Auditory-Verbal Practice is the approach that results in Listening and Spoken Language outcomes.

The terminology:
Auditory-Verbal Practice is the approach that results in Listening and Spoken Language outcomes. For parents as the end consumer making decisions for their child regarding their desired outcome, Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) is easily understood and more clearly communicates with parents about the outcomes possible today.  

The titles of specialization are:
• The Listening and Spoken Language Specialist Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist (LSLS Cert. AVT) and
• The Listening and Spoken Language Specialist Certified Auditory-Verbal Educator (LSLS Cert. AVEd)

These names honor our history in the field as well as the language of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. Hearing First has written a blog on this topic that you might find interesting. The Power of A Name: 

Remember What I Heard.

This drawing may not look like much to you but it is the result of a Little Listener hearing an open set story, remembering what he heard then illustrating the story elements. 

Love how he held what the details in his auditory memory while multitasking to remember all the elements, draw and then describe and retell the story.

A Listening and Spoken Language Journey - 20 Years Later

Dear Skye Serena,

I have many wonderful memories of week after week and year after year together with you and your family as you learned to listen and talk. I am grateful your family trusted me to guide and come beside them as your auditory verbal therapist twenty years ago. Take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go.

You are amazing.

Love,

Lynn

Skye and Lynn  - June 2018

"One day our patients will be able to tell their own stories, and we will no longer have to convince naysayers that deaf children can listen and speak." Richard T. Miyamoto, M.D.

20 Years Ago

Your first long awaited cochlear implant surgery.

Children's Miracle Network - so fun to see you posted at Speedway stations!

It takes a village. Three generations of strong women!

Baby Ayla Can Learn To Listen and Talk

The beautiful story from an Auditory Verbal family the day after one-year-old Ayla hears with her cochlear implants for the first time. Dad and Mom talk about the power of hearing for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn to listen and talk. 

 At Hearing First, we want all children to benefit from the availability of newborn hearing screening and for parents to learn the status of their baby’s hearing first. Hearing is a foundational building block for children to learn to listen and talk, become healthy readers, and do well in school.

Today, children who are deaf or hard of hearing can learn to listen and talk and achieve learning and literacy outcomes on par with their hearing friends. The earlier a child with hearing loss is identified, amplified, and receiving help, the more opportunities that child will have. We want all children to have the opportunity to take advantage of access to sound
 – a critical building block for future success. 

Want to learn more? 

Click HERE

ASHA Leader Tips to Involve Parents and AVT Principles

Did you read the article in the ASHA Leader yesterday? My 4 Favorite Tips to Involve Parents in Treatment August 17, 2017, By Jonathan Suarez?  It corresponds with our Auditory Verbal Principles of guiding and coaching families.

Jonathan Suarez, MS, CCC-SLP,  shares that SLPs are experts in speech and language development whereas, parents, however, are experts on their child.  Like LSL practitioners Jonathan suggests we take advantage of this time and teach the parent simple ways to help their child every day.

He wrote about a child who had SLP sessions twice a week for 18 months which comes out to 156 sessions.

Jonathan said,  "If I went to 156:

personal training sessions, then I better be all muscle.

cooking lessons, then I should cook like a master chef.

college courses, I could earn at least two degrees, maybe three.

coached basketball practices, I might finally accomplish my life-long goal of being an NBA player.

finally, as a parent, if I attended 156 speech-language sessions, I hope I learned enough to help my child work on the concepts at home."

I thought this was an illustration we can share with parents or colleagues who still believe more therapy must be better.  We know that coaching parents and getting other family members involved usually allows the child to make faster progress.

Click HERE to read the

Start with the Brain and Connect the Dots - The Logic Chain

Hearing First commissioned Dr. Carol Flexer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Audiology, University of Akron. I am so fortunate to have first met Carol in my junior year at the U of Akron. Carol took me under her wings, guided and coached me and I studied under her throughout graduate school, my CFY and the early years of my career. I am still learning from her today. 

 Dr. Carol Flexer has gathered, analyzed and synthesized the latest supporting research surrounding how children with hearing loss develop literacy through LSL. As a result of her work, a white paper has been created that features a logic chain comprising of research to connect the dots between basic brain biology and the development of literacy during elementary school.

Download the document to read the research and learn how children with hearing loss develop literacy through Listening and Spoken Language (LSL).

Listening and Spoken Language Provides Better Outcomes For Children With Cochlear Implants

Early Sign Language Exposure and Cochlear Implantation Benefits

Ann E. Geers, Christine M. Mitchell, Andrea Warner-Czyz, Nae-Yuh Wang, Laurie S. Eisenberg, the CDaCI Investigative Team

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/06/08/peds.2016-3489

Source

In a new, multisite study of deaf children with cochlear implants, UT Dallas researchers have found that children with either no exposure or limited exposure to sign language end up with better auditory, speaking and reading skills later. 

"This study provides the most compelling support yet available for the benefits of listening and spoken language input for promoting verbal development in children implanted by 3 years of age," Geers said. 

"Contrary to earlier published assertions, there was no advantage to parents' use of sign language. This result affirms the decision of many hearing parents who choose not to use sign language when their child receives a cochlear implant."

The paper is one of the first nationwide longitudinal studies of how sign language exposure affects young cochlear implant recipients.

Summary articles:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/uota-ocp060817.php

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170612/Research-shows-how-sign-language-exposure-affects-young-cochlear-implant-recipients.aspx

Lynn’s LSL Dollhouse Continuum

• A recent discussion prompted me to share strategies that I incorporate when introducing a dollhouse in my AVT sessions. I guess I could refer to it as, Lynn’s AVT Dollhouse Continuum. Ha!

  1. First, I introduce a basic version of an LSL rich and classic Goldilocks and Three Bears story. We listen and learn the story using simple props including three bears,  a kitchen table, three size bowls for the hot/cold and just right porridge, three chairs, three beds - hard/soft/just right. 

  

  2. Then in a couple weeks or so, I include a very basic dollhouse in the story. We play and retell the story together.

  Over the years, I have learned to keep the materials simple. If I would share a busy dollhouse too soon many children would become overstimulated, excited, and want to do their own thing with the house.  Then, my LSL goals and plans go out the window ( A little pun!).

  

  3. Soon, we are ready to introduce a full or more elaborate dollhouse within the LSL session and at home.  

  4. I divide lessons on the “HOME”, by rooms of the house. Each of the lessons includes literature, songs and accompanied LSL activities to meet the child’s needs and goals.  We listen, learn and expand upon the rooms of the house that were introduced in the story. We target LSL goals through individual units on bathtime, bedtime, mealtime routines, doing the laundry, in the garage, parts of the house (ceiling, chimney, gutters, porch…) and then outside of the home and into the yard. The Three Bears going for a walk blends into a “Listening Walk”  as well as learning outdoor vocabulary.

  4. My LSL continuum often begins in January with the Three Bears Story and carries through the Spring. Outdoor summer themes are next. The same themes can be repeated this next year at a higher LSL level. Of course, the house is only one area or theme but the continuity is rich for LSL. 

  5. I guide the family and plan the LSL sessions to include the broad areas of:  

  House vocabulary/labels, Action Verbs, Categorizing items in the house, Basic Concepts including Prepositions, Go -Togethers,  Parts of The Whole, Sequencing, Answering “wh” questions, Following/Giving Directions and social/pragmatic skills and play.

  As you can see the dollhouse continuum and thematic room by room units are ideal for targeting and reaching typical goals for a 2-4 year olds.

  This topic is near and dear to my heart as my husband and I gave our two-year-old grandson a wooden dollhouse last December. I researched the options and highly recommend the Hi-Rise Wooden Dollhouse for a clinic, school or family.  It has gender-neutral colors and patterns, a natural-wood frame, and open sides with access every room so it's easy to talk and play together. Our grandson particularly loves the garage and the wooden car that the family rides. I also purchased a wooden animal pet set which adds to our animal lover’s dollhouse experience.

  There in no limit to listening, spoken language, learning and fun with a dollhouse! 

  

What Does It Take? - Below The Iceberg

Today, one of my AV Mom's posted a picture on FB celebrating 18 years since her daughter was implanted. Then, I saw this Iceberg Illusion graphic and it reminded me of many of our children now older who have learned to listen and talk and their journey.

@sylviaduckworth

Years ago we would say that the goal of auditory-verbal practice was for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to grow up in "typical" learning and living environments that enable them to become independent, participating, and contributing citizens in an inclusive mainstream society.

Today, families of newly diagnosed children still say “I want my baby to listen and talk,” and then ask, “What does it take? ”https://hearingfirst.org/lsl/what-lsl-takes

Each small step on the path to listening and spoken language makes a huge difference, even if it doesn’t seem like it. It is like everything below the iceberg.

 

I love this download to help families on their journey. - LSL Everyday: End Of The Day Quick Check Handout

Auditory Verbal Strategies to Build Listening and Spoken Language Skills

Sherri Smith Fickenscher‎ and Elizabeth Ruddy Gaffney

announce the release of this project. 

It can be downloaded for free on the website of the editor, Cheryl L. Dickson.

http://www.auditory-verbal-mentoring.com

Share How You Live and Love Listening and Spoken Language This February

Dear AV Families,

During the month of February, I along with Hearing First have a campaign to extend awareness of Listening and Spoken Language (Auditory-Verbal therapy) to a broader audience. We’re currently gathering stories from families and professionals.

I invite you to share a personal story by writing a SHORT message and posting it on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtags-  #LiveLoveLSL #HearSayLW

By posting a quick message, you may impact those who have never even heard of LSL. Your story can power the potential of a family and their child who is deaf or hard of hearing. When presented with complete information about communication options more than 90% of parents choose a spoken language outcome for their child. Yet, LSL claims roughly 1% share of the voice online.

Together let’s redefine what’s possible in the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Lynn 

The Power of Play - Children's Work

PlaygroundEquipment.org

When it comes to a child's physical, emotional, and cognitive and listening and spoken language growth, nothing is more enriching and empowering than playtime. The magic of play can unfold anywhere as long as children have the freedom to unleash their imaginations - on the playground, deep in the woods, nestled in the sandbox, or inside cardboard boxes! 

This infographic provides a fun and colorful assortment of reasons to believe in the power of play and to stand up for recess across the globe.

Natural Communication, Inc. Reunion Akron, Ohio

Natural Communication, Inc

      

Carrie Spangler, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA wrote on FB, "It is not often enough that we take the time to thank wonderful professionals who have helped out my family (and me!) with the hearing loss journey. You are truly amazing and have positively impacted me in so many ways! So blessed to have you in my life as a child and now as friends and mentors! Thanks to Stacey Lim and her parents for organizing the NCI reunion and video. Loved seeing you Lynn Wagner Wood on FaceTime! — with Donald M. Goldberg, Carol Flexer, Stacey Lim and Denise Wray.

The Natural Communication Inc., Reunion was a highlight of my life and heartwarming. I can't thank you enough for remotely connecting me last night  from Illinois to Ohio. I loved hearing all the stories and seeing may familiar faces.

I am thankful that my Auditory Verbal roots are in Ohio but blessed to have moved to Illinois in the late 1980's when professionals/parents did not know that children with hearing loss could learn to listen and talk. I faced many naysayers and battled those who said that I was doing a "disservice" to children with hearing loss by guiding families and providing Auditory Verbal Therapy.

In Ohio and at the University of Akron, I was impacted and touched by countless children, their families and professionals along this journey. I love that a future of listening and talking is possible today because of some of you AV pioneers. I am in awe that Charlie and Betty Lim trusted me with their young daughter Stacey and others such as Nick and Harriet Calcagno in the earliest days.

I don't believe in coincidences and am certain that Carol Flexer came to the University at "just the right time" and she took me under her wing, guided and taught me wisely as my professor and dear friend. I didn't know back in my Ohio days how learning from Carol Flexer, Denise Wray, Marian Ernst, Daniel Ling and so many others would impact my career and the passion that still burns within me today.

Lynn with Charlie, Betty and Stacey Lim 2014 AGBELL Convention, Orlando

Last night, I was overwhelmed listening to Jessica Hengeli, Carrie Spangler and Stacey Lim and others spoke of the time when I was their AVT but honestly, I was learning from each of you, your parents as we followed our belief that spoken language was worth the effort. I wish my Illinois AV families could know that you all were the wind beneath my wings and who to grateful to because they also have children who listen and speak.

Just for the memories, I will post a few pictures. Yes, the quality is poor but these are some of the most remarkable people I know!