Syeda Safia Nazeer Khan
Clinical Psychologist
RBT/ABA Certified
Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT) is a specialized type of
speech and language therapy that helps children who are deaf or hard of hearing
to learn to listen and speak using their residual hearing. The therapy is based
on the principle that with the right support and guidance, children who are
deaf or hard of hearing can learn to develop spoken language skills that are on
par with their typically-hearing peers.
AVT is a method of teaching
children who are deaf or hard of hearing to listen and speak. The approach is
based on the idea that a child can learn to listen and speak through the use of
hearing technology, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, and consistent,
structured teaching.
AVT is supported by a growing body of research that has
demonstrated its effectiveness to develop listening, language, and speech skills, and success in
mainstream education settings.
It's worth noting that AVT is not the only approach for deaf
children, and many deaf children have different needs and preferences.
Alternative approaches include Sign language-based approaches such as American
Sign Language (ASL) and other Signing Exact English (SEE) and Cued speech.
It's important to note that AVT is not appropriate for all
children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and it may not be the best option for
every child. However, for children who are good candidates for AVT, it can
provide a lifetime of benefits by providing them with the ability to listen,
speak, and communicate effectively with others.
Historical Overview Of
Auditory -Verbal Therapy And Its Development.
Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is a relatively recent
development in the field of speech and language therapy for children who are
deaf or hard of hearing. The origins of AVT can be traced back to the work of
Dr. Andrew Foster, an American audiologist who began working with deaf children
in the 1960s.
Dr. Foster, who was himself deaf, developed a method of
teaching deaf children to speak by focusing on their residual hearing. His work
was based on the principles of oralism, which emphasizes the use of speech and
lip reading over sign language.
Dr. Foster noticed that many deaf children were not developing
spoken language skills despite having access to hearing aids and other
assistive devices, and he began to develop a new approach to therapy that
focused on teaching children to use their residual hearing to the fullest
extent possible.
In the 1970s, Dr. Foster established the Auditory-Verbal
International (AVI) program in Alabama, which became a model for the
development of AVT. The AVI program provided therapy to children who were deaf
or hard of hearing and focused on teaching them to use their residual hearing
to develop listening, language, and speech skills. The program also provided
training and support to parents and caregivers, who were encouraged to play a
key role in the child's therapy.
During the 1980s and 1990s, AVT began to gain wider acceptance
as a viable approach to therapy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Several other organizations were established to promote and support AVT,
including the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (AG Bell), which provided training and resources for parents,
educators, and therapists.
Over the years, AVT
has evolved and expanded to include a variety of techniques and strategies for
teaching listening and spoken language to children with hearing loss.
Today, AVT is recognized as a specialized form of therapy
that is provided by certified auditory-verbal therapists and an effective
method for helping children from birth to 5 years old with hearing loss to
develop spoken language skills. It requires active participation from parents
or primary caregivers in the child's therapy sessions and at home.
Applications of AVT
Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is based on certain principles that guide the therapy process and help to ensure that children who are deaf or hard of hearing are able to develop the listening, language, and speech skills that are necessary for successful communication. These principles include:
1. Residual Hearing
The principle of residual hearing is the foundation of AVT. It states that even children with severe hearing loss can still benefit from the sounds that reach their ear and their brain and that by using their residual hearing, children can learn to listen, understand and speak.
2. Early Intervention
AVT emphasizes the importance of early intervention. The earlier a child begins therapy, the more likely they are to develop spoken language skills that are on par with their typically-hearing peers.
3. Active Listening
AVT teaches children to actively listen and pay attention to speech sounds using their residual hearing. This involves teaching children to focus their attention on speech sounds, to discriminate between different sounds, and to attend to speaking in different environments.
4. Parental Involvement
AVT places a strong emphasis on the involvement of parents or caregivers in the therapy process. Parents or caregivers are taught how to support their child's listening and language development at home, which helps to ensure that the child receives consistent support and guidance.
5. Auditory-Verbal Guidance
AVT uses auditory-verbal guidance to guide the child through the process of developing spoken language skills. This involves providing verbal cues, prompts, and instructions on how to listen and respond.
6. Naturalistic Approach
AVT takes a naturalistic approach to therapy, which means that therapy is provided in real-life situations and contexts. This helps children to learn to use their listening and language skills in everyday situations.
7. Continuous Assessment
AVT involves continuous assessment of the child's progress, which allows the therapist to adjust the therapy plan as needed to meet the child's changing needs.
8. Holistic Approach
AVT takes a holistic approach to therapy, which means that therapy is tailored to the child's individual needs and abilities, and addresses all aspects of the child's development, including listening, language, speech, social interaction, and academic performance.
By following these principles, AVT provides children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the ability to listen, speak, and communicate effectively with others.
Goals, Stages And Benefits
Of Auditory-Verbal Therapy
The specific therapy goals for AVT may vary depending on the child's individual needs and abilities.
The goal of Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is to teach children to use their residual hearing to the fullest extent possible, and to develop the listening, language, and speech skills that are necessary for successful communication. AVT is typically provided by a certified auditory-verbal therapist, who will work closely with the child, their family, and other professionals to create a customized therapy plan that meets the child's unique needs.
Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) provides specific benefits to children who are deaf or hard of hearing typically involves several stages of therapy, each with its own set of goals and objectives, These stages may include:
1. Evaluation
AVT typically begins with an evaluation of the child's hearing and language skills, which is used to determine the best course of therapy. The therapist will then work with the child to teach them how to listen and understand speech and to develop the language skills that are necessary for successful communication.
The evaluation stage is important because it provides a thorough assessment of the child's hearing and language skills. This may involve activities such as a hearing test, a language assessment, and an evaluation of the child's speech and articulation, Listening to recordings of speech, practicing listening and speaking skills in different environments, and learning to use hearing aids and other assistive devices.The information gathered during the evaluation is used to determine the best course of therapy for the child.
2. Listening And Speech Development
The focus of this stage is to teach the child to pay
attention to and understand speech sounds using their residual hearing. This
may involve activities such as listening to recordings of speech, practicing
listening and speaking skills in different environments, and learning to use
hearing aids and other assistive devices.
This helps the child to develop the ability to listen and
understand speech, which is crucial for successful communication.
3. Language Development
The focus of this stage is to teach the child the building blocks
of language, such as vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. This may
involve activities such as reading books, singing songs, and engaging in
conversation with the child.
This helps the child to develop the ability to understand
and use language, which is essential for successful communication.
4. Speech And Articulation
The focus of this stage is to teach the child how to produce
speech sounds correctly and effectively. This may involve activities such as
practicing speech sounds and words and learning to use appropriate prosody
(rhythm, stress, and intonation) in speech.
This helps the child
to develop the ability to speak and communicate effectively, which is crucial
for successful communication.
5. Parent-Child Interaction
One of the key aspects of AVT is the emphasis on parent-child interaction. The therapist will work closely with the child's parents or caregivers to teach them how to support the child's listening and language development at home. This may involve activities such as reading books, singing songs, and engaging in conversation with the child.
This helps to ensure that the child receives consistent
support and guidance, which is essential for their development.
6. Auditory-Verbal Guidance
The focus of this stage is to guide the child through the process of
developing spoken language skills by providing verbal cues, prompts, and
instructions on how to listen and respond.
This helps the child to develop the ability to understand
and use spoken language, which is crucial for successful communication
7. Speech Therapy
The focus of this stage is to teach the child how to produce speech
sounds correctly and effectively. This may involve activities such as
practicing speech sounds and words and learning to use appropriate prosody in
speech.
This helps the child to develop the ability to speak and communicate
effectively, which is crucial for successful communication.
8. Auditory Memory
The focus of this stage is to teach the child how to remember what they
hear. This may involve activities such as repeating back what they hear and
playing memory games.
This helps the child to develop the ability to remember
spoken language, which is essential for successful communication.
9. Auditory Discrimination
The focus of this stage is to teach the child how to
distinguish between different speech sounds and words. This may involve
activities such as listening to recordings of speech and identifying specific
sounds or words. This helps the child to develop the ability to understand
spoken language, which is essential for successful communication.
It's important to note that not all children will go through all stages, and the duration of each stage may vary depending on the child's individual needs and abilities. Additionally, the therapy goals are tailored to the child's individual needs and abilities and may change as the child progresses through the stages.
Overall, AVT is a comprehensive approach to therapy that helps children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop the listening, language, and speech skills that are necessary for successful communication. Each stage of AVT provides specific benefits that help to ensure that the child develops the necessary skills to communicate effectively.
AVT is typically provided by a certified auditory-verbal therapist, who will work closely with the child, their family, and other professionals to create a customized therapy plan that meets the child's unique needs
Auditory Verbal Therapy Results
Auditory verbal therapy (AVT) is a treatment for people with
hearing loss that uses auditory stimuli to help people learn and remember new
information. People who receive AVT typically listen to information through
headphones or speakers while someone reads the information to them. AVT has
been shown to be effective in helping people learn new information and retain
it better.
One study found that people who received AVT learned more
information and retained it better than those who did not receive AVT. Another
study found that people who received AVT were more likely to remember
information than those who did not receive AVT. AVT is also effective in
helping people with other types of disabilities,.
Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) has been shown to be a highly
effective form of therapy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Studies
have shown that children who receive AVT are able to develop spoken language
skills that are on par with their typically-hearing peers, and are able to
succeed in mainstream education settings. Some specific results that have been
observed from AVT include:
1. Improved Listening And
Speech Development
Children who receive AVT show improvements in
their ability to attend to, understand and respond to speech sounds using
their residual hearing. This may include improved use of hearing aids and other
assistive devices, as well as better discrimination of different speech sounds.
2. Improved Language Development
Children who receive AVT show improvements in their
ability to understand and use vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
3. Improved Speech And Articulation
Children who receive AVT show improvements in their
ability to produce speech sounds correctly and effectively.
4. Improved Parent-Child Interaction
Parents or caregivers who receive training and
guidance on how to support their child's listening and language development at
home, show improvements in the quality of interactions with their child.
5. Improved Auditory Memory
Children who receive AVT show improvements in their ability to
remember what they hear.
6. Improved Auditory Discrimination
Children who receive AVT show improvements in their
ability to distinguish between different speech sounds and words.
7. Improved Social Communication
Children who receive AVT show improvements in their
ability to use listening and speaking skills to communicate effectively in
social settings.
8. Improved Educational And Academic Development
Children who receive AVT show improvements
in their ability to use listening and speaking skills to succeed in educational
and academic settings.
It's important to note that the results of AVT may vary
depending on the child's individual needs and abilities. However, with the
right support and guidance, AVT can provide a lifetime of benefits by providing
children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the ability to listen, speak, and
communicate effectively with others.
Additionally, AVT has been shown to improve the quality of life for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and their families.
Summary
Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is a specialized form of speech and language therapy that helps children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn to listen and speak using their residual hearing. The therapy is based on the principle that with the right support and guidance, children who are deaf or hard of hearing can learn to develop spoken language skills that are on par with their typically-hearing peers. AVT typically involves several stages of therapy, each with its own set of goals and objectives that are tailored to the child's individual needs and abilities. The therapy is guided by certain principles, such as residual hearing, early intervention, active listening, parental involvement, auditory-verbal guidance, naturalistic approach, continuous assessment, and holistic approach. AVT can be applied in a variety of settings, such as home, clinic, preschool or school, community, and remotely via tele practice. AVT has been shown to be a highly effective form of therapy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and provides them with the ability to listen, speak, and communicate effectively with others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is a specialized type of speech and language therapy that helps children who are deaf or hard of hearing to learn to listen and speak using their residual hearing. The therapy is based on the principle that with the right support and guidance, children who are deaf or hard of hearing can learn to develop spoken language skills that are on par with their typically-hearing peers. AVT typically involves several stages of therapy, each with its own set of goals and objectives that are tailored to the child's individual needs and abilities. AVT has been shown to be a highly effective form of therapy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and provides them with the ability to listen, speak, and communicate effectively with others. AVT is supported by a growing body of research that has demonstrated its effectiveness in helping children who are deaf or hard of hearing to develop listening, language, and speech skills, and succeed in mainstream education settings. AVT is a valuable approach for children with hearing loss, it's important for parents, caregivers, and professionals to consider it as an option for those who are candidates for it.
AVT can be applied in a variety of settings to help children who are deaf or hard of hearing develop the listening, language, and speech skills that are necessary for successful communication. It's important that the therapy is tailored to the child's individual needs and abilities, and addresses all aspects of the child's development, including listening, language, speech, social interaction, and academic performance.
AVT is a highly effective form of therapy for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and provides them with the ability to listen, speak, and communicate effectively with others.
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