Guides and Tips for your next Adventure
USING THE TELEPHONE
The telephone is integral to communication at home, in the workplace, and in social environments.
As a cochlear implant recipient, you can maximize telephone use through specific training, either with a phone “buddy” or a trained therapist. Practice the following ideas with your buddy, pacing yourself for the best possible results.
Also be creative with some ideas of your own!
Level One
Practice positioning the telephone receiver over the microphone on the audio processor. Using a speakerphone can be useful.
Discriminate between different telephone tones.
Practice hellos and good-byes, gender identification and caller identification.
Ask your buddy to use a telephone “code” to answer simple questions you ask, such as “Yes-Yes,” “No,” and “I Don’t Know.” Codes are helpful if you are not yet able to use the phone well. The number of syllables provide a clue to the answer of the question.
Practice simple conversational techniques:
- Use prepared conversations with written text, like a section in a children’s book or from a newspaper
- One-item questions – “Did you go by train?”
Level Two
Practice conversational techniques:
- “Either/Or” questions – “Did you go by bus or car?”
- Closed-set (limited set) questions – “Which day do you want to go?”
- Open-set questions with a clue – “Where do you want to go?”
Level Three
Progress from simple to more complex conversations with random sentences.
Use a range of speakers with random sentences.
Try different types of telephones - landlines and mobile phones, with a speakerphone.
Practice in different listening environments.
Work through interactive exercises such as making an appointment or ordering a take-out dinner.
Content excerpted from "Living and Hearing with a Cochlear Implant" by MED-EL.
Using Accessories to Maximize Your Success with the Telephone
A telecoil is a special circuit inside the audio processor designed to pick up electromagnetic signals. These magnetic signals – or induction signals – are wirelessly transmitted to the audio processor by using a telecoil accessory (neckloop or silouette) that is connected to the device you a listening to.
Wireless Digital Systems are great tools for learning to use the telephone because they minimize any background noise, helping you focus more on the sound streaming from you are listening to. Many of them utilize Bluetooth connectivity and are compatible with many devices.
Direct-Connect accessories are available for some hearing devices that stream sound directly to your instruments via cable or mini-receiver. This approach also can minimize any background noise, helping you focus more on the sounds from your audio device.
