Skill Development

From the chronicles

Working memory and hearing difficulties

If you are struggling to hear, it can lead to “I don’t know” answers, even if you do know. Research has found that people with a stronger working memory capacity will hear better in noise.If you’re in a situation with lots of background noise, whether you have hearing loss or not, your working memory capacity […]

Learn how to read lips No. 29

So enthusiastic am I, that I am willing to sing over the Internet. As a person who is deaf, that’s a big risk to take! I have created 10 free lipreading lessons on YouTube to help you get more practice. No singing. Promise. Related post: Learn how to read lips No. 28

What is the secret to hearing better in noisy environments?

Which do you think has the greatest impact when it comes to hearing in noise? Your age Your hearing threshold at 4,000 Hz (i.e., in the high frequencies) Working memory Believe it or not, research has shown that working memory is the most important of the three factors. The good news is that your […]

LACE AI Coaching Notes #8

Are you finding the Missing Word exercises in LACE AI a breeze? If so, let’s kick things up a notch. Try choosing Treatment > Mumbled instead of Fill in the blank—it’s not only tougher, but it also feels more like what you’ll encounter in everyday conversations. To get the most out of your training, head […]

Learn to read lips No. 28

When learning to read lips, context can make it seem obvious what someone is saying. In this case, the context is the duct tape and how it is used. Try it out in the video below! It’s essential to remain flexible and let go of what you initially thought you saw if it doesn’t fit. […]

Learn how to read lips No. 27

The topic of a conversation provides important lipreading cues. A word can have different meanings depending on its surrounding words or context. If I say the word “flour,” you might think of a flowery alpine meadow rather than the flour used to bake bread. When we say someone took our words “out of context,” we […]

Learn how to read lips No. 26

Lipreading, like any skill, gets better with practice. A useful technique is to substitute sounds that are visually similar. Substitution skill will support you in making educated guesses. Try it out in the video below! I have created a free series of ten lessons on YouTube that provides a foundation in lipreading theory. […]

LACE AI Pro Coaching Notes #7

Are you breezing through the Working Memory exercises in LACE AI? If so, add some background noise. The type of noise is important—choose verbal noise, such as the radio or people talking in the background. If you can systematically adjust the verbal noise to be louder or softer, that would be optimal. Find that sweet […]

Learn how to read lips No. 25

It’s so much easier to read lips when you know the topic! Can you guess the last word of the sentence when you know the topic in the video below? Related post: Learn how to read lips No. 24

LACE AI Pro is a missing piece in hearing loss rehabilitation

There is a missing piece in hearing loss rehabilitation. Researchers at the University of Louvain found that three factors impact comprehension as we age: processing speed, working memory, and distractibility (the ability to resist interference). They found that working memory in particular plays a crucial role in explaining age-related differences in language comprehension. The contribution […]