated the quality and usefulness of 146 tapes produced by the Clinton Pilot Cassette Center, Minneapolis, Minn. Teachers' opinions, rather than tests on students, were the basis of the ratings. Judging from the ratings, most of the cassettes appear suitable for use with educationally disadvantaged youth and were in keeping with the intent of Title I guidelines. Also the general quality and content of the tapes were rated good. Cassette tapes recorded from radio broadcasts or purchased from other school districts were not as good for use with poor readers as those tapes purchased from commercial sources or produced at the cassette center. Commercial tapes were better technically, but center tapes were better for use with poor readers and also provided more "settling down" time for students at the start of the tapes. Since two-thirds of the tapes were rated more suitable for intermediate than primary grade children, more emphasis may need to be placed on making tapes for the lower grades. Cassette materials were judged by 70% of the raters to be more effective than other instructional materials for teaching the subject to disabled readers. A list of rated tapes, along with recommendations and evaluations, is included. (Author/JK)