Skill Development

From the chronicles

Feeling excluded from group conversations because you can’t hear?

To anyone who has felt left out or not included for any reason: may you find your tribe. Don’t give up! 🙏 In addition to finding the support of others who made the effort to include me, I also rely on cochlear implant technology, remote microphone technology (Phonak Roger 20 receiver and a Roger On […]

When you’re learning how to read lips No. 36

Learning to read lips is all a matter of practice! Here’s an example of what you need to know: Check out my free Lipreading Challenge on YouTube to quickly learn key lipreading concepts. Just 90 minutes can improve your skills and help you when the listening environment is challenging. If you need more support, I […]

Cochlear implants without auditory training is like a cell phone without a signal

Cochlear implants without auditory training is like a cell phone without a signal. If you can’t get a signal on your phone despite a nearby cell phone tower, you might feel disconnected and different (compared to everyone else who can get a signal). Similarly, with cochlear implants, the signal in the signal-to-noise ratio is the […]

Learn to read lips No. 35

When you’re trying to lipread, clues from the context are like the autocomplete or autosuggest features on a search engine. By context, I mean what is happening in the moment; what just happened; what is about to happen; who you are with; and where you are. How would you ask for context, if it was […]

Even people with normal hearing benefit from auditory training

Processing speed affects our ability to hear in noisy listening environments, even for people with normal hearing. I emphasize this even for people with normal hearing, because some people with hearing loss believe that hearing aids alone should provide the benefits they are looking for. But even older adults with normal hearing have difficulty in […]

Hearing aids without auditory training is like a dog walk without a dog

Without my dog, I’d skip walks when it’s difficult, missing out on exercise, sunlight, and dog joy in the snow. This is what life would look like: Similarly, background noise makes it difficult to hear. Without auditory training, people may avoid noisy environments altogether. Auditory training uses structured exercises to help the brain hear […]

Learn how to read lips No. 34

Can you read lips? Some people seem to have natural ability. Whether you have that natural ability or not, it helps to review some basics first. Getting a little background information (such as which sounds look alike and how that can help you to make educated guesses) can make learning lipreading a lot easier. Here’s […]

Learn how to read lips No. 33

If you’re learning about lipreading, it helps to review some basics first. Getting a little background can make learning lipreading a lot easier and save you some hassle. Here’s an example in a short video (23 seconds!): Check out my free Lipreading Challenge on YouTube to quickly learn key lipreading concepts. Just 90 minutes […]

Hearing aid regret: why waiting years can cost you

Most people wait years to get hearing aids. In the meantime, it’s not uncommon to lose confidence in communication abilities. When you’re unsure about keeping up in conversations or worry you’re not coming across as interesting or witty, you might find yourself hanging back from social stuff. (I know I don’t feel interesting or witty […]

Learn to read lips No. 32

Anyone can learn to read lips, if the difficulty level is just right. The best way to make it easier is to know the topic. If you’re the talker and you suspect the listener is struggling, tell them what you are talking about. If you’re a listener, ask for the topic. “I must admit, I’ve […]