Franklin Talking Children's Dictionary KID-1240 Manual

The Franklin
KID-1240
Children’s Talking Dictionary
with Spell Corrector
Supplemental Instruction Guide
One Franklin Plaza Burlington, NJ 08016-4907 [phone]
http://www.franklin.com

1
KID-1240
Speaking Homework Wiz™
Supplemental Instruction Guide
The Franklin KID-1240 is a powerful supplemental tool for
students who are tackling their basic skills. It is used extensively
in Reading and Language Arts, Special Education, Title I,
ESL/ESOL, and Bilingual programs throughout the United
States. It provides motivation as well as information.
Franklin is committed to providing educators with materials that
will impact on the learner’s fundamental language skills. With
the Children’s Talking Dictionary students can work
independently to:
⇒expand their written and spoken vocabulary
⇒assist with reading and comprehension
⇒improve their spelling and grammar skills
⇒produce better written compositions
⇒build handwriting skills

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The Franklin Children’s Talking Dictionary with Spell
Corrector KID-1240
FEATURES
9Pronounces every word and definition out loud for verification and auditory
reinforcement
9Provides 40,000 easy-to-understand definitions
9Animated handwriting guide models manuscript and cursive writing
9Word pattern review
9Instant spelling correction and verification
9Personal word list for vocabulary study and review
9Vocabulary building word games
9Automatic shutoff for longer battery life

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This guide is designed to integrate the KID-1240 into existing
classroom curriculum easily and effectively. It may be used as a
sequence of lessons that familiarize the user with the KID-1240's
complete functionality. It can also be utilized as a periodic reference
source for instruction on specific features by searching the table of
contents for the desired topic.
Table of Contents.............. Page
Getting Started ......................................... 4
Spelling Correction .................................. 5
Hearing Words Pronounced ......................6
Definitions ............................................... 9
Jumping to a Word ................................ 10
Handwriting ........................................... 11
Word Patterns ........................................ 12
Homophones .......................................... 16
Finding Rhymes ………………………. 17
Keyboard Echo ……………………….. 18
Saving Words for Study ........................ 19
Games .................................................... 22
Changing the Settings ............................ 24

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GETTING STARTED
1. Check the unit for batteries.
The KID-1240 uses four AAA batteries. Turn the unit over; the battery
cover has a triangle impression on it. Remove the small screw using
either a Phillips or straight blade screwdriver. Slide the battery cover
off in the direction the triangle is pointing.
2. Remove or install the batteries.
If the Children’s Talking Dictionary has batteries, remove them and wait
15 seconds. Install the batteries carefully following the diagram etched
into the bottom of the battery compartment.
3. Replace the battery cover.

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SPELLING CORRECTION
The Children’s Talking Dictionary can be used for verifying the spelling
of words as well as editing compositions. For example, a student may be
comfortable using the word "giraffe" in their spoken vocabulary but may
be unwilling to use it in their written compositions because the spelling is
difficult. Phonetically, he/she may spell it "jeraf."
1. Turn the unit on by pressing the key.
2. The screen should display:
ENTER a word:
3. Type "jeraf.”
4. Press ENTER .
The KID-1240 will flash “Checking spelling” then a list of words will be
displayed. The list will generally be about five to seven words. Our list
for “jeraf” will be:
giraffe
giraffes
jeered
Jared
jailer
Gerard
Georges
Jerries
juries
juror
ON
OFF
Note: The desired word may not always be
first in the correction list. This will depend on
how the student approximates the spelling.

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SPEAK
SPEAK
HEARING WORDS PRONOUNCED
Many students will be able to find the correct spelling of their word from
the correction list. But for those students who are unable to make the
distinction, the pronunciation feature is critical. By enabling students to
hear each word in the list pronounced, the Children’s Talking Dictionary
assists them in identifying the desired word. This multisensory approach
helps to reinforce the acquisition of new words.
1. With "giraffe" highlighted on the screen press the green
key.
The learner will hear “giraffe” pronounced and realize this is the word
they are after.
NOTE: The volume control is located on the right side of the unit. Rotate the dial toward
the speaker to increase the volume.
Students may be curious about unfamiliar words that appear in the
correction list. They can conveniently hear these words when using the
KID-1240. Simply use the down arrow to highlight the next word in
the list. Then press the green key. This is an excellent way to
encourage browsing.
Headphones
We encourage teachers to employ the use of headphones in the classroom.
Using headphones has two advantages:
1. The Speaking KID-1240 can be used during instruction without
disturbing other students or calling attention to the user.
2. The fidelity of the voice output is increased.
NOTE: KID-1240 has a 3.5 mm (standard) stereo headphone jack for use with standard
8 ohm headsets. It is on the right side of the unit next to the volume control dial.

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HEARING WORDS PRONOUNCED (continued)
Students simply type in the unknown word and press the
green [SPEAK] key to hear the word pronounced. With
the KID-240, students can confide in their own
resourcefulness instead of depending on the teacher. They in
turn become more self-reliant which enhances their self-esteem.
The instructor is free to concentrate on the task at hand without
interruption.

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HEARING WORDS PRONOUNCED (continued)
Learning the Alphabet
Young students who are learning the alphabet can work
independently or in cooperative groups with the KID-1240, to
see and hear the name of each letter. This multisensory stimulus
aids in better retention. Press any letter, followed by the green [SPEAK]
key. To hear a different letter, press the [CLEAR] key. This will erase
the display so a new letter can be entered. This is an especially effective
method when working with language minority students whose native
alphabet may have different characters.
Help is at hand
Students can view the help messages by pressing the [HELP]
key. They can also hear the entire message read aloud by
pressing the green [SPEAK] key. Pressing the [SPEAK] key
again will turn off the voice. To go back to the previous screen, they
should press the [BACK] key

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SPEAK
DEFINITIONS
Expanding students' vocabulary is an integral part of any Language Arts
program. But how often do your students willingly use the dictionary to
look up the definitions of new words? The Children’s Talking
Dictionary is an engaging and entertaining tool that students will use to
explore the meaning of new words.
1. Press the key.
2. Type in "dinosaurs" and press ENTER .
You will see:
dinosaurs huge
reptiles that
The learner can press the down arrow to scroll through the rest of
the definition. Use the up arrow to move back to the top of the
definition.
3. To hear the entire definition read out loud, press the green
key.
CLEAR

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JUMPING TO A WORD
The Children’s Talking Dictionary is capable of so much more than a
traditional dictionary. Students no longer need to flip back and forth
amongst the pages of a dictionary when they encounter unknown
vocabulary in a definition. A student can hear any word that appears in a
definition, as well as "Jump" to the definition of that word. This can
eliminate frustration and promote the exploration of words.
1. With the definition for "dinosaurs" on the screen, press the
ENTE
R
key.
The word "dinosaurs" should now be highlighted.
2. The arrow keys will move the highlight to the desired word. For
example, press the down key to move the highlight to the
word "reptiles."
You will see:
dinosaurs huge
reptiles that
3. Press the ENTER key.
The screen should now display the definition for "reptiles."
4. To return to the definition of "dinosaurs" press the key.
BA
C
K

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HANDWRITING
The KID-1240 is the ideal tool for students embarking on the exciting
process of learning to write. Students can see manuscript and cursive
writing, with upper and lower case letters, modeled on the screen. These
words or letters can be viewed as often as needed so the student can learn
to master the flow of handwriting.
1. Press the key.
2. Type in the word "Friday".
Note: To type in a capital letter hold the [SHIFT] key down and press the desired letter.
3. To see the word "Friday" modeled in manuscript, press the
key.
You will see:
Friday
Note: To see the word written again, press the [abc] key as often as desired.
4. To see the word "Friday" modeled in cursive, press Shift key
and the key.
If a student wishes to view the definition of the entry word, they must
press the [BACK] key. This will bring the student to the "Enter a Word"
screen. Pressing [ENTER] will display the definition.
Note: For students, who are learning the fundamentals of writing the alphabet, individual
letters can be viewed in either manuscript or cursive by typing the letter and the
appropriate key.
abc
abc
CLEAR

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WORD PATTERNS
Learning word patterns is a particularly useful strategy for students.
Knowing the likelihood and frequency of letter sequences can help in
making spelling predictions, contribute to more accurate spellings, and
aid in the recognition of words while reading. On page 15 of this guide,
you will find a simple hand out that will stir children's curiosity to find
many exciting new words. This function is accessed with the ?key
1. Press the key.
2. Press the ?key and type in the letters “ie.”
The screen should display:
ENTER a word:
?ie
3. Press ENTER .
You will see:
Matches
Then:
lie
die
The Children’s Talking Dictionary generated a list of all the three letter
words that end in “ie.” The learner can scroll down to view the words or
go to the dictionary definition of any word in the list. After viewing the
definition, they can return to the list by pressing the [BACK] key.
CLEAR

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WORD PATTERNS (continued)
4. Press the key.
5. Press the ?key and type in the letters “ie” and press the
?key again.
6. Press ENTER .
The list is much longer this time and again the learner can scroll through
to find new words.
7. Type in “?????ie?????” and press ENTER .
This time the KID-240 takes a little longer to perform the search.
You will see:
efficiencies
deficiencies
This method combined with the artwork on page 15 is a fun and
motivational way for students to explore letter patterns.
CLEAR

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WORD PATTERNS (continued)
You can also explore word patterns and find words using the asterisk
function. Pressing the SHIFT key along with the ?will insert an *.
The * will insert an unlimited number of characters.
8. Type in “c?t” and press ENTER .
You will see three matches; cat, cot and cut.
9. Type in “c*t” and press ENTER .
You will find dozens of words starting with ‘c’ and ending with ‘t’.
NOTE:
The * and ? can be used by themselves or combined along with any
letter combination to find various word patterns.

15
Word Tree Hand Out
i g
i g
i g
i g
i g
i
g
i g
i
g

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HOMOPHONES
Witch is which? We call them confusables, but you know them as
homophones. In any case, they are words that sound the same but are
different in meaning and spelling. The Children’s Talking Dictionary
identifies and defines these words for students.
1. Press the key.
2. Type in “pair” and press the ENTER key.
The definition of “pair” will appear and in the upper right-hand corner
you will see a flashing "?" symbol. This is to indicate that there are
confusables for the word “pair.”
3. Press the ?key.
You will see: 3 Confusables
Then: pair: two
pare: trim
Use the down arrow to see the last entry "pear: fruit." The learner can
see the dictionary definition for any one of these words by highlighting
the word and pressing the [ENTER] key. Pressing the [BACK] key
returns the student to the screen with the confusables for "pair."
Try these confusables: boy, there, air, ant, cell, plane, and hire.
CLEAR

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Finding Rhymes
You can find rhymes with your dictionary. Rhymes are words that sound
alike.
You can check for words that rhyme with:
●a word you type at the Enter a word screen
●a word you looked up
●the highlighted word in a definition or list
●a game word
●a printed or cursively written word.
1. Press the key.
2. Type wild.
3. Press the key.
You will see the words child and dialed. Use the down arrow keys to
see more words that rhyme with wild.
Note: Multiple Pronunciations
Some words have more than one pronunciation. Lead for example could
rhyme with bed or weed. There are separate rhyme lists for each
pronunciation.
CLEAR
Rhyme

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Keyboard Echo
The Talking Children’s Dictionary can pronounce letters as they are
pressed on the keyboard. This feature is especially useful for users
struggling with letter and word identification.
The user finds the letter, presses the letter, hears the
letter and sees the letter on the screen!
Turning Keyboard Echo On and Off
1. Turn the unit on.
2. Press the key.
Using the down arrow key, scroll down through the options until you
reach “Keyboard Sound”. Using the right and lefy arrow keys select
either ‘OFF or ON’
3. Press the key.
LIST
CLEAR

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SAVING WORDS FOR STUDY
The continuous expansion of the student's vocabulary is critical to their
success in reading fluently and writing effectively. The KID-1240 offers
students the opportunity to build and store up to 80 vocabulary words.
These words can then be accessed for practice and review using the word
games. This personal word list can be updated by adding or deleting
single words, or by eliminating the entire list. The auditory, visual, and
tactile reinforcement helps students retain more information and they
have fun while learning.
1. Press the key.
2. Press the key.
You will see:
The other menu selections will not be visible on the screen. The student
will need to use the down key to scroll through the remaining
options. These are: Add A Word, Erase A Word, Erase List, Enter Your
Name, Handwriting Speed, Sound, See Me Work. (Only the Word List options
will be discussed in this section. For instruction on other selections, see page 21.)
4. To add a word press the down key once, until you see "Add
A Word." Type a word and press the ENTER key.
The unit will flash the message "I added your word" and speak the phrase
as well. After each entry, the display will return to "Add A Word", so
that more words can be included in the list.
CLEAR
LIST
See Your Words