04/26/2019
The blog of one of the groups that I belong to -- the International Guild of Auditory Processing Specialists -- included a great set of recommendations from Dr. Jack Katz, and I want to include it here for others to see who are not part of IGAPS. If you want to read other blog posts by Dr. Katz, you can find them here: https://igapsauditoryprocessingblogs.wordpress.com/
Accommodations/Modifications for Auditory Processing Weaknes
ses
General Recommendations
1. Speech leaves the speaker’s mouth and thins out in all directions. So, distance from the speaker’s mouth to the listener’s ears is extremely important.
2. Most of the energy goes forward from speaker’s mouth. So, when possible speak close by and face-to-face with her to give her the most and most accurate speech message.
3. Speech from another room is dramatically reduced by the walls and the small opening. This is especially true for the high pitched (extremely important) speech sounds.
4. The person who initiates the conversation must go to the listener. But, if the person with auditory weakness talks to you from another room remind them to come to you using any predetermined code (Example: you can say “Rule 32”)
5. When looking at one another, they should be able to see your lips, facial expressions as well as gestures. This should be especially helpful because they depend so much on vision.
6. Clear Speech is how you speak when it is very noisy. It is slower and more distinct. It is also a louder, but with no noise competition it could be just a little louder. With people who are hard-of-hearing, it increases understanding by 20%. It will likely have a similar effect with those with auditory weakness.
7. Background noise is harder for everyone, but especially for people who have APD (or hearing loss). When conversing reduce/turn off TV, ask people to quiet down, or move away from noise.
8. If they are otherwise preoccupied, touch them on the shoulder and when attention is established, say/ask what you wanted.
9. When reading a book, if the child is on the left lap, the next time have the child on the right lap (so that both ears get the benefit).
10. Especially when giving instructions, try to use clear speech and pause after each instruction (to let it sink in and not be erased by the next one) and then give the next. Don’t hesitate to briefly reiterate what you told her, or ask her to tell you what she is going to do. You could put up one finger and give the first instruction etc. to give some visual support.
Recommendations Specific to School
1. They will do best facing the teacher less than 10-12 feet away.
2. Depending on how much the person can understand or retain, it might be helpful for the teacher to write things on the white board. This will be more helpful as she is able to read more.
3. These may be more difficult to carry out in a Montessori setting, it would be best to provide face-to-face instructions, in a quiet/quieter area.
4. Children who have APD are working much harder than the other children and so they tend to tire more quickly. A little time in a quiet/quieter area a few times a day (especially toward the end of the school day or when they look tired/stressed) would be very helpful
5. Preferential seating
6. Quiet classroom
7. Loud with clear speech
8. Provide extra time for processing and response
9. Verbal rehearsal of oral directions prior to ex*****on of directions
10. Chunking of information
11. Use gestures
12. Repeat rather than rephrase
13. Repetition of new material for long term retention
14. Avoid multi-level processing, multi-tasking, and/ or multi-step directions. Limit information input with new material for better comprehension and retention
15. Provide appropriate pauses in conversations
16. Pre-teach new vocabulary to increase familiarity, provide visual list on the board
17. Assistive listening device- FM system
18. Frequent breaks
19. Buddy or peer helper
20. Testing in a quiet room or in small group
21. Teach organizational skills by an educational specialist
22. Present information at a slow pace for effective information processing (Like Mr. Rogers!!)
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