64 listening skills
How to learn the direction a sound comes from
Children first learn to locate sounds that happen near their ears. Then
they learn to look for the source of sounds that are above or below
their ears. Then they look for the source of sounds that are farther and
farther away. Finally, children learn to look for the source
of sound that is behind them.
• If your child is interested in a noisy toy that you are
sure she can hear, try moving it out of sight. Then
make the noise again above her ears and see if she
will turn her head to search for it. When she has
learned to do this, make noise below the level of
her ears. Finally, make a noise behind her.
Try to be patient, because it
can take several months for a child to turn
toward sounds. When she responds some of the
time (even if not all the time), you can move
on to the next step.
• Change the expression on
your face, or call attention
to the sound with a gesture
— like pointing to your ear
and then to what is making
the sound.
• Try hiding a noisy
toy in your pocket.
See if the child can
find it while you
make noise with it.
What’s that
sound, Lupe?
Where is it?
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (2004)