Parents can use these at home too.
"Suggestions for Successful Management of Students with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD): Tips for the Teacher"
The student with a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) will respond in a variety of ways to changes within their environment and instructional program. Management suggestions identified for a student with a CAPD should be based on the student’s individual profile of auditory processing strengths and weaknesses. Suggestions in this listing are in the areas of attention, preferential seating, instructions, preview and review, time, classroom adaptations, self-advocacy, and organizational strategies. The audiologist will select those strategies most appropriate for the student’s CAP profile."
Full PDF here
http://www.iag-online.org/resources/New-Items-2e/CAPD-TipsForTeachers.pdf
CAPD - Central Auditory Processing Disorder
- Strategies
Attention
• Gain bi-sensory attention. Auditory
processing is maximized when the same information is received simultaneously
through different modalities. Therefore, it is important to gain the student’s
visual as well as auditory attention before speaking with him or her.
• Speak at eye level. Whenever
possible, speak at the student’s eye level, get close to the student, and face
the student to provide clear visual and auditory information.
• Use cueing. It may be beneficial to
work out a cueing system to help students become aware of times when they are
not paying attention. These “pretuning” techniques help to focus the student’s
attention on the subject coming up. Use words such as “listen,” “ready,” and
“remember this one.”
• Assign peer partners. Assign a peer
partner to the student with a CAPD. The peer partner can assist the student
with a CAPD in activities such as paying attention, getting assignments listed,
participating in small group projects, and tuning in for key information. Peer
tutoring may also be a part of the buddy system if appropriate.
• Mark transitions between
activities. Students with auditory processing difficulties often need more time
to make transitions. Therefore, it is helpful and important to mark transitions
between activities by clearly identifying the new activity by naming and
explaining the sequence of steps needed to accomplish the task.
• Review and transition. Clearly
closing an activity may be accomplished by briefly summarizing what the student
should have learned and/or completed before transitioning to the next activity.
• Provide notetaking assistance.
Because it is difficult to watch the teacher and take notes simultaneously, it
may be helpful for the student to be able to get a copy of another student’s
notes, to get a copy of the teacher’s notes, to have a study guide, and/or be
able to record the lesson for future reference and study.
Flexible Preferential Seating
• Provide preferential seating
distance. Seat the student near the primary sound source (e.g., teacher, television,
computer, center activity area). A distance of three-four feet is the best, but
a distance up to six-eight feet should be adequate. This allows the student to
derive maximum benefit from both auditory and visual information cues.
• Avoid seating near noise sources.
Seat the student away from competing or distracting noise sources (e.g.,
external noise sources, bathroom area, telecommunications equipment, aquarium).
Seating away from windows and doorways also will reduce possible sources of distraction.
• Provide better ear option. Seat the
student so that the better ear, if indicated, is directed toward the primary
sound source. (The audiologist will provide this recommendation if
appropriate.)
• Allow flexible preferential seating
options. Allow flexibility in seating to continuously achieve the preferential
seating advantage. This enables the student to attend and actively participate
as the classroom activities and the teacher or other primary sound source
change location.
• Provide quiet study/work area.
Provide the student with a “private” or isolated area, such as a study carrel,
for individual seatwork, testing, or tutoring. This helps to minimize the
student’s problems in foreground/ background discrimination.
• Use daily routines. Use daily
routines or schedules to help keep the student focused and organized.
• Use earplugs. If their use is
recommended, allow the student to use earplugs or earmuffs during individual
seatwork time to help tune out distractions.
• FM amplification. Use a personal or sound
field FM system to improve access to auditory information, if this is indicated
by the student’s CAP profile. Students with difficulty hearing in noise,
integrating information, or organizing information may benefit from FM amplification.
An audiologist should make the recommendation for an FM system. The teacher(s)
will receive an in-service on the use of the FM system. 66 Instructions
• Speak in a clear, well-modulated
voice. Speak distinctly, at a comfortably loud level, and at a rate the student
can follow easily. Vary loudness to increase the student’s attention. Remember
not to overexaggerate your speech. Emphasize important information using
intonation and stress. Repeat important words when necessary.
• Use natural gestures. Use natural
gestures that enhance the message. Avoid extraneous gestures and excessive
movement while delivering the message if this appears to distract the student.
• Reduce distractions. Avoid
extraneous noises and visual distractions, especially when giving instructions
and teaching new concepts.
• Alert the student. Before giving
instructions, stand close to the student, call the student’s name, and gently
tap the student’s shoulder, or use another cue to make sure you have the
student’s attention. Using the student’s name during teaching time also will
help to maintain attention.
• Reduce motor activities during
instruction time. Reducing motor activities during verbal presentations is
helpful for some students with a CAPD, especially if the student has an
integration deficit.
• Define purpose. State the purpose
of each activity clearly and directly before introducing the specific
instructions for task completion.
• Give age and ability-appropriate
directions. Give direct and uncomplicated directions. Use age-appropriate
vocabulary that clarifies the logical, time-ordered sequence (e.g., first,
second, last).
• Repeat direction and allow ample
response time. It may be necessary to repeat each step of the instruction and
allow time between each step for the student to process the information.
• Provide examples. Work on an
example together and leave the example on display.
• Use modeling. Use modeling to
provide a clear demonstration of student performance expectations.
• Identify key words. Emphasize key
words when speaking or writing, especially when presenting new information.
• Give written and verbal
instructions. Provide both written and verbal instructions to aid the student
in following directions and completing tasks.
• List the steps. To help the student
learn multi-step sequences, list the steps on a reference card. As the student
becomes more familiar with the sequence, steps in the written directions may be
omitted gradually and systematically until the student is able to complete the
sequence automatically without referring to the written cues.
• Encourage the student to ask for
clarification. Encourage the student to ask questions for clarification of
information. It may be necessary to rephrase the information to ensure that the
student with a CAPD is able to comprehend. Also, some students with a CAPD have
a language deficit and may not be familiar with key words. By substituting
words and simplifying the grammar, the intended meaning may be conveyed and
understood more easily.
• Repeat or paraphrase. Have the
student repeat the content of the instructions to provide the comprehension
feedback. This technique allows the teacher to see which parts of the
instruction need to be corrected or repeated. Ask for verbal accounts rather
than a “yes” or “no” response. Reinforce listening for meaning rather than
exact repetition.
• Give positive feedback. It is
important that students receive positive feedback to ensure understanding of
the message or instruction correctly. Feedback is important even if the student
understood only a portion of the message.
• Boost self-confidence. Many
students with a CAPD lack of self-confidence due to comparisons made by
themselves or others about their performance. Reinforcing all work performed
successfully will help to alleviate this problem.
• Check instruction comprehension.
Check the student’s work after the first few items to ensure that the student
understood and retained the instructions. The teacher should watch for signs of
inattention, decreased concentration, or understanding. Periodic comprehension
checks (e.g., paraphrasing instructions, main idea, key points) are helpful to
keep the student on task.
• Allow subvocalization. To help with
reading comprehension, the student could be allowed to subvocalize while
reading until such time as this is unnecessary.
• Allow reauditorization. Some
students have a need to reauditorize information as they formulate their
response. This strategy also strengthens the memory trace. 67 Preview and
Review
• Review, preview, and summarize
class lessons. For all class lessons, review previous material, preview
material to be presented, and help students summarize the material presented.
Discuss new and previously introduced vocabulary words and concepts. Whenever
possible, relate new information to the student’s previous experiences and
environment.
• Provide pre-teaching materials and
assignments. Provide preassigned readings and home assignments to help
introduce new concepts and topics.
• Avoid divided attention. Avoid asking
students with a CAPD to divide their attention between listening and taking
notes at the same time. Allow students to tape record lessons or provide
students with a detailed outline of the information presented in the class
lesson.
• Review and orient. Provide a short
review statement about the topic(s) to be discussed to orient the student.
Write a brief outline and list key vocabulary on the board or an overhead
projector. Provide the student with a copy of the outline and key vocabulary to
use in following the discussion and for review.
• Frequently summarize key points.
Repeat and summarize key points frequently. Emphasize key vocabulary words
during the discussion.
• Give salient clues. Give salient
clues to identify and emphasize important information (e.g., “This is
important,” “The main points are…,” “This could be a test question.”).
• Use verbal review strategies. Use
verbal review strategies to ask questions periodically about the material being
presented. This is a helpful topic maintenance strategy. Verbal review
questions should include language required for description, explanation,
exemplification, comparison, and relating real events to abstract principles.
• Give individual attention. Students
with a CAPD often need individual attention. Inform resource personnel and
parents of planned vocabulary and curriculum topics to be covered in the
classroom to allow opportunity for pre-teaching as a supplement to classroom
activities.
• Reference important pages. Refer
students to important textbook pages for less review and preview.
• Encourage class participation.
Encourage participation in expressive language activities related to each
lesson. Reading is especially important since information and knowledge gained
through reading help compensate for what may be missed because of auditory
difficulties. Time
• Avoid fatigue. Students with a CAPD
often become fatigued more easily than their peers. It is often difficult for
the student to attend because of the effort required to keep up and compete in
classroom activities. To minimize fatigue, consider the following suggestions.
- Give several short classroom activities instead of one long activity. -
Provide short periods of instruction with breaks so the student can move around
if needed. - Alternate activities requiring greater auditory processing
requirements with those that are less demanding. - Avoid higher-level auditory
tasks when the student is already fatigued. (Consider presenting high-auditory
content information during the morning.)
• Allow extended time. Students with
a CAPD should be given adequate time to comprehend and complete tasks. Avoid
giving penalties for not completing assignments in the prescribed classroom
time. Whenever possible, give students fewer items to complete in the amount of
classroom time available or give them additional time in the resource room to
complete the assignment.
• Give adequate response time. It may
be necessary to allow students with a CAPD more time to formulate responses to
verbal questions, especially questions that include comparisons,
generalizations, and explanations requiring lengthier and more complex language
organization. Classroom Adaptations
• Record instructions. Class lessons
or instructions can be recorded so that the student can listen to and review
the material later.
• Sound tune the classroom. Acoustical
modifications may be implemented to create a positive acoustical listening and
learning environment (e.g., carpeting, drapes, sound absorbing materials).
• Arrange classroom. Structure the
classroom to reduce background noise, reverberation, and distractions. Noise
interferes with the reception of auditory information and distracts the
listener from the complex task of processing (e.g., organizing and
interpreting) information. Special areas for small group instruction that are
relatively quiet and distraction-free are helpful for many students.
• Avoid open classrooms. Avoid open
classroom settings for students with a CAPD. In these settings, reduce
distractions by using sound barriers (e.g., bookshelves, flannel boards) and
other modifications to improve the listening environment.
• Close windows and doors. Keep doors
and windows closed to reduce external noise entering the classroom.
Self Advocacy
• Encourage self-monitoring. Encourage
the student to self-monitor the listening environment and identify any problems
that may be interfering with the learning process.
• Encourage self-advocacy. Encourage
the student to self-regulate by using strategies to modify conditions and
situations that may compromise effective learning. This will assist the student
in learning self-regulation strategies and becoming an effective manager of his
listening and learning environment.
• Suggest counseling. If necessary,
the student should be referred for counseling for social/emotional concerns as
part of the management plan. The student (and parents) needs to understand the
nature of the CAPD and why it is essential to develop compensatory strategies.
Organizational Strategies
• Encourage the use of agenda book or
other organizers. Encourage the student to consistently use an agenda book (or
other organizer or calendar) to ensure that assignments, upcoming events, and
other important class information are recorded.
• Clearly present organizational
expectations. Ensure that the student understands specific organizational
expectations for the classroom (e.g., where to place homework, use of folders,
required classroom tools). Use cue cards as reminders.
