Students or clients also receive practice in using conversational strategies that promote successful conversation. Activities include syllable and sentence drill, continuous discourse tracking, simulated conversations, and prepared discussions about communication strategies. An eclectic approach incorporating activities for the phoneme to the paragraph level. Use of residual hearing and listening skills is stressed to supplement visual cues. Material is presented at approximately the eighth-grade level for language and reading skills.
Lessons help the instructor select between analytic and synthetic methods.
Analytic proceeds from nonmeaningful to meaningful via phonemes, syllables, word, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. Analytic teaches about the visibility of sounds from a speaker. Synthetic is then integrated, involving the identification of entire messages and recognition of verbal elements. This revision contains updated language, additional supplemental materials, and functional outcome suggestions as a follow-up to the lesson objectives. Lessons can be integrated with sign or pictures of signs for increased understanding and a total communication approach.