| Gap Academy 4 John Street, Toronto, Ontario M9N 1J3 416 249-1500 |
| An innovative approach to teaching pre-teens and adolescents with learning disabilities. |
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"Welcome to the wonderful world of Gap, where things really change."
_________________________________________________________
| "Music is what feelings sound like." Anonymous |
Central Auditory Processing/CAP
Central Auditory Processing Disorder
Auditory processing disorder (APD), also known as central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), is a
complex problem affecting about 5% of school-aged children. These kids can't process the information they
hear in the same way as others because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. Something adversely
affects the way the brain recognizes and interprets sounds, most notably the sounds composing
speech.Kids with APD often do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even when the
sounds are loud and clear enough to be heard. These kinds of problems typically occur in background
noise, which is a natural listening environment. So kids with APD have the basic difficulty of understanding
any speech signal presented under less than optimal conditions.
Problem Areas for Kids With CAPD
The five main problem areas that can affect both home and school activities in kids with APD are:
1. Auditory Figure-Ground Problems: This is when the child can't pay attention when there's noise in the
background. Noisy, low-structured classrooms could be very frustrating.
2. Auditory Memory Problems: This is when the child has difficulty remembering information such as
directions, lists, or study materials. It can be immediate (i.e., "I can't remember it now") and/or delayed
(i.e., "I can't remember it when I need it for later").
3. Auditory Discrimination Problems: This is when the child has difficulty hearing the difference between
sounds or words that are similar (COAT/BOAT or CH/SH). This problem can affect following directions,
reading, spelling, and writing skills, among others.
4. Auditory Attention Problems: This is when the child can't maintain focus for listening long enough to
complete a task or requirement (such as listening to a lecture in school). Although health, motivation, and
attitude might also affect attention, among other factors, a child with CAPD cannot (not will not) maintain
attention.
5. Auditory Cohesion Problems: This is when higher-level listening tasks are difficult. Auditory cohesion
skills (drawing inferences from conversations, understanding riddles, or comprehending verbal math)
require heightened auditory processing and language levels. They develop best when all
the other skills (levels 1 through 4 above) are intact.
Auditory processing disorder (APD), also known as central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), is a
complex problem affecting about 5% of school-aged children. These kids can't process the information they
hear in the same way as others because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. Something adversely
affects the way the brain recognizes and interprets sounds, most notably the sounds composing
speech.Kids with APD often do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even when the
sounds are loud and clear enough to be heard. These kinds of problems typically occur in background
noise, which is a natural listening environment. So kids with APD have the basic difficulty of understanding
any speech signal presented under less than optimal conditions.
Problem Areas for Kids With CAPD
The five main problem areas that can affect both home and school activities in kids with APD are:
1. Auditory Figure-Ground Problems: This is when the child can't pay attention when there's noise in the
background. Noisy, low-structured classrooms could be very frustrating.
2. Auditory Memory Problems: This is when the child has difficulty remembering information such as
directions, lists, or study materials. It can be immediate (i.e., "I can't remember it now") and/or delayed
(i.e., "I can't remember it when I need it for later").
3. Auditory Discrimination Problems: This is when the child has difficulty hearing the difference between
sounds or words that are similar (COAT/BOAT or CH/SH). This problem can affect following directions,
reading, spelling, and writing skills, among others.
4. Auditory Attention Problems: This is when the child can't maintain focus for listening long enough to
complete a task or requirement (such as listening to a lecture in school). Although health, motivation, and
attitude might also affect attention, among other factors, a child with CAPD cannot (not will not) maintain
attention.
5. Auditory Cohesion Problems: This is when higher-level listening tasks are difficult. Auditory cohesion
skills (drawing inferences from conversations, understanding riddles, or comprehending verbal math)
require heightened auditory processing and language levels. They develop best when all
the other skills (levels 1 through 4 above) are intact.
| "We learn by example and direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction." Malcolm Gladwell |
| CAPD Resource Paper from ablekidsfoundation.org |
"The hearing ear is always found close to the speaking tongue” Ralph Waldo Emerson "Everyone hears only what he understands." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Unlike seeing, where one can look away, one cannot 'hear away' but must listen... hearing implies already belonging together in such a manner that one is claimed by what is being said. - Hans-Georg Gadamer |
| opening the door to learning and communication . For students that were shut-down to learning because of constant failure, music was an avenue to renew hope professionals strengthens and re-trains the auditory system for learning, communication, comprehension, and language. |