Question
What are authentic classroom resouces as they pertain to practicing listening skills? Can you provide an example of what they might look like?
Answer
With the word ‘authentic’ I am mostly thinking about the fact that the classroom environment is a place where learning is happening in an integrated way. Hopefully the one-on-one therapy session can be negotiated in that way as well. I know it is something that I certainly work to focus on in my therapy session that as many activities as I can do that involve role-playing and social language. My therapy session is going to be more structured than the classroom environment might be, but I will work as much as I can to make games and activities that I do in that pull-out session, as natural as I can by including social language, etc. The authentic learning environment offered in the classroom means that social language is occurring. The idea that learning next to other people and learning in real time is happening in the classroom, and that is an authentic learning environment.
Ashley S. Garber, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert AVT owns Listening and Language Connections, a private practice in Ann Arbor Michigan providing auditory verbal therapy services, LSLS mentoring and consulting. Her 15 years in the field include posts at the University of Michigan Cochlear Implant Program, the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center and privately in Venezuela. She is also an educational consultant for Cochlear Americas.
