Are You Listening?

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