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Soundfield Amplification

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Soundfield Amplification

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    1. Soundfield Amplification Kirsten Marconi-Hutkay, Au.D., CCC-A Educational Audiologist Stark County Educational Service Center

    2. What’s the BIG Deal? Hearing is a “first-order” event 60% of what we learn, we learn through audition When we think about hearing, we should really be thinking “Auditory Brain Development” Our ears get the sound in Growing & Developing the Auditory Brain!

    3. It’s All About the Brain!

    4. It’s All About the Brain! Children’s auditory brain centers are not fully developed until a child is about 15 years old! Children can’t perform automatic auditory cognitive closure like adults Can’t “fill in the gaps” when they miss something in class Don’t have the experience or knowledge base of an adult

    5. It’s All About the Brain! Signal-to-Noise Ratio is the KEY to hearing intelligible speech! ALL children need a quieter listening environment and a more audible signal during classroom instruction! +15 to +20 dB Signal to Noise Ratio - The signal must be 10 times louder than the background sounds! - Most classrooms have an inconsistent and poor signal-to-noise ratio, which can vary from +5 to -20dB.

    6. Improving the Signal-to Noise Ratio Always face your students Remove all extraneous sound sources Fans, air conditioning/heating vents Keep doors and windows shut Children cannot talk, shuffle their feet, move their desks or chairs, etc.

    7. Another Option Soundfield System Provides a consistent, audible signal throughout the entire classroom regardless of where the speaker is positioned Benefits ALL students Improves signal-to-noise ratio instantly and consistently Reduces vocal strain for the teacher

    8. “I don’t need a soundfield system, I talk loud enough!”

    9. Audibility vs. Intelligibility Audibility: speech is heard-but not clearly enough to distinguish speech sounds Loud, but not necessarily clear Intelligibility: speech is heard clearly enough to distinguish critical sound/word distinctions Loud enough to hear and clear enough to understand

    10. Audibility Carried by the vowels High energy, lots of power Low frequency 90% of the power of speech, but only 10% of the intelligibility

    11. Intelligibility Carried by the consonants Low energy, weak sounds High frequency 90% of the intelligibility, but only 10% of the power of speech Are easily lost in conversation, especially in the presence of background noise

    12. “I don’t need an amplification system..I talk loud enough” Think again about audibility and intelligibility When we talk loudly, we tend to punch the vowels Because the vowels are more powerful, they tend to mask (or cover up) the consonants Improving audibility, but not intelligibility Not to mention vocal strain

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    14. More research…. Increased student length of utterance Increased confidence when speaking Increased preference by teachers and students for sound-field FM amplification in the classroom Improved ease of listening and teaching Reduced vocal strain and fatigue for teachers Increased mobility for teachers Reduced special education referral rate Increase in seating options for students with hearing loss Cost-effective means of enhancing the listening and learning environment.

    15. Who Benefits? Everyone.. Teachers Less vocal strain = less absences Less repeating = more time for teaching! All children, but especially those with: Hearing loss Attention difficulties Ear infections –or- just fluid ESL Auditory processing difficulties

    16. Tips for Using Your System Involve your students (using the mic or adjusting the volume) Place mic at the level of your collarbone Speak in a natural voice..don’t shout! Use the on/off control when needed Recharge batteries each night Try to avoid dropping the mic Avoid tapping the mic to see if it’s on, try talking into it Once you adjust the volume, you will rarely have to change it

    17. Using your system Beginning of the day: Make sure your system has charged for at least 8 hours Place mic at level of collarbone. Turn mic and system on Note channel A or B and adjust the corresponding volume control

    18. Using your system End of the day: Turn system and mic off Plug mic into receiver using charging cord. You will see a green light on mic

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