Read an Audiogram - How to Do It

I am going to attempt to explain how to read an audiogram in four simple sentences while using my audiogram as an example.

1. Understand that decibel (numbers running up and down left side of audiogram) means volume and frequency (numbers running across the top of audiogram) refers to pitch or tone (high frequency: birds whistling, low frequency: a big dog barking).

2. Typically, a profound hearing loss is 90 or above decibels, a severe hearing loss is 60-90 decibels, a moderate hearing loss is 40-60 decibels, a mild hearing loss is 25-40 decibels, slight hearing loss is 15-25 decibels, and normal hearing would be in the -10-15 decibels range.

3. The red or black "O" markings signify the right ear, the blue or black "X" markings signify the left ear.

4. The areas above the line markings represent sounds of frequencies indicated that you will have trouble hearing, depending on the hearing loss in decibels (the line markings down in the 'profound' areas mean that you will have a lot of trouble hearing or a profound hearing loss in the frequency areas above; moderate loss range you will have some trouble hearing in the frequency ranges indicated above).

*  *  *  *

Looking at my audiogram below, you will see that I have a profound hearing loss in my left ear (X markings) in the high frequency areas around 750 - 8,000 Hz and a moderate-severe hearing loss in the lower frequencies around 125-700 Hz. My right ear (red O markings) has normal hearing in the lower frequencies around 125-700 Hz, and then takes a nosedive into the severe range in the higher frequencies.

If you look at the chart below with the pictures, it will give you a better idea of what kinds of sounds are created in each frequency areas. According to the chart, in both ears I will not hear or have a lot of trouble hearing soft speech sounds such as "k" "s" "t" "sh" and whispering and birds whistling. I can hear some of these sounds with my hearing aid on.

Next time, I will ask for an aided audiogram (test with my hearing aid on) to see how much hearing gain I get from it.

*It is important to note that hearing test results can vary on different factors, such as how your hearing was tested and if you have a cold (clogged ears). I have seen slight differences in results from two different audiologist or hearing evaluators within a short time. While audiograms are not always 100% accurate in describing how someone hears, they are very useful tools in helping us understand how we hear.

My Audiogram

Blank Audiogram with Pictures

*Audiogram with pictures from Hands and Voices

(which Hands and Voices used with permission from Used with author’s permission from “Hearing in Children, authored by J.Northern and M.Downs, (5th Edition,pg18,2002), Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Publishers, Baltimore, MD.)

*Note: The degrees of hearing loss is different according to various people and organizations. The decibels in relation to degrees of hearing loss I provided above are what I have been told by most (why I stressed the word 'typically').

(e

Cochlear Implant: Mom Not Sure, Dad Says Yes

Years ago, I met a young mother in an art store I worked part-time in. She looked tense as she stared at the large wall of paint brushes before her. She was wringing her hands; her jaws clenched. She looked tired. I thought that perhaps she was concerned about choosing the best brush. I went over to her and asked if she needed any help. She looked at me and then her eyes grew big. Apparently, she spotted my hearing aid, and she immediately bombarded me with questions about cochlear implants and deaf children. I learned that she had just found out that her infant is profoundly deaf. Like most parents just finding out that their child is deaf, she was terrified and overwhelmed.

I had just graduated from college. I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do career wise. I was involved in art, but decided that a career in art did not look so promising. However, I had just started taking ASL classes, and little did I know that it was the start of me making a career out of working with others who are deaf and hard of hearing.

The mother was told by the doctors that her son was a candidate for cochlear implants. She did not know anything about deaf people, sign language, or cochlear implants (other than what the professionals and doctors have told her). Even though she was given a lot of information about cochlear implants, she was very unsure about whether or not to implant her child. So far, it seemed as if everyone in her family, including her husband, were 100% for the cochlear implant, while she sat on the fence.

Unfortunately, at the time, I was unable to answer her questions. I did not know much about deaf children and cochlear implants. Of course I could not tell her what to do, even if I was an expert about the topic, because it was none of my business. I did tell her however, that from experience, it is better to seek out information from those who have actually experienced it (parents of profoundly deaf children, parents of children with cochlear implants, deaf and hard of hearing people, deaf adults who are implanted, etc.). She asked me where to get this information and where to find these people, and all I could tell her was the name of an organization that could help her.

The mother thanked me, walked away and left the store. I think it helped her to simply talk about it. Knowing what I know now, I wished I could have been able to help her more.

What I would have told her is to not only get as much information as she possibly can from a variety of sources, but to also go with her gut. After learning more about it and talking with others about it, if she is still very unsure, for valid reasons (not because others told her not to do it) she should not do it. If she is worried sick about the prospect of implanting her child, then she probably should not do it, no matter what others say. She should only do it if she is not worried sick by the idea. I am not talking about being simply nervous, everyone who is human, will be very nervous about making such a huge decision. I am talking about being actually sick with worry to the point that you can't sleep and eat or you feel nauseated. Listen to your body. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't right.

It is a tough situation to be in when everyone you know seems to be 100% for an idea that you are against or unsure about. But, sometimes you have to go with your instinct and do what you feel is right, no matter what the consequences will be. However, what are you supposed to do if your spouse or the other parent is 100% for cochlear implants and you are not? You have to respect the other parent's decision and thoughts on this. You need to hear him or her out and vice versa. But, what if you really, really don't want to go through with it? What are you supposed to do?

This would be a tough, tough situation to be in. I would hope that both parents are on the same boat and can make the decision together in total agreement. But, what if your spouse or the other parent is for the idea and you are not? What would you do? This is a major decision that must be made soon for your child. I can't even imagine how difficult this would be.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? If so, what did you do to solve the problem?

(e

Things I Am Thankful For

Things I am most thankful for:

• My family - you all are the best, without your support and love, I would not be where I am today.

• My boyfriend - for your honesty, love, support and for accepting me for who I am, the good, the bad, and the weird. And for putting up with my blogging addiction.

• My friends - you guys are the greatest. Thanks for listening to me when I rant about work and life in general and for being honest with me even if it hurt like hell. 

• My students - thanks for keeping my job interesting and tolerable, I love you guys. Without you guys, I would be working in another profession. 

• My readers - thanks for reading my blog and responding to me by leaving comments and sending me emails (even the mean ones). Without you guys, I would not have enjoyed blogging so much. 

• DeafRead and Deaf Village - thanks again for including my blog on your site. 

• My hearing aid - thanks for helping me get through some tough situations.

• ASL teachers - thank you for teaching me ASL and introducing me to this interesting world of the deaf and hard of hearing that I did not know about until I took your classes. 

• My hearing loss - for being partially responsible for making me who I am today. Thanks to you, I have had plenty of difficult and awkward moments, from which I learned tremendously and became a stronger person as a result. 

Thank you,

(e

Gift Ideas for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 2010

Like, some of you, I am getting ready for Black Friday sales!!! Woo-hoo! Yeah, it's Thanksgiving. I know. Gobble! Gobble! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm thankful for a lot of things and can't wait to eat turkey with my family and then sit around all day in my pajamas watching horrible reality TV shows while continuing to stuff my face with delicious Thanksgiving meal leftovers.

Back to Black Friday, I have been asked by others what would be some great deaf or hard of hearing related gifts for this year. I have no idea what other deaf and hard of hearing people would like, but I can think of at least 10 things that could be useful or fun for some deaf and hard of hearing people, including myself (hint, hint).

1. Sunrise simulator alarm clock.

2. Kindle

3. Apple iPad

4. Apple iPhone 4

5.  Flat Screen TV with closed captions included.

6. "I'm Deaf" pet tag (if they have deaf pets).

                                  Don't buy it for the intended person, they may not find it funny.

7.  Wireless Headphones

8. VibraLite 8 Watch

9. Sign Language Translator

10. 24K Gold Diamond Encrusted Hearing Aid 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! And have fun shopping tomorrow!

(e

Deaf Student Teacher With Hearing Students

I remember when I was at graduate school, I heard about this profoundly deaf student who uses ASL, deciding to student teach in a regular public school classroom in New York City.

Here is an article which explains how she got this arranged and what happened. It talks about both the positive and negative aspects of being a deaf teacher in a regular classroom with hearing students. It is very interesting and inspiring.

http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news/article.htm?id=5015

What do you think? Is it possible for a severely or profoundly deaf teacher to teach in a regular classroom of hearing students? Would you dare to attempt such a feat?

Discuss.

(e

Related Post:

• Why Don't Schools Hire More Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teachers?

A List of My Best 2009 Blog Posts

Here is a list of what I think could pass as my best blog posts from 2009, when I first started blogging. Click on the links or pictures below to read the posts:

Merry Frickin' Christmas

                                                                                                    

 I SAID . . .     

The Day I Discovered That I am Hard of Hearing 

Advocating for Myself 

The Pros and Cons of Being 'Hard of Hearing' 

 What?!


Gruesome Death Involving a Hearing Aid

Accent

(e

It Has Been a Year Since I Started Blogging!

Holy crap! I just realize that a year ago today was when I started blogging!

Here is my very first post (November 22, 2009), titled "Introduction":

This morning I have decided that I should start blogging about everything related to hearing loss (personal and non personal). It would be great to hear (no pun intended) from others about these issues. I have a lot of stories to share about my hearing loss. I am always on the lookout for hearing related issues in the media.

A little about me: My name is Elizabeth or (e.
I have a hearing loss. I am profoundly (almost completely) deaf in my left ear and moderately (somewhat) deaf in my right ear. I wear a behind-the-ear hearing aid in my right ear. To me, my hearing aid resembles a flesh colored plastic shrimp. I have been wearing hearing aids since I was a toddler. Currently, I am a teacher of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. I know American Sign Language, but I am not a native or fluent signer. I started learning sign language about six years ago. It is what led me to become more interested in hearing loss and Deaf culture.

"What's up with the (e ?" you are probably wondering. This is my logo created by Jose Gross. The e is my ear and the ( is my hearing aid. Isn't that cute? :)

(e 
 
I had no idea that I would still be blogging until today and how much fun it was going to be. I have learned a lot, thanks to my readers and their comments. I have had some thought provoking questions asked, I have been challenged, and I really enjoyed the touching and personal stories so many of you have shared with me through comments or through emails.

If I did not have such wonderful readers, I probably would not be blogging. Thank you for taking the time to read my postings and leave comments (comments are like crack for me, I can't get enough).

Thank you DeafRead and Deaf Village for including my blog in your sites. They helped bring many readers to this little blog. They also introduced me to many other informative and interesting D/HH bloggers. You guys are awesome for doing what you do.

I really enjoy doing this and hope I can continue this for at least another year.

Thanks for reading! Blog on!

(e

Learning to Read? Having a First Language is Necessary

I read an interesting 2001 research article which indicates that oral training does not ensure success in reading. There is no need to understand the phonological code to be able to read, be that a lot of successful readers. Their research findings strongly suggest that language is the key, which is something I always stress in this blog, which I am sure many of you are sick of hearing about. I don't remember being taught phonetically, of course I had enough hearing to hear most speech sounds and to learn how to "sound out the words" on my own. Also, I learned to read because I had a strong grasp of language, meaning that I understood the English language and used it fluently.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

First, we learn the rather obvious but often ignored fact that children cannot read without knowing a language - children who have no language upon which to map the printed code never learn to read. 

Deaf children who are proficient in ASL are often better English-readers than deaf children who are not, despite the fact that ASL is structured very differently from English. Indeed, many deaf readers appear to map English sentences onto a visual code based on sign. Thus, it may not be essential for deaf readers to be able to map the English sentences they read onto a phonological code. However, good deaf readers, both those who sign and those who speak, do appear to have a grasp of the phonological code on which English print is based. Whether this knowledge made them the good readers they are, or is a result of their becoming good readers is a central question, as yet unanswered. Whatever the importance of understanding the phonological code, it is essential for children to come to the reading situation knowing a first language. 

Next, we learn the rather surprising fact that children cannot learn a first language through print. One might guess that a relatively easy way to teach profoundly deaf children English would be through the printed word - an approach that would kill two birds with one stone (the child would not only learn English, but would also learn how to read). The difficulty, however, is that the approach does not work - children do not seem to be able to learn a first language through print (although they are able to learn a second language through print - consider English-speakers who develop a reading knowledge of German, or ASL-signers who develop a reading knowledge of English, without ever having spoken the language). The problem is not that print is processed in the visual modality - after all, children have no trouble learning ASL as a first language and ASL is processed in the visual modality. The difficulty appears to be with the print system itself, perhaps with the fact that the printed code leaves out a great deal of information that is captured in a spoken or signed language. Or, perhaps the problem is that print is not used interactively. Whatever the reason, first language learning appears to come naturally to children when the language is spoken or signed, but not when it is printed. 

Language (either speaking or signing) is resilient in humans. Reading is not. Reading does not come naturally to all individuals living in a community - it must be taught. The next frontier for reading research in deaf education is to understand how instruction can best be used to turn signers into readers."

Link to article:

http://www.acfos.org/sedocumenter/base_doc/lecture_surdite/mayberry.pdf

I am not saying that all deaf and hard of hearing children need to learn sign language to be able to read and understand spoken language. But, if your profoundly deaf child is not able to understand language through oral/aural means, amplification, and if he or she is not a candidate for cochlear implants or if implantation does not work successfully, sign language or some sort of visual language system should be considered. 

(e 

*Please read the comments. My readers provide new and interesting information and questions, plus there is more of what I thought of the information gathered from this article. 

How Do Profoundly Deaf People Learn Spoken Language and How to Read?

I always get asked by others, "How do profoundly deaf children learn spoken language and learn how to read it?" I never have a clear answer for this. Those I know who have learned to read, had a strong language base and did not necessarily learn phonetically or how to "sound out the words." I think a lot of it was sight word recognition with an understanding of how those words are put together, like how most people I know have learned to read. I know that it also helps if you are able to recognize most speech sounds through the use of amplification. 

My question would be, "How in the world does a profoundly deaf person who was raised orally/aurally with no sign language, cued language, or any type of visual language learn spoken language and how to read?" I know they are out there. Perhaps someone can help answer this question for me. I would love to know what you did to help you learn spoken language and how to read it without any access to speech sounds or visual cues or language. Perhaps some of you did not necessarily focus on the phonetic aspect; perhaps there were a lot of memorization of sight words and then you learned spoken language through lip reading and years of intensive speech training?

I am mainly looking for those who are profoundly deaf (no CI) who grew up strictly Oral with no use of visual cues, cued speech, or sign language, to answer.

Thanks,

(e

How to Teach a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child to Read

 I see so many websites, articles, and books claiming that they have the best ways to teach a deaf/hard of hearing child to read. Some would even go so far to say it should be the only way claiming it is the best way.

So, how do we teach a deaf or hard of hearing child to read?

Who knows. There is no one answer. The truth is, no one really knows. Some people have strong ideas about how a deaf or hard of hearing child should learn to read. We can argue with each other about which are the best practices until pigs fly.

It really depends on the child (background, family, language development, etc.).

What if the child lives in a home where there are no books and his or her caregivers are illiterate? What if the child has a learning disability? What if the child knows how to read fluently but can't comprehend what he or she reads? What if the child is profoundly deaf and his family don't sign and are unsuccessful in teaching him or her language through oral/aural methods? What if the child's family signs with the child, but not in a natural way as fluent ASL signers would sign, and the child is mainstreamed with an incompetent interpreter resulting in the child unable to fully grasp the concept of language? What if the child goes home every night to an unemployed alcoholic single father who is unable to attend to his or her needs that would help develop reading skills? What if the child's family only speaks Spanish and are afraid to approach English speaking professionals about how they can help their child? What if the child's teacher or caregiver keeps using the same method for teaching reading for years still not seeing any results? (By the way doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity).

There are so many things that can get in the way of fostering a child's reading skills, whether they are deaf/hard of hearing or not.

I remember how when I went to graduate school, I stupidly thought that I would learn a few ways that would be the best ways to teach a deaf/hard of hearing child to read that I can use with all of my future students.

Before you get up on your platform and boast to others about the best way to teach a child how to read, remember that not all children are made the same. One method does not work for all. We have to try a variety of ways until we see some success with the child and go from there. In some cases, we really have to work with the child's family and encourage them to help out.

The only sure thing I know that would definitely help a deaf/hard of hearing child to read would be for them to have a strong language base. You need language, otherwise you have next to nothing.

(e

Random Find: 'ILY' Trash

Found this today on the ground in front of a school.

                       *Photo taken by (e

As I walked outside of a school to my car I saw a dirty blue glove on the ground. I did a double take and saw that the dirty blue glove was making the 'ILY' sign (the ubiquitous 'I Love You' in sign language).

Cool! 

I took a picture of course. I thought it was interesting that I saw something like this as I was leaving the school, because moments before, an interpreter had given me a big hug and said, "I appreciate everything you do! I'm so glad you are here!" Aaw. She almost made me cry. So, I was feeling the love and then this dirty blue glove added to it.

By the way, I did not manipulate the glove or pose it in this way. I will sometimes do crazy stuff for my blog, but I am not about to play around with a dirty used glove.

LOVE,

(e


*Please, please, please link back to this blog if you are going to use this photo on your site.  Thank you!

Hearing Aid Peek-a-Boo

I have a student who wears a behind the ear hearing aid. It is pink with cute little flower stickers on it. But, most people who don't know her would not know this. She usually hides her hearing aid with her long hair, at least at school.

I have told her many times that she shouldn't hide who she is and that perhaps she should try some day to show others her hearing aid. She looked at me as if I asked her to do something horrible like club a kitten to death.

I suggested that she can try tucking her hair behind her hearing aid just for a few moments while in class and see what happens. She rolled her eyes at this.

I watched her the other day in class, quietly doing her work. She looked at me and smiled and rolled her eyes. Then she slowly lifted her hand up to her right ear (where her hearing aid is) and carefully tucked a few strands of her hair behind her hearing aid. Her hearing aid was visible for a moment, I could make out the little flower stickers. Then suddenly, it disappeared. The hair covered it again. Then she smiled and tucked her hair behind the hearing aid, looked around and then hid it again. It was as if I was witnessing a hearing aid peek-a-boo game. She did this again for a few more minutes.

At the end she decided to leave her hair tucked behind her hearing aid for those within close proximity to see her hearing aid in all its pink and flower stickers glory.

I squealed silently inside with excitement. I tried to remain cool.

As I left the classroom, I looked at her and nodded at her (when really I wanted yell at her about how proud I was of her and give her a big hug while sobbing hysterically).

She simply nodded back and went back to her work.

(e

Student Helped Change Her Hearing Aid Tube

When I came by to pick up my student, the interpreter told me that she was not wearing her hearing aid because my student claimed that her hearing aid hurts her ear. "She said something about how the tube is rubbing against her ear hurting it," she told me.

When my student saw me, she immediately grabbed her hearing aid, which she kept in a hearing aid box, and then she got a new tube. With a serious look, she said, "Let's change the tube. I'll help."

Wow! I was impressed.

Sure enough the tube had shrunk and was stiff. It is really painful when this happens. It usually feels as if the top part of your ear is being pinched really hard. Together, with her help, we changed the tube. She practically knows how to do it herself now. I am so proud of her!

I explained later to the interpreter and the teacher about the importance of replacing the tube with a new tube. I talked about how when it shrinks, it hurts. But, the interpreter was confused because my student had just changed her tube a few weeks ago. I explained that whoever did it, made it too short and over even such a brief period of time, it hardened and shrunk. The interpreter seemed to understand now. She and the teacher learned something new today.

(e

What it's Like to be Hard of Hearing at a Loud Concert (At Least for Me)

I went to a concert one night, on a school night, which is a big deal for me, a teacher who wakes up routinely at 5:00 every morning, sometimes 4:00. The concert I went to was performed by DJ Shadow, someone I have been following and listening to for a long time since high school.

I am so glad I went. It was a really, really, really, great show! I had so much fun.

Me being hard of hearing or having a hearing loss, I am extra aware about protecting what little hearing I have now. I usually turn off my hearing aid, which acts as an ear plug. When I wear my hearing aid turned off, it blocks out even more sounds, especially high frequency sounds. My left ear is profoundly deaf; capable of feeling the vibrations of deep and loud sounds. When I turn off my hearing aid, making my right ear moderately-severely deaf, I will assume that I am temporarily severely deaf overall.

But, I was still able to enjoy the music! I loved the way the beats pulsated through the floor up into my feet and through my body. I could hear the music which was super loud, like at most concerts. When I turn my hearing aid off, certain sounds are not as crisp and high pitch sounds become non-existent. With my hearing aid on, I usually can hear the nuances better; the high pitch sounds, the clanks, clacks, and snaps. But, it was too loud for me to turn my hearing aid on. It was not necessary for me to turn it on for me to be able to enjoy the concert.

The energy of the crowd was awesome! I love to people watch, especially when they dance or are really into the music. Some of them looked as if they were in a trance; closing their eyes and bobbing their heads to the music while swaying their bodies back and forth like a cobra snake dancing to the snake charmer's flute. Some acted as if they were convulsing, almost as if they were having a seizure attack (I stayed far away from these people). I am assuming that they were dancing, because they stopped every now and then and seemed to function normally as they talked to a friend or sip from their drink. Some looked as if they really wanted to dance, but they fought the urge as part of their effort to look "cool" and stood there stone faced just nodding their heads.

As part of the show, there was a screen behind the performer, exhibiting beautiful visuals, many of them timed perfectly to move to the beats of the music. It was really cool to watch. It really added to the show.

The only thing I would have liked to have seen at the concert: closed captions for when the performer talked. When DJ Shadow talked informally to the crowd during parts of the show, it was hard to hear what he was saying over the yelling and clapping.

Is there anyone else, deaf or hard of hearing, who enjoys going to concerts? What is it like for you?

(e

Why Don't Schools Hire More Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teachers?

I read the news about the deaf teacher who was allegedly treated horribly at one school and then she was suddenly terminated from her position.

Here is the link to the news story:

http://www.loudouni.com/news/2010-11-10/silence-and-solitude-deaf-teacher-recounts-struggle-loudoun-schools

The school she worked for did not provide accommodations for her when she needed them. At one point, they supposedly had a nine year child interpret for her during an evaluation. Yikes! What the hell is wrong with these people?!

She had over thirteen years of experience and a doctorate degree. Do you know how hard it is to find highly qualified teachers with this much experience and then have them stay and work for the school system as a teacher for at least three years?  It is even rarer to find qualified and experienced teachers who are deaf or hard of hearing themselves. I always hear about how a lot of schools, at least the ones around here and in other parts of the U.S.A. do not often hired deaf or hard of hearing people to be teachers at their schools. It seems as if some schools prefer to hire teachers with typical hearing over teachers with hearing losses. Is it because they do not want to deal with providing accommodations for the teachers? Are they worried about communicating with the deaf or hard of hearing teachers? I wish they would not let these fears or worries get in the way.

We could use more positive role models who are deaf or hard of hearing working in the education field. I am a hard of hearing itinerant teacher who works with hard of hearing and deaf children. I can't tell you how much teachers and parents appreciate my ability to relate to the students with hearing losses. They are always so thankful and more receptive to what I have to say in relation to deaf and hard of hearing issues. I am thankful that they listen to me and always try to find ways to accommodate me and my students. I really enjoy my job! So far so good! :)

But, I have to wonder, would it be this way if I was profoundly deaf and depended on sign language? Would it be as easy? I really do think that the people who work in the special education department at this school system are wonderful and would still do everything they can to accommodate me. At least I am hoping they still would. I think I would still do a decent job, or at least try. But, I do think it would be difficult to communicate with and work with everyone else (general education teachers, para professionals, administration, etc.). Last year, there were some general education teachers and para pros who thought that I was severely-profoundly deaf and use sign to communicate with others. I remember thinking to myself why they never approached me. I found out later when one of them asked, "Can you hear me when I talk to you? Do you need sign language?" As she said this she gestured and exaggerated her mouth movements. This was last year during my first year when I had yet to learn the importance of introducing myself to everyone and explaining my hearing loss.

It is a shame that there are not more deaf and hard of hearing people working as teachers in more schools. I am always amazed at how some of the schools for the deaf here (where they communicate in sign language) never seem to hire more teachers who are deaf or hard of hearing themselves and sign fluently. They instead seem to hire more hearing teachers who are not fluent in sign language. There could be a number of reasons why some deaf and hard of hearing people are not hired as teachers. I don't believe that every person who is deaf or hard of hearing would be excellent teachers, of course. Maybe there are not many deaf or hard of hearing people applying to these jobs and maybe many that are applying do not have the qualifications the schools are looking for.

I think the good schools are the ones who are able to recognize when they have a good teacher, such as the one mentioned in the article. And when you have a good teacher, you treat them like they are one, and you try to keep them there, right? When is it ever a good idea to fire a teacher when with this teacher you are seeing excellent results with the students she is working with?

(e

Stop Saying That Most Audiologists Are Greedy and Overpaid!

Dealing with Audiologists can be frustrating sometimes, no doubt. Some may not be the right fit for you. I have changed Audiologists several times over the past few years.

But, I disagree with this notion that Audiologists are mainly out to make money and that they are all pocketing huge amounts of money. This is not true for all Audiologists. Most got in this business because of their love of helping others and their interest in hearing related issues. From talking with many Audiologists, it turns out that most do not get paid much, unless they constantly push hearing aids onto their clients and make a lot of sales. Personally, I think they should make more money or be able to make some extra money from selling hearing aids, because they are the ones who take the time to consult with us and to fit and program our hearing aids.

Do you realize how difficult it can be to become an Audiologist, at least in the United States? They have to go through a lot of training and schooling, similar to medical doctors. And, most Audiologists I know, unless they work for hearing aid manufacturers constantly pushing hearing aids, don't make more than $60,000, especially starting out. That is not a lot of money for years of intense training.

If you are going to get mad at people making lots of money off of you, get mad at the hearing aid manufacturers and pushy hearing aid dispensers.

Please read the following excerpts from Audiologists themselves describing the nature of the job and the pay:

From the Student Doctor Network Forum: 

"I saw a couple of question from someone about how often you have to sell things in the field. This is a very good question and I wish I would've asked this question myself. Expect to sale! It is apart of the business. Yes, I said business. People with hearing impairment need hearing aids, so of course you need to provide that for them. Unfortunately many practices today (private, ENT and especially hearing aid manufacturers) will push you to sell them because this is how they stay in business. Unlike optometry where they can make money solely from a visit alone, Audiologist CANNOT. You need someone to buy something from you to profit. This means you will find most jobs offering a base pay plus commissions. I will admit this can be good or bad. Bad because it can be stressful and out of your hands whether or not someone will buy a hearing aid from you. Some patients prefer to shop around for the best price. Some will buy an aid from you and return it meaning...no money for you. It can be good because, well the sky is the limit as to how much income you can generate. I made $109,000 at one time working for a hearing aid manufacturer. Excellent pay, but I hated my job with a passion. You often just do basic test, and than sale them the aid. The patient takes it and you never really hear from them again unless they have a problem. I hate working for hearing aid manufacturers for this very reason. It is also VERY sales driven, meaning you have so much pressure to sale, sale, sale. The money just wasn't worth it for me."

"Also...please me aware that unfortunately, too many ENT's and hearing aid manufacturers, Audiologist are very easily replaceable. I encourage you all to look at job ads, especially on places like audiologyonline. MOST of the jobs will hire an Audiologist, OR a licensed hearing aid dispenser, at the same salary. I've often wondered why I didn't just get my license to dispense rather than pay for my masters in audiology. Sometimes a hearing aid dispenser will accept a job at a lower salary on purpose just so they will be hired over you. I have seen this many times. They are the biggest reason Audiologist have such low pay and not as many jobs. If something isn't done about this, the problem will only get worse. An ENT I worked for once thought it was "ridiculous" Audiologist were now switching to a doctorate degree because "why pay someone more money to do something that someone off the street with no education can do for half the price." I believe this is also why so many other health care professionals don't respect audiologist as they should, because someone without a degree can also do the job. Yes, it is true, the degree offers us a wealth of information about hearing loss and vestibular issues, but most ENT's and private practices will only want you to do a basic hearing test. If there is a loss, you give a hearing aid, if there is something more refer to an ENT. I feel that we are way over prepared for the job they will one day do. I got into Audiology because I thought it was more of a medical model, once I graduated I was disappointed that I felt more like a glorified hearing aid dealer at times ."

"Lastly, salary! I will say salary is ok. I only have my masters in Audiology by the way so to me, my salary was acceptable, but never would I get an AuD to only be paid $60,000! That is insane!!! I started off at $46,000 when I got into the field. I now make $58,000. Please be aware that salary does also depend on where you live. My salary is for an Audiologist in the midwest. Cost of living here is ok, so I get by, plus my husbands salary helps ALOT. Thus far with the Au.D being introduced I have not seen that big of an increase. It really does also depend on the job. I know some Audiologist who make more than me, and some less. I have not seen anyone here however that makes more than $65,000. I would say in the midwest the average is about $60,000. That's fine for a masters but not at all for four years of school. I know SLP's making more than some Audiologist and that is just totally unacceptable to me." 

From I Hate My Job: American Academy  of Audiology:

Aside from passing the licensure exam one needs to undergo series and often painstaking demands for certification of this and that in order to become a legitimate audiologist. For instance, in India a full-pledged audiologist can only start practicing if he’s a member of Indian Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA) or the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), otherwise they are bound to work in private clinics that caters speech and hearing services. The case is also the same in Canada. Audiologists are not allowed to work in certain provinces unless they register to a provincial regulating body in audiology.

Generally, in the United States anyone who aspires of becoming an audiologist needs to pass a national exam, acquisition of 375 hours in clinical internship, and an entire year of service as a non-resident staff of a particular hospital. And not only that, majority of the states in America supports continual education requirements, attested by the decision to make it a doctoral course whereas   before a Masteral degree in Audiology was enough.

What can be frustrating about this job is audiologists are mistakenly known as hearing aid dispensers. No offense meant but the requirements for the latter are less rigorous that even a high school graduate with 2-year experience in hearing aid can qualify doing this job. What’s more ironic is that audiologists are required to hold a Hearing Aid Dispenser license to legitimately dispense hearing aids. Had all the requirements they went through did not prove yet their qualifications to practice audiology?

Dianez commented:

Others that need a lot more [counseling, guidance, help, advice, etc.], are not getting it because the audiologist doesn't know sign language, doesn't have an indepth knowledge of the social and educational effects of deafness, has a narrow view that restoring hearing is the end goal of his profession, etc. Audiology is certainly a changing profession. I hope.

I think it is important that people who are deaf or hard of hearing (whether just recently acquired a hearing loss or not) understand that it is important to seek out information that your audiologist probably could not help you with or have the knowledge or understanding to help you.

It would be  helpful to have deaf and hard of hearing people who are "hearing specialists" or very knowledgeable about deaf and hard of hearing issues work at audiologist offices and hearing aid centers. We should have signing deaf adults and/or interpreters there to help communicate with clients who prefer to sign. They could be counseling, providing unbiased information, support, and understanding. I know that if I were to ever get tired of working in the school system, I will propose this idea to some hearing aid dispenser and audiologist offices. I would not mind providing extra support to those wondering what to do and how to feel about the information the audiologist just gave them. Like Dianrez, I hope the audiology is a changing profession.

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Sometimes I Feel Bad About Pulling Students From Class For Direct Instruction

A mainstreamed student is someone who goes to a regular education public school while receiving special services as stated in his or her IEP. They are not fully included, but partially (some more than others). Once they stop receiving services from special education instructors, they are no longer mainstreamed, but 100% included. My students are mainstreamed. Some receive small group instruction (one on one instruction, pull out or away from classroom), inclusion instruction, and/or consult services.

With most of my students, I will pull them from class during a certain time and day that I have scheduled to work with them one-on-one on skills they need to develop or to provide special instruction as implemented in the child's IEP. I pull some students once a week, some twice a week, and some every day. It depends on the child's needs and what was discussed and decided on at the IEP meeting by the team (caregivers, teachers, administrators, sometimes student).

I am afraid that with some students, I see them too often or pull them from their classroom too often. Not that I don't want to see them or work with them. But, I often feel as if I am interfering with their academics by constantly pulling them. I feel as if I interrupt their flow some days. There were a few times when I came to get a student and he would be heavily involved in something exciting in the classroom. If time or the situation allows me to, I usually would let him continue and I would stay in the classroom and try to incorporate what we would normally work on while they continue with their class activity. When I have to pull him away during these times, I feel bad. I hate interrupting a child totally immersed in what he or she is doing. I feel as if I am interfering with the child's education.

Usually, I am not the only one who pulls the child from class (speech services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.). Some students can get taken away from class two or three times a day!

I am here to provide extra support to my students and their teachers (go over vocabulary, reading comprehension, advocacy skills, accommodation, etc.). I am not here to replace their teachers or act merely as a tutor. My goal is to provide useful tools and to teach the skills needed to help the student become independent in the typical classroom environment. Ideally, by the time they are in high school, I would only have to provide monthly consult services.

Sometimes, the parents or team would decide that the child should receive small group instruction from me as many as four times a week. If the child is doing very well and I feel that he or she could benefit from less direct instruction from me, I would call for a meeting and request that we cut back on services. Sometimes, the parent will disagree with me and try to push for more services. Some parents feel that the more special services their child can receive the more successful their child will be at school. But, it is important to realize that sometimes extra services can be a little excessive and possibly damaging. I wish some parents could realize this, especially if their child is about to go to middle school where they are expected to be a little more independent and to learn everything their teachers try to cram into their brains in a short amount of time amidst chaos. The more I pull a student from his or her classroom, the more they will miss out on what happened in class. This could even put them behind (missing in class work or activities, tests, quizzes, etc.). A lot of times, I will try to get the work they are working on in the class and work on it with the student. The more I can incorporate what they are learning in their classroom, the better. But, it is better for the student and teachers to utilize useful skills and tools taught or given and to use it while in the classroom, than to have me come and take the child away from class for a period of fifty minutes or more. That is a huge chunk of time. That child would be missing out a lot! I remember one of my students missed an exciting class presentation done by some of his classmates, because I had to pull him during that time. He did not know that they were going to do this while he was gone. He was upset that he missed it. I wish I had known about it beforehand, or that the teacher at least told me about it. I felt really bad that he missed it.

I think many students benefit tremendously from direct instruction. There are some concepts that need to be taught to them directly by a professional. Some students cannot learn certain concepts in a classroom of twenty children or so, where they will rarely receive one-on-one instruction from the teacher. However, it is important to realize when too much is too much. Is the child doing well in class? Let's try to cut back on direct instruction and see what happens. Is the child or teacher concerned about being pulled from class so many times? Let's see what happens when I only do inclusion or consult services. The beauty of the IEP draft is that it can be changed several times if we feel amendments or omissions need to be made. 

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Amusing "Super Hearing" Hearing Aid Commercial

(via asseenontvchat)

For those who can't hear what is being said or having trouble what is being said, sorry that there is no transcript. The transcribe audio caption feature works OK. I could barely hear what was being said half the time anyway. But, it is hilarious to watch! It's a riot!

According to their website, this As Seen on TV product is supposed to give you "sonic hearing" amplifying sounds as far as 90 feet. It is made to look like you are wearing a blue tooth headset, so it looks as if you don't have super sonic hearing or that you are trying to eavesdrop on your neighbors.

It is only $19.95! Why can't hearing aids be this cheap?! We should all just start wearing these over the counter "hearing aids" and boycott the hearing aid industry demanding that they lower their prices or at least have insurance cover most of the costs.

It seems as if this personal sound amplifier device is marketed towards people with typical hearing. I can see the appeal for amplified hearing. It is a cool idea that by using this small device, you could overhear what someone is saying 90 feet away, I suppose. But, what worries me is that the device supposedly amplifies sounds up to 50 decibels. Wouldn't this damage someone's hearing, if they used this device constantly? Conversations within close range are typically at 60 decibels. What if you were using the device set to the highest level, to listen to your neighbors talk (eavesdrop), and then someone within close range started talking to you? With the device, would their voice be amplified to 110 decibels? That would be horrible! If this happened frequently, I would think that over time you would lose your hearing.

There are so many over the counter hearing aid commercials. They are all quite amusing to watch. Many of these commercials can be found on YouTube. Type "hearing aid commercial" in the search box and see what you come up with.

Here is another one:


(via asseenontvnetwork)


Have any of you tried these products? If so, how did they work? Would love to hear from those who have tried it! Please leave comments describing your experiences.

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Q & A With the "Funny Talking" Hard of Hearing Woman

I was doing an informal "Ask the hard of hearing woman anything about deaf and hard of hearing stuff" Q & A with an elementary class.  I said, "Ask anything. This may be your only chance for a long time to ask someone with a hearing loss questions. No question is stupid or insulting."

It was going great. The kids asked interesting questions. "How do deaf people learn sign language?" "How does a deaf person buy groceries?" "Is your hearing aid implanted to your brain?" "Does it hurt to take out your hearing aid?" "What is your favorite book?" "Do you like music?"

And then one kid asked, "I don't mean to be rude. But, why do you sound funny?"

He was just being honest and really wanted to know.

I smiled and said that he asked a great question and I explained how my hearing loss affected my speech and how I have a "northern" accent according to some people. I also mentioned that my mother is from New Jersey, and that maybe she played role in it. I also added, "Instead of asking, "Why do you sound funny?" I would ask, "Why do you sound different?" It just sounds a bit nicer."

Then the classroom teacher and interpreter stepped in telling me that they think I don't sound funny and that my speech is clear and understandable. I think the teacher even went so far to say that my voice is beautiful. Well, I don't know about that! They were really offended by the question. The teacher seemed embarrassed. I assured her that it was no big deal.

Most adults don't pick up on my unusual accent, unless they are speech pathologists or extra sensitive to how people talk. Most kids, especially here, notice it immediately. I think a lot of it has to do with being in the south where most people they have encountered have southern accents.

The rest of the Q & A presentation went really well. These kids learned so much. Maybe they will go home and talk about it with their family. It produced interesting discussions and questions. It got them thinking. Some of them left wanting to learn more. It helped dispel a lot of myths and misunderstandings (all deaf and hard of hearing people are excellent lip readers, sign language is universal, deaf people can't drive, hearing aids restore hearing, etc.). Also, my hard of hearing student became somewhat of the celebrity that day. They wanted to learn more about her hearing aid. They thought that her pink hearing aids with stickers on them were cool. They asked her and her interpreter questions about sign language. Last year, she could barely mention to anyone that she has a hearing aid. Now, she is confident enough to talk about it with others.
 
I recommend that if you are deaf or hard of hearing to please take the time to visit a classroom and talk with kids about what it is like. It is a wonderful eye opening experience!
 
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Number One Birth Defect in America

I went to a workshop recently about working with deaf and hard of hearing children. It was an awesome workshop and I learned a lot. However, I was startled by something I read during a slide show presentation. In giant words across a screen, it read:

"Hearing loss is the number one birth defect in America."

Birth defect?!

I have to admit, it kind of stung. I don't know why the word birth defect affected me so. Maybe because I have never seen anyone use this term to describe someone with a hearing loss before. Perhaps it was because I was the only one in the workshop possibly born with this defect. Maybe it was seeing it in giant bold letters screaming at me. I suddenly felt the need to hide my hearing aid. I think I blushed a little.

I am fine with the terms disability and impairment. I don't use the term hearing impaired because I feel it is outdated, like using the word negro to describe a person of African descent. However, I do not get offended by others who use it and I could really care less if they use it.

But, apparently I do not like the word defect. For some reason, the word defect reminds me of grossly exaggerated 'mutants' or 'freaks' that you see in horror movies. But really, defect means a fault, a short coming, or an imperfection. And it is true, you could say that someone born with a hearing loss or some sensory deprivation is born with a defect. They are not perfect or typical, meaning they do not have 100% hearing. So defect is an appropriate term. But, I just did not like it for some reason.

I know that in recent posts I argued that one should use any term to describe oneself or others who have hearing losses or are deaf. One should be able to use terms such as hearing impaired, deafness, deaf, Deaf, hard of hearing, hearing loss, disability, sensory loss, etc. But, be mindful of how you use these terms and who you use them with. If the person is offended by the term hearing impaired, use another term. It couldn't hurt to be a little more sensitive to other people's feelings. If you like to use the term birth defect and don't see it as a problem, fine. But, don't use it with me (that is after I tell you that I am offended by that term).

I don't know why this particular word irks me. It just does.

I suppose I can understand why some people may be offended by certain terms used to describe them, such as hearing impaired and disabled. Everyone will react differently to certain words for different reasons, I suppose.

BUT, it does not mean that if you encounter someone using a term you don't like, you can attack them or yell at them in anger or accuse them of being mean and insensitive without giving them good reasons why. Unless the person continues to use the term with you or directly at you after you told them that you don't like the term or that the term hurts your feelings.

The medical and professional community can sometimes be impersonal with all of the medical terms and jargon they use. With words like defect, impairment, diagnosis, exams, audiological, and disease, it is hard to want to form a close and warm relationship with anyone repeatedly using these terms to describe you or whatever "defect" afflicts you.

But, the medical aspect is necessary. I need my hearing evaluated and explained by an audiologist to better understand my hearing loss. But, it is always nice when the doctor or audiologist talks with me and asks questions about me and not just talk about my hearing loss. Doctors, ask how I am doing or how I feel. I don't expect to have long in depth conversations. Just make my visit with you more personable, please. It would be nice if you could tell me about support groups or communities I can join or learn about such as HLAA, DeafRead, ALDA, and such. It is always better to talk about these things with people who are experiencing the same things you are. People with typical hearing will never understand. They can do all the research in the world and work with deaf and hard of hearing people for several years, but they will never fully understand.

So, a term struck a nerve in me. It surprises me that I was offended by it. But, I now somewhat understand where others are coming from when they tell me that they don't like it when I use certain terms such as deafness. But, I am still going to use this term in my blog, unless I am directly talking with someone who hates the term.

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Language Acquisition: Semantic Contingency

I am reading Deaf Plus: A Multicultural Perspective, by Kathee Christensen (2000). It is a very interesting read thus far.

Christensen has over 25 years of experience teaching and working in day and residential schools for the deaf and as a teacher in a teacher preparation program in deafness at a university.

Her book includes various topics such as literacy, multicultural and bilingual education of children who are deaf, different cultures, teaching, teachers expectations, and such. Overall, the book is about the benefits of multicultural education for all deaf students. I look forward to finish reading it (if I ever find the time).

Chapter 3, Emerging Literacy in Bilingual/Multicultural Education of Children Who Are Deaf, has been the most interesting to me so far. It discusses the importance of language acquisition, which I agree with wholeheartedly. There is little to no hope for someone to become literate if he or she never acquires language or hardly understands and uses language fluently.

Within this chapter, there is a section called Semantic Contingency. Here she talks about how the major facilitator of language acquisition is semantic contingency in adult speech to young children (p. 44). What exactly is semantic contingency? Semantic relates to meaning while contingency is what follows, the immediate future. From what I learned, semantic contingency is basically continuing a topic started by a child. But, it has to be done in a certain way if you want to successfully promote language acquisition within the child.

The author provided some examples,

Child, "New shoes." Adult, "These are your new, black patent leather shoes."
Child, "Go now." Adult, "Do you want to go to the park now?" (p. 44).

The more language you can add, the better. Why stop at only responding with only one or two words or signs? They may not fully understand what you are telling them as a baby, but the more you provide them language, the more they will acquire it. Talk to them like you would with anyone else. Deaf and hard of hearing children of caregivers who primarily communicate using spoken language will miss out on indirect spoken language such as side conversations, conversations on television and movies, and telephone conversations.

Can you understand how deaf and hard of hearing children of deaf signing caregivers or caregivers who sign fluently often fare better in language acquisition? And because they have a language, they often do better in reading and writing and other areas which should ensure success in school and life.

Ideally, you would want to communicate with your child (through signs, spoken language, cued speech, what have you) in this way on a daily basis. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to really put the effort in communicating with your child. This can be done during daily routines such as bath time, reading time, while your are feeding your child, while you watch videos or television with your child, while your child helps you with daily house chores, etc. The more you communicate with your child, the better the child will pick up language.

Based on this information, how does a hearing parent who is just learning sign language would be able to provide semantically contingent language models to their deaf or hard of hearing child on a consistent basis?

If you are just learning sign language, how are you supposed to respond with statements such as "These are your new, black patent leather shoes."? Most likely for someone just learning sign language as they are struggling with everyday issues and taking care of their child in other ways, this would be an extremely difficult thing to do or to remember to do. Perhaps a hearing parent with poor signing skills would respond, "Yes, new black shoes." Ideally, you would have learned how to sign patent leather or at least shiny.

Another question that comes to mind reading about language acquisition: Wouldn't it be necessary for a child with mild or moderate hearing loss to be exposed more to spoken language in this way than to learn sign language (unless of course the child is born to fluent signers)? Keep in the mind, that with hearing aids today, the child with the mild/moderate hearing loss can temporarily resemble someone with normal hearing or a slight hearing loss, giving them more opportunities to learn spoken language.

Of course, you will have the rare breed of super dedicated caregivers who will learn sign language as an added bonus in communicating with their hard of hearing child, while providing them a language with semantic contingency.

I think it would be more important for the average caregivers to concentrate working with their children with mild or moderate hearing losses to facilitate spoken language skills, rather than to throw in trying to learn a brand new language (sign language).

I know that when I sign, it is not fluent ASL. Also, I can't help but talk at the same time. Therefore, my signing is choppy and simpler than if I were to use spoken language. I would rather expose a child with a mild/moderate hearing loss to fluent spoken language than my inferior signing. Of course when the child gets older, maybe the parent or parents signing skills will improve (if they continue learning sign language) and the child may want to learn sign language. It would be important that the child has a good grasp of spoken language (that is if you worked on providing excellent language models). Signing can come later.

I have to wonder if it would be a good idea to suggest to average parents to learn sign language and to use it with their mild/moderate deaf child, if their child is doing well with listening and speaking and understanding language. Why not focus more on teaching them ways that they can use spoken language with their child which can help the child acquire language? If they want to learn and use sign language with their child, fine. If they seem reluctant to use it with their mild/moderately deaf child, why would you tell them that they have to learn sign language?

I have known some parents who, after talking with some strong ASL advocates, decide to go the ASL route. They tried learning ASL, while still talking with their mild/moderately deaf child. They were never taught how they can help facilitate language (spoken and sign). Then later, they stick the child with an interpreter in school, who acts more as a paraprofessional than a communication/language facilitator. And then the the child ends up being somewhat behind in language, while preferring to listen and speak and not use signs. The child also grows dependent on the interpreter to help them with everything (not just clarification of language). Meanwhile, the parents continue to use little to no signs with their child at home.

What good does it do to suggest to the parents to learn sign language and then leave it up to them with no guidance or follow ups?

Now, if you have a child who is severely or profoundly deaf, it would be more appropriate to explore ways to communicate with your child visually (ideally through fluent sign language). Find the best way to communicate with your child (your child will let you know which he or she is more comfortable with). If you choose sign language, learn it and practice as much as you can! Expose your child to good signing models as much as you can as you learn sign language (go to haddy2dogs' blog and read about a mother's amazing experiences learning ASL and using it with her profoundly deaf son).

The point I am trying to make here is that language acquisition is KEY! It takes a lot of work to decide how to best communicate with your deaf and hard of hearing child and then utilize it on a consistent basis. Understand that acquiring any language, whether it is spoken language or sign language is very important. If it looks as if the child is having trouble learning language through oral/aural methods, try a different approach. Also, it is important not to look down at others who chose one or two ways to communicate with their deaf or hard of hearing child that is different from your communication modes. If it works for the child, good for them.


(*My opinions don't reflect the opinions of the author mentioned. I am only writing about how a chapter from her book inspired certain questions and opinions relating to language acquisition).

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Conversational Delay

I read Jamie Berke's Conversational Delay a Normal Thing? with great interest. She wrote about a (most likely) hearing woman's frustration with her deaf husband who seems to hear what is being said but doesn't respond in a timely manner.

The comments left so far have really helped to clarify what could be happening and why.

It’s definitel a ‘deaf thing’ I am late deafened. I hear sound, but can’t make sense of the speech sounds I hear. It can take me awhile to ‘fill in the blanks’ and because that’s not a conscious thing, my brain sometimes fills them in incorrectly leading to a super off the wall non-sensical sentence. I then have to start over and think. This all happens within a matter of seconds, but the delay can seem long to a hearing person. 

Yeah, SOME deaf people naturally have auditory processing disorder. Even if they hear them, it take a while to process. Which is why some of us habitually say “what” all the time even though we heard them (another reason why we say what all the time because we are never confidence with what we heard)…. I think it is worst if a deaf person was diagnosed late.
 
I do the same thing! I find myself delaying my response often. I understand that it can be annoying or that I am making the other person uncomfortable with me staring at them blankly as I am "filling in the blanks."

This would be an example of my thought process during the delay:

"OK, he was pointing to the TV, he is watching that movie and he said,"It's really good. Should watch it." Now I think he is asking me a question. Geez, we were just talking about the oil spill, and now he is talking about this movie. Aaargh! A brand new topic that has nothing to do with what we were just talking about! OK, concentrate, Elizabeth. He is pointing to the TV showing a movie. He obviously asked a question, so maybe he was asking me if I saw the movie? Oh, you know what? He did ask, "Have you seen it?" I remember now. All right, now I must answer him."

By the time I have answered, ten to twenty seconds have passed. Either the person thought I was not listening or did not hear and is repeating the question or the person is staring at me wondering what is wrong with me.

Also, it seems as if I habitually say "What?" in most conversations. I am always ready or getting ready to say "Eh? What? Huh?"  I never thought about why I do this or was aware that I probably do this often. Is it because of lack of confidence? Do I always expect that I am not going to hear what is being said? Of course. Because I have trouble hearing. I always expect that I will have trouble hearing what is being said. Whenever you have trouble in any area, you are expecting to fail or struggle with it all the times. Sometimes I surprise myself with the fact that I correctly heard or guessed what was said in a noisy restaurant area.

I am going to print out this article and give it to some teachers and parents, just to bring more awareness. Perhaps it will make some of them realize that it is not that we don't listen or care to respond half the times, our brains are working hard at processing the information as we participate in fun guessing games.

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