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| Inez Berman, M.A., CCC-SLP |
In my work as a pediatric speech-language
pathologist, I see many children with articulation
disorders, spoken grammar problems, language
delays, stuttering, Asberger syndrome, and
various other communication problems. I also spend
a lot of time talking to the parents of these children.
They often have the same concerns as the parents
of the children described below.
Brian* is a boy in 4th grade who does not say his /S/ or /R/ sounds correctly. Brian gets good grades and his teacher reports she can understand everything Brian says. His mother has asked his school Speech/Language (S/L) Therapist for help. The school says he makes errors on those sounds but Brian is not eligible for Speech services at school because there is no academic adverse affect. However, Brian's speech doesn't sound normal. His father thinks he sounds like Elmer Fudd. His mother thinks it is not acceptable. Brian will possibly have difficulties socially, emotionally and vocationally in the future if he does not correct his speech sounds soon. Melissa* is in the 3rd grade with a spoken sentence grammar disorder. She receives Speech/Language services at her school once a week for 30 minutes in a group of 6 other students. She is not making much progress. As a parent, you have asked the school Speech/Language Therapist for more one-on-one time with Melissa. The S/L therapist at school says that is the most time she can give Melissa since she has 60 students on her caseload at school and is overwhelmed. The therapist says unfortunately that is the nature of S/L services in a public school. You want Melissa to improve her spoken grammar and believe Melissa will make quick progress if she had individual S/L sessions twice a week. Juan* is in Kindergarten. His spoken vocabulary is below average due to a primary language disorder. He is a good boy but seems to have trouble following directions and behaving in the classroom. His teacher does not quite know how to handle him and there are no extra adults in the classroom. So instead of learning with his class in the classroom, Juan is told to sit in the hallway many mornings because his behavior is out of hand. Unfortunately, these scenarios are quite common. It is rewarding for me to work with parents to find the best solution to their child's problems. Brian, Melissa, and Juan would all benefit from individual intense S/L services. Many children have made amazing progress and improved their Speech and Language skills with personalized help. Most of all, I enjoy working with kids of all ages and watching their progress and growth~~that is my real reward! Inez Berman sees children at The Sound Center. She will integrate the child's school IEP (if student has an IEP) into intensive Sound Center services. The Sound Center has flexible after school appointments available. Summer sessions are now being set, and in-home therapy is also available. For more information, email us at info@thesoundcenter.com or give us a call at 630-435-5622. |
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| Nancy Congdon, Au.D. |
It is common knowledge that a person cannot be a
good communicator without having good speech
presentation skills. People usually forget that speech
presentation is only part of the communication
package. Hearing is the often forgotten other half of
the communication package. Hearing problems either
on the part of the presenter or audience will cause
deterioration in communication. This article will focus
on how to more effectively present to people who
have a hearing loss--and to those who hear
normally! Read on:
A good communicator always considers the hearing of the audience when making a presentation or speaking with a client. If the listener cannot hear you, whether due to hearing loss or a poor acoustical environment, your good speech presentation will lose some of its meaning. It is hard to tell just by looking at someone that he or she has a hearing loss. You may be presenting to one or more people who cannot hear well without realizing it. At any given moment these people may be misunderstanding your message due to hearing loss. You will not develop a completely successful business relationship with them if they are not fully getting your message. The following good communication tips are helpful in reducing the likelihood that your message will get missed due to hearing loss on the part of your audience. Tips to setting your stage are a good place to start. First, you should avoid backlighting and be sure that your face is well lit. People with hearing loss often rely on visual cues to fill in the blanks caused by the loss. Backlighting is a problem because your face and visual aids will be blacked out in favor of the bright light coming from the window behind. I attended a lecture once and had trouble following the talk, in spite of my normal hearing, because there was a big bright window right behind the speaker and the Power Point presentation. This backlighting issue is also important to keep in mind when entertaining clients at restaurants. It is not a good idea to seat yourself with your back to a window because this will cause your face to be blacked out to your guest, which will diminish your speech presentation. A second stage-setting tip is to select venues for your meetings or presentations with minimal background noise. Some people who hear well in quiet have trouble hearing in the presence of background noise. Others may hear OK but will have trouble focusing on your message due to the distraction of the background noise. Thirdly, be sure to get the attention of your audience or client before starting to speak. He or she may be thinking of something else right at the moment that you start to speak and miss the first part of your message. This is particularly a problem for those with hearing loss. Now that you have set a good stage, you are in a better position to use your good speech presentation skills effectively. Even though you now realize that at any one moment you may be trying to reach someone with a hearing loss, it is not necessary to shout or engage in any kind of exaggerated mouth movements. This is actually detrimental to people with hearing loss who are often overly sensitive to loud sounds and/or are used to using normal facial cues to fill in what their hearing misses. The standard good communication habits are effective. Keep the following in mind:
For those with a hearing loss, attending a presentation or having dinner in a restaurant can be a frustrating ordeal. If you do your part, you are more likely to be understood. In fact, implementing these simple tips will make your presentations more effective with any audience, whether they have a hearing loss or not. Communication is the key! Dr. Nancy Congdon is the owner of The Hearing Care Clinic in Downers Grove. She is happy to help with hearing care needs for all ages--from 0 to over 100! She provides custom-fitted earplugs for musicians, swimmers, and people who work or enjoy activities that involve excessive noise. She also diagnoses hearing problems, dispenses hearing aids, and counsels those who have hearing problems but do not need a hearing aid. |
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Workshops and Seminars
MAY 24: Presenting--YOU! Now offered in the
morning!
This is the most popular workshop held at The Sound Center. If you've been waiting, join us. If you've taken this workshop before, you can join us again-- choose a different goal or decide to work at a higher level. The workshop is tailored to YOU! Here's what past attendees have said:
This workshop will provide safe, supportive place for you to practice your presentation skills and receive expert feedback. It is valuable whether you are a seasoned speaker or public speaking is your greatest fear.
May 17th: Speed Networking with the Young Professionals Network If you would like to experience speed networking, plan to attend the Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce Young Professional Network's upcoming event. You’ll meet a new business contact every few minutes, exchanging your information, but more importantly, expanding your network! Who do you know that would be a good referral? Chances are a few minutes won’t be enough time - so be sure to bring plenty of business cards to follow up with your new contacts.
July 22nd: Speak from the Peak! Tips and Tools for More Powerful Presentations
If you need to speak in public to enhance your
career or build your business, whether you fear
presentations and avoid opportunities or you enjoy
speaking but want to be better, this workshop is for
you!
Michelle Eppley of The Sound Center will be
joined by executive and personal coach Elene
Cafasso of Enerpace for a fast-paced, interactive
workshop.
Make professional development a priority~~an
investment in yourself is priceless!
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