Central Auditory Processing

What it is

An area of student need, involving attentive listening comprehension skills amongst background noise/conversations and/or processing to understand information given orally.

Teaching Strategies

Instructional
• Use prescribed FM system or Sound field system.
• Develop alternative programming goals to teach the student active listening, comprehensions skills and self-advocacy.
• Use the student’s name or a visual signal to prompt listening attention before speaking.
• Use a visual signal for class to stop and listen, before giving instructions.
• Use questioning to check for student’s understanding.
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Environmental

• Minimize background noise. A good strategy is to place tennis balls on chair legs.
• Have students wait to be acknowledged before allowing them to contribute to classroom discussions.
• Provide physical break/change of activities after periods of concentration on oral information.
• Use a visual schedule.
• Post written copies of information that is provided orally (eg, a class calendar).
• Use preferential seating, so that the student is at the front of the class and/or close to the speaker.

Assessment

• Provide extra time.
• Provide a quiet environment.
• Ensure understanding of test instructions.
• Provide written copies of assignment instructions and rubrics.



Characteristics notebook pencil

Students with central auditory processing challenges often experience difficulty in the classroom when they have to listen while other sounds are present. They may or may not be able to locate the source of the sound or identify the correct sound that is made. Predicting speech is also a difficulty, along with determining rhyming words and other word patterns.

FM System (Frequency Modulation)
FM System (Frequency Modulation)Central Auditory Processing


Resources
Student Needs IPRC Exceptionalites Diagnosed Conditions