Hello, my name is Joyce Kerins from Neuron Learning, and today I’m going to talk about auditory processing and how important it is for learning.
We’re going to focus on three key areas: language, reading, and writing. I’ve been working with the Fast ForWord program for 22 years, and when I first started, very few people understood what auditory processing was.
I’m glad to say that today there is much greater awareness of the challenges children experience when auditory processing is affected.
One of the founders of the Fast ForWord program, Paula Tallal, shared two insights that are very relevant to what we’re discussing today.
She explains that listening to and processing ongoing speech is the fastest thing the human brain has to do. She also uses a powerful analogy: when it comes to processing auditory information, children with language-based learning difficulties are operating on dial-up speed, while children with good language skills are operating on high-speed internet.
This highlights what auditory processing is really about — the speed and accuracy of processing information.
Listening and Auditory Processing
When children experience auditory processing difficulties, there is a delay between the ear receiving information and the brain registering it. Our goal is to improve that timing so the brain processes information as it is being heard, not after.
In a classroom, if a child is listening to the teacher but not processing the information quickly enough, they miss parts of what is being said. They may misinterpret sounds within words or misunderstand entire words.
This can lead to confusion — the child may think the teacher is talking about one thing when they are actually talking about something else.
By the time the child realises this, the teacher has already moved on. As a result, the child loses their place, their concentration drops, and they struggle to remember what was said. Poor auditory processing affects other cognitive skills such as memory and attention.
Following Instructions
Processing speed is especially important when following instructions. For example, a teacher might say:
“Take out your geography book, open page 40, read the page, and answer questions two, three, and five on page 42.”
For a child with slow processing, this can be overwhelming. Parents often tell us they have to break instructions into very small steps so their child can manage them one at a time. Improving processing speed and accuracy helps children take in information, remember it, and act on it successfully.
Speech and Language
Speech also relies heavily on processing. A child must organise their thoughts, sequence them, structure sentences with a beginning, middle, and end, choose appropriate words, and speak fluently.
Children with processing difficulties may struggle with:
- Acquiring new vocabulary
- Pronunciation
- Storytelling
Parents and teachers often notice that when these children tell a story, they may ramble, go off topic, or start in the middle. This can affect not only academic performance but also social communication.
In group conversations, a child with processing difficulties may still be processing what one person said while others have already started speaking. As a result, when they join the conversation, their contribution may seem off-topic.
Good processing speed is also essential for understanding nuances, inferences, jokes, and sarcasm. When children miss these subtleties, it can be upsetting and impact their confidence and social relationships. Over time, this may lead to frustration, withdrawal, or low self-esteem.
Reading
Auditory processing plays a crucial role in reading. It supports:
- Decoding sounds at the beginning, middle, and end of words
- Recognising syllables and whole words
- Understanding prefixes, suffixes, and grammatical structures
Slow processing can make grammar and parts of speech difficult to grasp, such as knowing when to use certain pronouns or how singular and plural forms work. These are processing skills that must become automatic for reading to be fluent and meaningful.
Writing
Writing places even greater demands on processing. Children must organise their ideas, structure sentences, choose words, spell accurately, apply grammar, and use punctuation — all at the same time.
When processing is slow, writing takes much longer. Children may struggle to finish exams on time or spend excessive time on written homework. Often, they keep sentences very short to avoid spelling or grammatical mistakes.
As processing skills improve, we see improvements across language, reading, writing, and overall learning.
Parent Feedback
“My 10-year-old son has been diagnosed with dyslexia and was struggling in school. Now, his reading ability in a number of months beyond his actual school level, after participating in the program. Joyce and her team provided great service and support, enabling this great improvement.” Thanks.
“I’m very pleased with the program’s results! The main advantage is that for Susanna, it was simply a fun game, so she didn’t experience any stress, and the lessons themselves were pure enjoyment.
“My daughter is thriving in and out of school. She’s very involved with swimming and water sports. Before Fast ForWord, it was very difficult to get her to engage. So, we see that not only has the child improved academically, but also their self-esteem and their confidence improved socially as well.”
“Teachers say that he is like a different child. He’s progressing really well now”
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If you have any questions or would like to talk about your own child, please feel free to contact us at admin@neuronlearning.com
We’re happy to answer questions and chat about the challenges your child may be experiencing.