If you missed this incredible workshop about auditory processing in the gifted especially as it applies to PG and HG children and the 2E, here is the recording.

This was an advanced presentation about hearing and auditory processing. Parents, educators, and medical professionals are welcome. 

The term auditory processing refers, in general, to “what we do with what we hear,” encompassing an array of skills beginning at the outer ear and ending when a response is provided – even if that response is incorrect. Skills include collection and detection of the signal (hearing acuity), analysis and synthesis of each sound (acoustic), meaning attachment (language), and execution of a response with these skills influenced by attention, memory, listening demeanor, motivation, wellness, and cognition. Thus, functional issues in auditory processing, i.e., day-to-day listening and usage, can result from and/or co-exist with specific auditory impairment, language impairment neurocognitive dysfunction, or health disorders (e.g., it can be difficult to “process” information when unwell). The central auditory evaluation is designed to determine factors that underlie a client’s reported functional listening issues, i.e., functional auditory processing concerns. Some gifted children may “hide” a hearing or processing problem, by using their gifts, and in turn, these issues may hide their giftedness. This presentation will discuss development and assessment of auditory skills, “red flags” for possible auditory impairments which indicate need for assessment, types of auditory impairments, and intervention for auditory/auditory processing deficits. Join us for answers to these frequently asked questions:

• Why should we test for auditory issues? 

• Who should be tested and when?  What role do other communicative, educational, and/or neurocognitive issues play in the assessment and intervention process?

• What’s involved in an evaluation?

• What information will tests give me – that I don’t already know about my gifted or

• suspected gifted learner?- that is, what do results MEAN?

• What can be done IF an auditory problem is diagnosed?

About our Presenter: Dr. Ferre is a nationally recognized expert on central auditory processing disorders (CAPD), with over 35 years experience providing evaluation and intervention of CAPDs to children and adults. She established her practice in 1988, becoming one of the first audiologists in the nation to open a practice devoted exclusively to the evaluation and treatment of auditory processing disorders and has provided these services at her Oak Park office for over 25 years. IIn addition to her clinical practice, she is a member of the Adjunct Faculty of Northwestern and Rush Universities, teaching graduate classes in assessment and management of CAPD and serving as an off-campus practicum supervisor to improve students’ clinical skills in the area of CAP assessment and intervention. Dr. Ferre regularly attends special education eligibility meetings and assists with development of IEPs and 504 accommodation plans. She has provided consultation on auditory processing to school districts and education departments in Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Georgia, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. Dr. Ferre is on the advisory board of Audiology Online  and is a regular editorial reviewer of papers related to central auditory processing for several professional journals. She has contributed to “best practice” documents for central auditory processing assessment and intervention for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Her pioneering research in this area led to the development of the Bellis-Ferre model, currently one of the most widely used models for interpreting central auditory processing test results. She is the co-author of a widely used test for screening processing disorders among school-age children, the Differential Screening Test for Processing, available from www.proedinc.com .

Dr. Ferre has published extensively in professional journals and written chapters for collegiate texts and has given over 300 presentations on CAPD to school districts, related professional associations, speech-language-hearing conferences, and parent support groups at the local, state, national and international levels.

Dr. Ferre’s work has earned numerous awards. She is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a Fellow of the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and a Distinguished Alumnus of Illinois State University. In addition, she has received the Clinical Achievement Award and Honors of the Association from the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Dr. Ferre mentors graduate students and young professionals regarding central auditory processing disorders and their impact on listeners/learners of all ages. She is an active volunteer leader of the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ISHA) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Her current research interests include improving effectiveness of treatments for CAPDs, screening for processing disorders, and graduate clinical preparation.