You can use many strategies to make your children's listening
experiences more successful. Try some of these...
FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS -
Children may experience difficulty following directions when
* There is noise in the background, or
* When the direction is complicated, or
* When the direction is lenghty, or
* If the direction has to be carried out some time later.
To assist your child, reduce background noise and be sure your child is
looking at you when you speak.
If your child's problems occur mainly when directions are lengthy and
complex, be sure to:
* Make eye contact with the child first.
* Then speak at a slightly slower rate, with a little more expression in
your voice.
* Use simpler, shorter sentences.
* Pause briefly between parts of the direction..."Go upstairs...Put your
blue shirt in the drawer."
* Ask the child to repeat the direction over in a low voice until the task
is finished.
* Tell the child to "Make a picture in your mind. See yourself going
upstairs. See yourself going to the drawer. Now see yourself putting the
shirt in the drawer."
* Practice giving your child directions that they must carry out 5 minutes
later. Then increase the time delay to 10 minutes, then 30 minutes and so on.
(from Central Auditory Processing Disorders by Dorothy A. Kelly)
