Book Two (Intermediate/Advance)

During the school year, verbal instructions from the classroom teacher make up most of the auditory demands on students. When teachers complain that their students do not listen efficiently, they are usually referring to youngsters who seem unable to follow simple verbal instructions.

Based on the belief that listening – as opposed to hearing – is a skill that can be learned, Ray Barsch, a pioneer in the field of learning disabilities, has structured an auditory-visual training program to meet the needs of such students. And it really is fun! The class is instructed to follow the teacher’s verbal directives – e.g., “Draw a line from 25 to 33” or “In the E-7 square write the letter T.” Following these directives on an assortment of grids will result in completed designs, figures, signs, proverbs, etc. If the directives are not followed precisely, the youngsters will still be able to easily identify their errors on the grid.

The reproducible activities can be used with an entire class, in small groups or individually. In each book, a large variety of exercises start with simple designs and progress to more challenging end products. Sometimes the finished design or product will not be obvious until the last few directives are given by the teacher. This adds to the fun of discovery in this meaningful, enjoyable program.