CERTIFICATION & COACHING: IM PEDIATRIC BEST PRACTICES

MODULE 4: TEACHING AUDITORY ASSOCIATION SKILLS

By Mary Jones, OTR/L, DipCOTSensational Kids, LLC

Brain Focus International, Inc.

Outcome Goals for Module 4

• Homework assignment and post-test review from previous Module 3.

• Tools and techniques to help teach IM with guide sounds

• Review of Module 4• Assignment/Homework

Review of Post-Test from Module 3

1. True or False: It does not matter what activities you do with your IM clients, as long as you find them relevant to your own clinical goal framework.

• Answer: False

Review of Post-Test from Module 3

2. True or False: Motivational strategies are vital to help maintain client engagement.

• Answer: True

Review of Post-Test from Module 3

3. Strategies that help build a client’s motivation include:

a)Drawing on a client’s own interests

b)Give lots of verbal and nonverbal reinforcement

c) Both a and bd)Provide a structured list of

required session activities.• Answer: C

Review of Post-Test from Module 3

4. True or False: Applying principles of engagement has no bearing on greater neuroplastic changes and functional outcomes for clients.• Answer: False

Review of Post-Test from Module 3

5. The following switches may be used with the IM Pro system:

a)Compatibility switchesb)Mouth switchesc) Voice activated switchesd)All of the above

• Answer: D

The Key to IM Success:

• Modify for Engagement!• Be Spontaneous for

Novelty!• Increase repetition for Synaptic growth!

Techniques for Success

• Positioning alternatives• Physical Environment• Sensory Environment• Motivation Strategies• Tempo/Timing variance• Feedback Strategies• Interpreting Data• Pacing of activities and themes• Duration of tasks and sessions• Building Relationships – allowing control• Switch choices and Access

In Support of Guide Sounds

• Auditory guide sounds tell the individual exactly how accurate the rhythmic timing of his or her movements are as they are occurring. The sounds also help the individual recognize when his or her attention is wandering and learn how to get back on task.

Development of Temporal Processing

• Unlike visual and tactile stimuli, auditory signals that allow perception of timbre, pitch and localization are temporal. (Winer, J)

Developing Selective Attention using IM Training• Over a series of weekly

sessions, your brain learns rhythm and timing, much like the way feedback from training wheels once helped you learn how to balance on a bicycle.

• The student learns to attend for longer and longer periods of time without interruption. Guide sounds are key in developing higher abilities in planning and sequencing and learning new complex cognitive and physical tasks with increasedefficiency.

When and How to Transition to Guide Sounds during IM Training

• The role of guide sounds in the ‘big picture’

• Sound categorization relies on other sensory modalities and on behavioral feedback, these are customizable within the IM software (Shamma, S)

Developing a Treatment Plan

• Step One –

Client is able to associate with the reference tone

Developing a Treatment Plan

• Step Two –

Discern the client’s best learning style: visual; auditory; combination; structured; role play; motivation; feedback

incentives.

Developing a Treatment Plan

• Step Three –

Take charge of the IM software settings – volume intensity; volume settings; difficulty; tempo; visual feedback;

duration.

Developing a Treatment Plan

• Step Four –

Set up the activity – switch access; role play; turn taking;

proprioceptive input to aid learning; rhythm activities;

themed games.

Slide 19

Left Ear EARLY

BuzzerRubber band twang

Rubberbandtwang

BuzzerHigh Pitch Rewarding Sound

1 second = 1,000 milliseconds

200 100

40 150

15 40

100 200

0 - 15 ms Perfect16 - 40 ms Above Average

41 - 100 ms Average

Left EarEARLY

Right EarLATE

Sample One

• Adjusting the volume settings

Sample Two

• Adjusting visual feedback

Sample Three• Adjusting difficulty setting• Tempo – Burst Threshold –

Volume – Repetitions – Difficulty

Sample Four• Attend to volume intensity• Consider Headphones vs

Speakers

Role Playing and Turn Taking

Movie: Peds 4 Slide 25.mp4

Tips, Tricks and Learning Kicks

Letting off steam and being creative helps with extending training and compliance.

Whole Body Movement

CAN YOU FEEL THE BEAT?

Explore Techniques to Help ‘Feel’ the Beat

Movie: Peds 4 slide 28.mp4

Explore Techniques to Help ‘Feel’ the Beat

Movie: MOV03071.mp4

Review of Module 4 Learning Objectives

• Teaching auditory association skills

• Examples of strategies to help teach auditory association skills using IM.

• Developing a treatment plan with IM to help children to associateto a rhythmic beat.

Module 4 Homework1. Complete Module 4 Post-

Test2. Watch webinar, “Those

Guide Sounds are Driving me Crazy!”

3. Complete webinar Post-Test

Resources• Shamma, Shihab. “On the

Role of Space and Time in Auditory Processing.” Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Volume 5, Issue 8. pgs. 340-348. 1 August 2001

• Winer, Jeffery A. “The Auditory Cortex: Fundamental Neuroscience.” 2011