Auditory processing is something that at the beginning I felt totally clueless on how to treat. I don't feel like it was covered in grad school like it probably should have been, seeing as the majority of my caseload since has had some kind of auditory processing component. When Super Duper asked if I wanted to try out a product I jumped on the chance to try
The Processing Program 1 and they were kind enough to send me
Level 2 as well.
The book is broken up into competency levels. It is set up kind of like a diagnostic test, but is very specific about the target. Each page has a prompt for the SLP and then on the other side has pictures. Level 1 starts out with identifying single nouns then it jumps to noun + noun and so on. The book targets 46 basic concepts including singular and plural nouns, pronouns, sizes, colors, quantities, prepositions and conjunctions.
Let me tell you why I like it. Need help coming up with short-term goals? Bam, just use this book and go through the pages until you find a break down in the child's ability. Choose goals based on the next levels in the book. Not only this, but in the beginning of the program it talks a lot about the Altered Auditory Input (AAI) technique to make commands easier for each child to process and how to teach this technique to the individuals involved in the child's life. This was a technique that I knew the basis of, but it goes through and really teaches all aspects of it. The AAI technique involves modifying the speed that you present the items at, the pauses that you use when you present items and the melody at which you speak.
The beauty of these books is that there is not a lot of "fluff". It's a very straight and to the point program. You use it exactly how it tells you (so nice not to have to think too much!). That being said I like to incorporate this book with other approaches and activities. The processing program is certainly not just for processing. You could use it to expand utterances, “I see a doll, ball and mouse in a hat.” You could use it with your kids working on articulation. They could try and find pictures of items that have their sound in them. You could have your kids working on fluency identify items and say them with different disfluencies or say them using their strategies learned. Trust me, I understand that sometimes in the schools you have to have a group of kids based on age and not based off goals. As unfortunate as that is it’s a reality, so products that help you target multiple types of disorders and target many different goals is always a bonus.
The Processing Program Level 2 is similar, but is for older children. It targets 101 advanced concepts and targets them in longer and more complex command combinations. This book is even better to use with your expressive language kids because the pictures are more complex.
Make sure to check back tomorrow and the rest of the week for more ideas on how to use this book in a "centers" approach
For more information on
The Processing Program Level 1 &
2 check out
this video. Also, I just got an email that said The Processing Program Level 1 is 30% off!
.
*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are Speech Lady Liz's. The companies are nice enough to provide materials to try out, but provide no other compensation.
