School support:
 What are auditory processing difficulties?
The basic problem is perceptual or cognitive inefficiency or delay in perceiving, processing, organising or responding to what is heard – primarily, and most important in the classroom, it refers to the speed and effectiveness with which a pupil can process the spoken word.
Advice for the classroom:
Background noise may be extremely distracting – a seat near the blackboard or front of class may help.
Be ready to repeat things – hearing is not a problem, but absorbing and processing the information can be laborious.
Information needs to be presented in a multisensory way – that is, visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile. Pupils with these difficulties have a difficulty in obtaining information through the auditory modality, so it is important that visual materials are used when presenting new learning.
Do not expect immediate answers to oral questions, or assume that because his/her hand is not up, the pupil does not know the answer – the right answer may be there, but takes time to be formulated.
Allow for some measure of frustration – remember that the pupil may be continuously undergoing a ‘tip-of-the-tongue’ experience.
Word retrieval can be aided by providing structure words or the key words which the pupil is likely to use: this can help him/her write more purposefully and ease the frustration in trying to access words which he/she may have difficulty accessing.
Let the pupil know you are aware of his/her difficulty, and that you are sympathetic – but that you have high expectations.
Be specially generous with praise and cautious with criticism. Praise can be a natural motivator as long as the pupil feels the praise is genuine and deserved. It is important to let the pupil know why he/she is being praised rather than just to provide praise. In a behavioural reward system with extrinsic rewards such as stickers or points, the pupil can easily see why he/she is being praised. This can be an effective motivator, as long as the rewards are meaningful and appropriate.
School issues
Ensure that all the pupil’s teachers know about the difficulty and understand its implications.
Books & articles:
Bellis, Teri (2003) When the Brain Can’t Hear (Pocket Books).
Bellis, T. J. (2nd edition 2003) Assessment and Management of Central Auditory Processing Disorders in the Educational Setting (Thomson).
Berard, Guy (1993) Hearing Equals Behavior (Keats Publishing, Connecticut) – an overview of the potential of Sound Therapy in helping with specific difficulties, autism, and emotional/behaviour difficulties.
Came, Fil (2001) SENCO Support Resources – Over 300 Practical Tips: ideas for resources and websites, (Learning Works)
Gillet, P. (1993) Auditory Processes (Ann Arbor).
Madaule, P. (1993) When Listening Comes Alive (Moulin, Ontario).
Masters, M., Master, G., Stecker, N. A. and Katz, J. (1998) Central Auditory Processing Disorders: Mostly Management (Pearson Education).
Reid, Gavin (2003) Dyslexia: A Practitioner’s Guide (Wiley, 3rd edition).
Reid, Gavin (2004) Dyslexia: A Complete Guide for Parents (Wiley).
Samuels, S. J. (1987) ‘Information processing abilities and reading’, Journal of Learning Disabilities, 20, 1, 18–22.
Saunders, M. (2001) ‘Who's getting the message? Helping your students understand in a verbal world’, Teaching Exceptional Children, 33, 4, 70–4.
Programmes, Games and Software
Before Alpha: Learning Games for the Under Fives – this is a programme of learning games developed by Bev Hornsby (1996, Souvenir Press) which can be used with children under five. The games are in a series of structured stages, are multi-sensory and aim to foster language development and other pre-reading skills such as visual and auditory perception and discrimination, fine motor control, spatial relationships, knowledge of colour, number and directions.
Sound Therapy – an alternative therapy based on frequency-specific left hemisphere auditory stimulation with music and sounds (Auditory Discrimination Training) – see Johanson, K. (1997) ‘Left hemisphere stimulation with music and sounds in dyslexia remediation’, paper presented at the 48th annual conference of the International Dyslexia Association (formerly Orton Dyslexia Association), Baltimore, USA.
Johansen Sound Therapy programmes suitable for children with spoken language difficulties and literacy difficulties are available – see, for example, www.johansensoundtherapy.com and www.developmentalintegration.co.uk
Useful addresses & websites:
Accelerated learning and brain gym – www.zoomlearning.co.uk
Advanced Brain Technologies Brainbuilder and The Listening Programme (TLP) – www.advancedbrain.com
Auditory Integration Therapy – www.vision3d.com
Brain Builder – www.advancedbrain.com
British Dyslexia Association (BDA), 98 London Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5AU; tel: 0118 966 2677; email: admin@bda-dyslexia.demon.co.uk; website: www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk
British Society of Audiology website: www.thebsa.org.uk
Cognitive Concepts Earobics – www.cogcon.com
Dyslexia Institute, Head Office and National Training and Resource Centre, Park House, Wick Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 0HH; tel: 01784 222300; fax: 01784 222333; email: info@dyslexia-inst.org.uk; website: www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk
Dyslexia Institute, 133 Gresham Road, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 2AJ; tel: 01784 463851; website: www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk
Dyslexia Research Trust, website: www.dyslexic.org.uk – a detailed site giving current research, newsletter, conferences and publications, upcoming talks and lectures.
Dyslexia UK charity, website: www.dyslexia.uk.com – a knowledge site providing information and guidance on all topics relating to dyslexia.
Easylearn, Trent House, Fiskerton, Southwell, Notts. NG25 0UH; tel: 01636 830240; website: www.easylearn.co.uk
National Association of Special Educational Needs (NASEN), Nasen House, 4-5 Amber Business Village, Amber Close, Amington, Tamworth B77 4RP; tel: 01827 311500; fax: 01827 313005; email: welcome@nasen.org.uk ; website: www.nasen.org.uk
Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (Patoss), website: www.patoss-dyslexia.org
Scientific Learning Corporation Fast ForWord – www.scilearn.com
SEMERC software publishers, website: www.blackcatsoftware.com
SpLD Resources, www.dyslexia.org.uk hosts a guide to the help available to parents of children with special needs – a useful compendium of information covering difficulties with reading and writing (dyslexia), numeracy (dyscalculia), handwriting (dyslexia), developmental coordination (dyspraxia), language impairment, autism and ‘attention deficit disorder’. Lists details of the national organisations that address a range of SEN needs, together with a list of books and pamphlets.
www.dyslexics.org.uk – highly recommended coverage of things that can be done at home
www.advancedbrain.com
www.ldonline.org
www.samonas.com
www.tomatis.com
www.xavier.bangor.ac.uk
Home support:
What are auditory processing difficulties?
The basic problem is perceptual or cognitive inefficiency or delay in perceiving, processing, organising or responding to what is heard – primarily, and most important in the classroom, it refers to the speed and effectiveness with which a pupil can process the spoken word.
How will this affect my child?
Processing the spoken word takes a little longer, and is a little more effortful – for some children, it may be like listening to a radio that is not well tuned.
There can sometimes be something like a ‘transatlantic phone call effect’ – there is a perceptible delay in response when replying to a question.
The child may know the right answers, but organising and articulating them can be laborious. The child will experience the ‘tip-of-the-tongue’ experience more often than most of us.
How can I help?
Keep instructions to a minimum – only give short lists and preferably write these down.
Ask questions such as ‘How did you do that?’ so that the child can think about how he/she arrived at a particular response.
Exercises: an excellent range of activities and games to aid word access and expressive language can be found on: http://members.tripod.com/~Caroline_Bowen/wordretrieval.html
Computer games can be useful, as some of these can help with processing speed utilising both visual and auditory modalities.
Xavier Educational Software Ltd, Psychology Department, University College of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG; tel: 01248 382616; fax: 01248 382 599; email: xavier@bangor.ac.uk); website: www.xavier.bangor.ac.uk
Johansen Sound Therapy programmes suitable for children with spoken language difficulties and literacy difficulties are available – see, for example, www.johansensoundtherapy.com and www.developmentalintegration.co.uk
Where can I find out more?
Accelerated learning and brain gym – www.zoomlearning.co.uk
Advanced Brain Technologies Brainbuilder and The Listening Programme (TLP) – www.advancedbrain.com
Auditory Integration Therapy – www.vision3d.com
Bellis, T. J. (2nd edition 2003) Assessment and Management of Central Auditory Processing Disorders in the Educational Setting (Thomson).
Cognitive Concepts Earobics – www.cogcon.com
Fledglings, 6 Southfield, Ickleton, Saffron Waldon, CB10 1BE; tel: 0845 458 1124;
e-mail: enquiries@fledglings.org.uk; website: www.fledglings.org.uk – a free product and service search for families of children with special needs, for educational items and developmental toys.
Office for Advice, Assistance, Support and Information on Special Needs (OAASIS), Brock House, Grigg Lane, Brockenhurst, Hants SO42 7RE; helpline tel: 09068 633201; website: www.oaasis.co.uk – an advice, training and resource centre for parents and professionals.
REM Software supplies, Great Western House, Langport, Somerset TA10 9YU; tel: 01458 254750; fax: 01458 254751; website: www.r-e-m.co.uk
Scientific Learning Corporation Fast ForWord – www.scilearn.com
Scottish Council for Educational Technology (SCET), 74 Victoria Crescent Road, Glasgow G12 9JN; tel: 0141 337 5051.
Scottish Sensory Centre, Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AQ; tel: 0131 651 6501 – provides materials and advice on sensory difficulties, including language difficulties.
SEMERC software publishers, website: www.blackcatsoftware.com
SpLD Resources, www.dyslexia.org.uk hosts a guide to the help available to parents of children with special needs – a useful compendium of information covering difficulties with reading and writing (dyslexia), numeracy (dyscalculia), handwriting (dyslexia), developmental coordination (dyspraxia), language impairment, autism and ‘attention deficit disorder’. Lists details of the national organisations that address a range of SEN needs, together with a list of books and pamphlets.
Other useful websites:
www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk
www.dyslexiaa2z.com
www.samonas.com
www.tomatis.com
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