MODEL

Portrait of a Learner 9-12

Systems Change

Auditory Processing

Factor Connections

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How Auditory Processing connects to...

Auditory Processing is how our brain processes sounds that come in through our Hearing, and our ability to interpret these sounds as meaningful information. Auditory Processing allows us to attend to, process, understand, remember speech, and modulate our own speech. It is essential for Core Academic Literacies like reading, and for Communication. Auditory Processing is still developing through adolescence, and with the increased academic demands at school, remains essential for academic and social success.

Main Ideas

Some core aspects of Auditory Processing are:

  • Auditory Discrimination, the ability to distinguish sounds,
  • Auditory Sequencing, the ability to understand and remember the order sounds
  • Auditory Memory, the ability to remember what we hear, and
  • Auditory Attention, the ability to filter out extraneous noise and focus on auditory input, among others.

Language Processing happens after processing auditory input and allows us to attach meaning to that input and supports recognition, and comprehension. Language Processing supports learning, especially from verbal information provided by teachers or peers. Students who have difficulties with Auditory Processing may have difficulties registering, remembering, and repeating what they hear as well as paying Attention to verbal information, all of which can interfere with learning and academic outcomes. However, it is important to note that students can have a Central Auditory Processing disorder (CAPD) in the absence of Hearing impairments, due to differences in how the brain processes auditory input. Learners with Auditory Processing difficulties can struggle to distinguish speech from background noise and with the ability to understand simultaneous, meaningful speech happening at the same time (dichotic listening). Classrooms (which are often noisy) can be a challenging environment for learning. To help support all learners, educators can make frequent checks for understanding, present information in multiple modalities, add closed captions to videos and live presentations, and offer additional supports to students who may be having difficulties attending to and processing auditory information.

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