Guides and Tips for your next Adventure
PRACTICE AT HOME
Life doesn’t hold back, and you shouldn’t either!
Immediately after switch-on, you should get started learning to listen with your cochlear implant.
Don’t waste any time in beginning to do these sample exercises with your spouse, a close friend or a family member:
TIP #1
Follow along as your friend reads a passage in a book. Ask your reader to stop at certain words, so you can speak the words out loud. After this exercise, have him/her randomly read any sentence in a paragraph, so you can guess which sentence it was.
TIP #2
Without relying on speech-reading, have someone voice: -
Names of people you know
Simple sentences: “How are you?” or “Nice to meet you”
TIP #3
Listen to public radio. Talk shows are a good source of practice on the road – because they often deal with current news – giving you clues about the topic of conversation.
TIP #4
Try talking to a close friend or family member on a speaker phone. Listening via the speaker phone will allow your spouse or partner to clarify anything you miss.
Be sure to prompt your caller before you begin - “speak slowly and clearly... use short sentences... stay on topic, etc.” See Using the Telephone for some telephone training tips.
TIP #5
Listen to basic “read-along” children’s books available as audio book apps or even as CDs or cassettes at the library. Work up to more challenging literature as your training progresses.
Content excerpted from "Living and Hearing with a Cochlear Implant" by MED-EL.
Take it all in!
After you get switched on (or fitted with a new hearing aid) get out and about!
Go to restaurants, for walks, to a movie, out shopping – do anything you can do to “take it all in.” Getting into everyday life strengthens your chances for a successful experience with your new hearing device.
Life may sound strange and confusing at first, but you can’t begin to learn how to use your new auditory skills unless you immerse yourself in sound.
