Are You Listening?

Ear with hand cupped around it

Are You Listening? by Kate Moss Hurst, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, based on materials presented by Jim Durkel, TSBVI, looks at:

  • how we hear
  • causes of hearing loss
  • characteristics of sound
  • components of understanding the spoken word
  • other factors influencing auditory skills
  • the role of vision and hearing in early learning
  • addressing the effects of hearing loss
  • strategies for developing listening skills

 

Strategies for Developing Listening Skills

Strategies for supporting young children who are blind or visually impaired to develop listening skills include:

  1. Determining current skills
  2. Drawing attention to sound in a non-pressuring way
  3. Modeling a variety of reactions to sound
  4. Presenting sound in a variety of contexts
  5. Making sound a part of routines
  6. Pairing visual and tactile cues with sound
  7. Engaging in turn-taking
  8. Using simple repetitious language
  9. Responding to the child's vocalizations
  10. Encouraging the child to experiment with sound