Auditory-Verbal Practice Course

AV Therapists & SLPs

Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) Training for CI Interventionists

Course Full
Upcoming Course Dates
Mar 3
May 19, 2025
in collaboration with

Course Introduction

This course is designed for aspiring and advanced speech-language pathologists, teachers of the deaf, and early interventionists to improve listening and spoken language (LSL) outcomes for children and adults following cochlear implantation. Topics include auditory skill development, specific intervention strategies, and techniques following Auditory-Verbal (AV) practice to maximize the auditory potential of pediatric and adult cochlear implant recipients. Considerations to facilitate listening skills for special populations such as the young implanted child, the older implanted child, the multiply challenged child, and the child who is bilingual or has a spoken language in the home different than the community. Participants will develop knowledge and practical insights to coach and guide families and engage professionals in educational settings to support CI recipients.

This course is a collaborative endeavor of ICIT and Hearing First and includes 11 weekly modules of online curriculum, web discussions, and live virtual classes. The last two of the eleven modules will provide learners an opportunity to participate in guided observation and discussion of LSL AV intervention sessions to facilitate the transfer of theory and knowledge into practice. An added benefit for those pursuing LSLS Certification ™ from the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language ® (Academy) is that these two observation modules can be used as 2 of the 10 required observations towards the Academy LSLS Certification™ requirements as they will have the opportunity to complete the Academy Form C3 Structured Observation Form. After the course, completion participants are encouraged to continue their learning in LSL practice in the Hearing First Community Professional Learning Community.

CEUs

Hearing First is approved by the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language to offer Continuing Education Hours for Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) certification. This program has been approved for a maximum of 13.00 CEUs. AG Bell Academy approval of this course is based on information shared by the approved provider. Views shared by the presenter(s) may not necessarily reflect the views of the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language either in part or whole.

Speaker Disclosures

Learning Outcomes

Training Topics

ONLINE CURRICULUM MODULES

  1. The Brain: Explain what we now know about auditory neural physiology and develop a counseling narrative for describing cochlear implants as brain access devices.
  2. Development of an Auditory Function: Identify and describe the development of an auditory function in CI recipients and the diagnostic nature of aural (re)habilitation.
  3. Speech Acoustics: Explain the concepts of psychoacoustics (loudness, pitch, duration, and localization) as they relate to auditory access in the development and production of speech.
  4. Cochlear Implant Programming and the Role of the (Re)Habilitation Providers: Describe CI programming relative to the role and responsibilities of an early interventionist, speech-language pathologist, and educator of the deaf. Auditory Teaching Strategies and Techniques in LSL AV Practice: Explain how to implement auditory teaching strategies and techniques to guide and coach families of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
  5. Guiding and Coaching Families in AV Practice to Improve LSL Outcomes.
  6. Implementing Auditory Teaching Strategies with Special Populations: Explain how to implement auditory teaching strategies in special populations including older implanted children; multiply challenged children; bilingual children.
  7. Facilitating Cochlear Implant Rehabilitation with Adult CI Recipients: Describe auditory teaching strategies, techniques and exercises to facilitate auditory skill development in adult CI recipients and older adults with cognitive decline.
  8. The Multidisciplinary Team: Explain the importance of a multidisciplinary team in cochlear implantation to maximize the auditory potential of CI recipient.
  9. LSL AV Guided Observation: Observe, analyze, and discuss a video-recorded intervention session with a Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS™). Access specific session plans, case history, and audiological information including speech perception scores and diagnostic evaluations to reinforce knowledge and extend the LSL learning.
  10. LSL AV Guided Observation: Observe, analyze, and discuss a video-recorded intervention session with a Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS™). Access specific session plans, case history, and audiological information including speech perception scores and diagnostic evaluations to reinforce knowledge and extend the LSL learning.

Course Format

Online Didactic Training

11 weekly modules hosted on Open LMS

  • Pre-recorded video lecture introduces module content (60min each) to view at your convenience
  • Suggested reading materials supplement learning concepts
  • Discussion Board posts facilitate networking and interaction with participants and instructors
  • Knowledge assessments review major concepts

Weekly Live Web Classes

  • Hosted on Blackboard to review and emphasize major points, have detailed case discussions, and Q & A sessions
  • Facilitated by leading Auditory Verbal Therapists in cochlear implantation

2 Guided Observations Included

Observe, analyze, and discuss a video-recorded intervention session with a Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS™). Access specific session plans, case history, and audiological information including speech perception scores and diagnostic evaluations to reinforce knowledge and extend the LSL learning.

Tuition

Link to pay tuition will be sent if application is accepted.

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Auditory-Verbal Practice Course

Participant Reviews

Melissa J. W. Hall, AuD, CCC-A/SLP
Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathologist University of Florida Health

I think what you all do at ICIT is absolutely commendable. I have a previous student who is taking the audiology course right now, and she is absolutely loving it. The partnership with ICIT and Hearing First is powerful. This training is specific and greatly needed to allow improved access to services of excellent quality for children with hearing loss. There are so many children and adults that need the expertise that this training provides. Training such as this allows them to have access to exceptionally educated practitioners who can make a difference in their lives, not just in their speech. I would encourage anyone working with birth to 3 to partake in this training.

Olivia Murphy
Texas Children's Hospital

The Auditory Verbal Practice Course provided by ICIT and Hearing First was a wonderful first step for me as a speech-language pathologist beginning my training in auditory verbal therapy. It was comprehensive, well-organized, and provided helpful resources that I was able to immediately implement into my daily practice. I really enjoyed the layout of the course, with 8 weeks of didactic lecture and live webinars, followed by three months of one-on-one coaching and mentorship. It felt like a very natural progression, and I appreciated the ability to put knowledge and theory into practice, under the guidance of a LSL certified therapist. Each of the lecturers who presented on a topic each week were extremely knowledgeable and great teachers. I feel like this course was invaluable to my training and journey to provide SLP services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Susan Dillmuth-Miller, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA
Associate Professor Communication Sciences & Disorders Clinical Audiologist

This is what I needed to serve our clientele with hearing loss and for me to teach the next generation of speech pathologists.

Tiara Booth, MA, CCC-SLP
Children's National Hospital

The Institute for Cochlear Implant Training is a fantastic course and I highly recommend it! The course was designed well and covered a variety of topics. There were always opportunities for group discussions and question/answer time with the experts. I feel very confident in my role as a Speech-Language Pathologist working with the cochlear implant population following completion of this course.

Lori V. Wagner, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist USC Caruso Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery Caruso Family Center for Childhood Communication

I just wanted to thank you for such a great learning experience. I loved the organization and the collaboration of all the professionals who presented. This is truly a very well done course.

Amanda Wildman, MS, CCC-SLP
NYU Langone Health

This course was an amazing learning experience and I am so grateful to have participated. Not only did we have the opportunity to learn from talented LSL Certified AVTs, but we were able to collaborate with other professionals through the discussion boards and throughout the live sessions. I was able to take what I learned each week and immediately apply and integrate new techniques into my practice. I feel more skilled, knowledgeable, confident, and prepared to tackle challenging cases since completion of this learning opportunity. Thanks ICIT!

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