Auditory-verbal therapy

Auditory-verbal therapy is a method for teaching deaf children to listen and speak using their residual hearing in addition to the constant use of amplification devices such as hearing aids, FM devices, and cochlear implants. Auditory-verbal therapy emphasizes speech and listening.

Auditory verbal therapy is used in the United States under the theory that it enables deaf and hard of hearing children to participate more fully in mainstream school and hearing society. Published research suggests its efficacy in enabling deaf children to learn to listen and talk, however such research has not yet included control groups or randomized controls, so it is not possible to conclude whether auditory-verbal therapy was the cause of the progress seen in these children (Goldberg & Felexer 2001, Rhoades & Chisholm 2001, Hogan et al. 2008).^[1][2]

In the UK, access to auditory verbal therapy is currently available at two cochlear implant centres (Paediatric Cochlear Implant Programme, University of Manchester and Aston University, Birmingham Children's Cochlear Implant Programme) and through a national Oxfordshire-based charity called Auditory Verbal^UK (AV^UK).

Auditory verbal therapy is now available at three locations outside of the NHS; Auditory Verbal^UK (AV^UK) in Central London and Oxford, Christopher Place in London and at the Auditory Verbal Lounge in Nottingham.

References

1. ↑ Goldberg DM, Flexer C (September 2001). "Auditory-verbal graduates: outcome survey of clinical efficacy". J Am Acad Audiol 12 (8): 406–14. PMID 11599875. 
2. ↑ Hogan,, Sarah; Stokes, Jacqueline; White, Catherine; Tyszkiewicz, Elizabeth; Woolgar, Alexandra (September 2008). "An Evaluation of Auditory Verbal Therapy Using the Rate of Early Language Development As an Outcome Measure". Deafness & Education International 10 (3): 143–167. doi:10.1179/146431508790559760. Retrieved 2010-09-02. 

Additional Resources

• http://www.clsl.co.za
• http://www.avuk.org
• http://www.avuk.org/londoncentre.html
• http://www.auditoryverballounge.co.uk
• http://www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx
• http://www.cochlearamericas.com/
• http://www.avchears.org
• http://www.avuk.org/articles.html
• http://www.agbellacademy.org/Existing_Evidence.htm
• http://www.welisteninternational.com

Rhoades, EA; Chisholm, TH. (2001). Global language progress with an auditory-verbal approach for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Volta Review, Volume 102(1), Pgs. 5-25