Article and examples of instruction sheets - batod

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South of England Cochlear Implant Centre
Barb Hay, SOECIC (March 2005) and Pauline Cobbold (December 2011)
From an article on the BATOD website
www.BATOD.org.uk
Publications>>BATOD On-line Magazine >>Focus on Cochlear Implants

Creating a listening box
What are Listening Boxes
Why were they developed
When are Listening Boxes used
How are they used
Conclusion
Parent Comments on Listening Boxes
Examples of instruction sheets
• The wheels on the bus
• Scruffy Teddy dinner time
• Five little ducks
• Farm animals

South of England Cochlear Implant Centre
Barb Hay, SOECIC (March 2005) and Pauline Cobbold (December 2011)
We developed the Listening Boxes to help parents when both a SLT and a ToD were
working with a family. This meant that the ToDs would have quite big gaps between visits.
The Listening Boxes fell into disuse because we failed to get them back because of the long
gaps or items were lost by the families.
We needed a lot more of the very early ones and for various reasons this was not possible.
Some families developed the idea that they could not use their own toys but with others it
helped them focus and was very successful.
A small number with local nurseries showing them how they could develop resources based
on the ideas guidance sheet which was left with them.
Barb Hay, a ToD from New Zealand spent some time further developing the boxes and her
ideas were very much based on AVT strategies. We still have all the electronic versions of
the help sheets but sadly the actual toys have been lost or reused elsewhere.
Some examples of the sheets are available and these can easily be adapted to other books
and toys. Please, if the sheets are used as a basis for development, note a credit to SOEIC.
Creating a listening box Barb Hay, SOECIC (March 2005)
Listening Boxes evolved from Listening Bags, an idea used by various CI Centres and
Education teams to provide parents with structured activities to assist the development of
listening skills. The boxes are used as part of the rehabilitation programme for children who
have had cochlear implants.
What are Listening Boxes
Listening Boxes are sturdy, stackable, portable, easily recognisable and contain specific
activities, targeting a range of particular listening skills. The contents always include toys to
reinforce a particular skill, usually the words to a song or rhyme for parents to sing with their
children (remembering the importance of developing pitch, rhythm and intonation) and a
book for shared reading. The contents are listed on laminated sheets which provide advice
and step by step instructions on how to use the items effectively.
Why were they developed
Listening Boxes were developed to build up children's listening skills and to give parents
specific ideas on how to support their child's listening development. Each box provides ideas
on how children can experience sound in a meaningful and fun way. Before parents leave
the Centre the ideas contained in the box are explained, along with suggestions of how the
box could be used at home. An underlying aim is to encourage parents and families to spend
regular 'quality' time at home reinforcing the skills between visits from centre staff.

When are Listening Boxes used
Listening Boxes are particularly useful at early stages of development, to demonstrate to
parents how to work with their child on listening skills. Each Box has a specific reference to a
listening stage:
• auditory detection (knowing there is sound present);
• auditory discrimination (knowing that there are different types of sound);
• identification (knowing what the sound represents eg doorbell);
• comprehension (knowing that words/sounds have meaning and acting on that).
The activities are used to reinforce listening skills on a 1:1 basis whilst integrating
meaningful concepts in a fun way.
How are they used
A simple step-by-step laminated instruction sheet is included on how to use the Listening
Boxes. The specific purpose and goals for the box are on the front. From the front of the box,
parents and professionals can quickly and easily see the specific listening intent of each box.
A box developed to encourage auditory detection may simply have 'responding to sound'
and 'turn taking' as its specific goals. The box may only contain a drum and a ball with
instructions on how these may be used to develop the skill of auditory detection. The advice
may include;
a. banging the drum while encouraging the child to 'listen';
b. soft and loud banging;
c. marching to the beat of the drum;
d. playing the 'Wake Up' game - taking turns to be asleep and waking up when the
drum is banged;
e. throwing the ball when they hear the beat of the drum;
f. playing a simple hide and seek game with the drum.
A more complex Listening Box may involve developing the skills of auditory identification or
comprehension, including activities in, for example, auditory selection, turn-taking, auditory
memory, singing, role play and language building.
A 'loan card' system ensures a record of who has borrowed the box and the date of return.
Conclusion
It is fun collecting items and making Listening Boxes and the production reaps rewards and
good feedback from both the children and their parents. The boxes are widely used and they
are an invaluable tool in assisting parents in the development of their children's listening.

Parent Comments on Listening Boxes:
• 'Very inspirational.'
• 'Interesting with lots of variety.'
• 'Inspires parents to have confidence to work with their child'.
• 'I like the suggested activity and how it's broken down.'
• 'Captures my child's attention.'
March 2005
Pauline Cobbold
South of England Cochlear Implant Centre
Building 19
Highfield Campus
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
Tel: 02380 593522
Email: pc@isvr.soton.ac.uk

CONTENTS:
Book – The Wheels on the Bus
Bus- With driver and 8 animals/ people.
The Story and Game:
• Read the book with your child. Use a sing song voice.
• Re read the story using actions as you sing along with the book.
• Introduce the bus with all the various animals and people. Make noises for
the animals after you see them and name them, along with the people.
• Use the bus to sing the song with the animals and people as props. Put as
much expression into this as possible, while encouraging your child to join in
both vocally and with the actions.
• Hide the animals and make the noise they might make before pulling them
out. (This is not a test – just leave it a second or two before showing your
child the animal).
• Make an animal sound and then show the wrong animal – make a big fuss
about being wrong.
• Follow your child’s ideas and choices and encourage them to do the story for
you. When rereading the book, try to get your child to anticipate ‘what comes
next’ Make a game of this. Give choices. Do you think it’s the wipers going
swish, swish, swish or the lights going flash, flash, flash
• Play counting games to count how many people/ animals are on the bus.
• Line up the animals and say the sound that the animal might make. See if
your child can select the appropriate animal. Move on to the name of the
animal once this is accomplished.
• When putting the animals away ask for one item at first e.g. ‘ Give me the
dog’. Move on to 2 items e.g. ‘Give me the dog and the giraffe.’ Increase to 3.
ENJOY!
Please do not leave your child unsupervised with the listening box or its
contents. Thank you.

Listening Bag
CONTENTS:
Book – Scruffy Teddy Dinner Time
Tea set x 14 pieces
2 x bears
The Story and Games:
• Read the book with your child. Make the noises for each part of the story – “Yum”, “Splish
Splosh”.
• Look through the book, naming all the items – saucepan, jelly, table etc.
• Use the tea set and make your own noises – noisily slipping tea, putting cups on saucers.
• Use lots of expression in your voice and on your face!
• Name the different parts of the tea set. After a few days of using the tea set, spread the
items on the table before you have ‘tea’. Say the name of the item and pause before picking
it up (this is not a test – just leave it a few seconds before taking an item).
• Have a tea party with your child and the teddy bears. Take turns being the host. Ask if your
guests would like ‘tea’ or ‘sugar’ or ‘milk’.
• Make your own noises while cooking or getting ready for a meal. Just like the book.
• Sing the song several times encouraging your child to join in. Use the teddy as a prop for
teddy bear song. Use the clean up song when tidying away after the tea party.
Songs:
If you go down to the woods today
You’re in for a big surprise
If you go down to the woods today
You better go in disguise
For every bear that ever there was
Is gathered there together because
Today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic!
Clean up, clean up
Everybody do your share
Clean up , clean up
Everybody everywhere.
Enjoy!
Please do not leave your child unsupervised with the listening box or its contents. Thank you.

Listening Bag
This activity is for everyone in the family and for friends to play with your
child
Contents:
Book – Five Little Ducks
Five Little Ducks + Mother Duck.
Bag
The game:
• Take the book out of the box, read the book to your child. Use lots of
expression as you read.
• Put your hand in the bag and say ‘quack quack’.
• Get Mummy duck out.
• Encourage your child to take turns and put his/ her hand in, say ‘quack quack’
then get a duck out. Give him lots of praise when he says ‘quack quack’
before he takes the duck out.
• Show him/her Mummy duck and the baby ducks, pointing to each in turn,
counting the ducks as you do this.
• Read the book with a singing action, using the Sing the song carrying out the
actions with the ducks.
Song:
Five little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away,
Mummy duck called “quack quack quack! ”
But only four little ducks came back.
Four little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away,
Mummy duck called “quack quack quack! ”
But only three little ducks came back.
Three little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away,
Mummy duck called “quack quack quack! ”
But only two little ducks came back.
Two little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away,
Mummy duck called “quack quack quack! ”
But only one little duck came back.
One little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away,
Mummy duck called “quack quack quack! ”
But no little ducks came back.

CONTENTS:
Book – Farm Animals
Animals- horse, sheep, pig, duck, hen, cow
Bag
The Story and Game:
• Read the story and find the animals.
• Re read the story finding plastic animals as they appear.
• Make noises for the animals after you see them and name them.
• Match the toy animals to the picture ones.
• Hide the animals in the bag and make their noise before pulling them out.
(This is not a test – just leave it a second or two before showing your child the
animal).
• Make an animal sound and then show the wrong animal – make a big fuss
about being wrong.
• Follow your child’s ideas and choices and encourage them to do the story for
you.
• Play counting games to count how many of each sort of animal is in the book.
• Line up the animals and say the sound that the animal makes. See if your
child can select the appropriate animal. Move on to the name of the animal
once this is accomplished.
• When putting the animals away ask for one item at first e.g. ‘ Give me the
horse’. Move on to 2 items e.g. ‘Give me the sheep and the duck.’ Increase to
3 and 4.
• Use the farm mat to put the animals in different places. Talk about these,
moving the animals about talking about the activities the animals might do.
e.g. ‘Here’s the duck, he’s going to swim in the water. SPLASH, SPLASH!’
‘Here’s the cow. He’s going to eat the hay. Yum! Yum! Use lots of expression!
• Sing Old MacDonald with your child. Using the animals from the story let your
child choose which animals are on the farm. Sing the song and you choose
the animals. See if your child can find the one to match the noise you make.
ENJOY!
Please do not leave your child unsupervised with the listening box or its
contents. Thank you.

CONTENTS:
5 buns/ cakes
9 fruit and vegetables
Book- At the shops
Bag with coins
The Book and Games:
• Put your hand in the box and say ‘mmmmm’ (a rub on your tummy will indicate to your child
that it is something to eat).
• Get out a bun/ cake and put it on the table.
• Encourage your child to take turns and put his/ her hand in. Say ‘mmmm’ then get a bun out.
Give him lots of praise when he says ‘mmmm’ before he takes the bun out.
• Count them, pointing to each in turn… 1,2,3,4,5 currant buns
• Give your child one penny and say/sing the song. When his name is said, encourage him to
give you the penny in return for a bun.
• Look at the pictures in the book together and talk about the things to eat. Use ‘mmmmmm’
that’s nice, or, ‘ I like that, it’s yummy’ or ‘I don’t like this, do you’ or a similar phrase.
• Take the fruit and vegetables out of the box one at a time, name them and match them to the
pictures in the book. Match other items in the book to items you have in the home.
• Line up three of the fruit or vegetables. Name them several times and see if your child can
select the appropriate fruit or vegetable. Increase the number of fruit/ vegetables available for
selection (till you reach 6 items for display and your child can successfully select one of
these).
• When putting the fruit/ vegetables away ask for one item at first. e.g. ‘Give me the banana.’
Move to two items. e.g. ‘Give me the banana and the orange’. Increase to 3, as your child is
able to easily cope with this.
• Use all the items and money to play a shopping game, taking turns at asking for various
items.
Song:
5 currant buns in a baker’s shop
Round and fat with sugar on the top
Along came ……….with a penny one day
Bought a currant bun and took it away
4 currant buns in a bakers shop…., then 3,2,1
ENJOY!
Please do not leave your child unsupervised with the Listening bag or its contents. Thank
you.