Article and examples of instruction sheets - batod

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.