Music-based auditory training helps with

sound  sensitivity, focused listening, tuning

out background noise, auditory processing,

receptive and expressive language.

Music-based auditory training has been in use for almost 60 years, ever since French ENT Dr. Alfred Tomatis created his first training system. The phenomenal utility of auditory training for the remediation of ear, body and brain issues is increasingly being recognized by educators, speech therapists, occupational therapists, families and individual users.

Auditory Training Programs Provided by Brain Works

Our most intensive auditory training program is the DLS. Clients come to Brain Works and use this program with a trained clinician. In addition to personal supervision, we have value-added activities for our clients. Visual-motor-balance training while listening is an important part of our in-house program, as it hastens the growth of neural pathways for improved sensory and visual-motor capabilities. Computer-based cognitive training is also provided along with games that challenge the brain. The Integrative Listening Program with exercises for receptive and expressive language skills rounds out the in-house auditory training program at Brain Works. More detailed DLS information is below.

The home programs, the iLs Focus and iLs Kick Start, come in an auditory training kit with a visual-motor program included for greater progress. It is an easy program for people to use, and it has everything you need – the iLs iPod filled with the training program’s classical music, high quality headphones and equipment and instructions for movement activities. More detailed iLs Focus and iLs Kick Start information is below.

15-minute physical activities are done while listening to the iLs modified music, so that the auditory, visual, motor and vestibular (balance) systems in the body are stimulated in the brain at the same time. Then, the “neurons  that fire together, wire together”. Powerful!

Middle Ear Muscles
During listening training, two little muscles in the middle ear are exercised. The muscles attached to the hammer and stirrup tense and relax as they tune in to surprising frequency changes in the music. As the muscles strengthen, listening becomes more focused, background noise is tuned out more easily, and sound sensitivities improve.

Auditory Processing
Over time, frequencies are gradually removed and then added to the music during the listening training. This process is called filtering. The auditory system in the brain becomes trained to discriminate among the individual frequencies in the music, which helps the client improve their discrimination of speech sounds. Thus, auditory processing (the ability to understand what others are saying) becomes much easier.

Sensory Integration
Listening plays a role in brain development and organization. Sound energy encourages new pathways to grow in the brain. These pathways connect various parts of the brain together such as the centers for vision, movement, balance, touch, taste, listening, speech and emotions. Sensory integration (the senses working together) allows for such skills as hand-eye coordination, spatial orientation, reading, concentration, bowel and bladder control, mood, memory, eye contact, and toleration of touch/sound.

Here is what we observe as our clients do their training to strengthen in their auditory system, vestibular (balance) system and brain:

1. Auditory system – helps with sound sensitivity, focused listening, tuning out background noise, auditory processing, receptive and expressive language.
2. Vestibular system – helps with balance, coordination, visual tracking, muscle tone, sensory integration, sensitivity to touch and taste, spatial reasoning, body awareness, sleep, eye contact, anxiety and math.
3. Brain – helps with memory, attention span, clarity of thought, processing speed, musicality, creativity, problem solving, decision making, impulse control, impulse control,social awareness, emotions, motivation and learning.

In-house Program at Brain Works – DLS™

Listening with DLS at Brain Works

The Dynamic Listening System (DLS) is the most intense auditory training program offered at Brain Works. The program allows for direct supervision by our trained practitioners. Several activities accompany the listening that accelerate the brain training affect of the program. Our bone conduction headphones are very helpful for sensory integration, attention span and overly sensitive hearing.

Bone Conduction Headphones

Bone conduction is the conduction of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull. The sound travels directly to the cochlea instead of having to go through the eardrums first. Thus we hear through two different avenues – the eardrums and through our skull with bone conduction.

People who hear TOO well with their bone conduction tend to have sensitive hearing and hypersensitive senses (sensory processing problem). Good examples are people who are picky eaters, cannot stand labels in their shirts, hate certain noises and get car sick easily.

The bone conduction headphones have a small piece under the padding of the top of the headphones that vibrates with low frequencies. The extra vibration helps correct the hypersensitivities of people with poor sensory processing, helps people be more alert to their environment and helps normalize hearing.

Listening is done for 80 minutes a day 3 to 5 days a week for 31 sessions. Phase I (15 sessions) focuses on the low frequencies (sensory integration & motor skills) and gradually filtering out the lower frequencies to move through the middle frequencies (communication) to the high frequencies (creativity and thinking). Phase II (8 sessions) is focused on the high frequencies and gradually defiltering back down to the low frequencies. Phase III focuses on the middle frequencies and using the Interactive Language Program.

Activities Done During Auditory Training

While our adult and child clients are doing their listening, we have them chose fun activities to do such as artwork, games, puzzles, building forts, making jewelry, participating in their hobbies or just taking a nap. Relaxation during training is key.

An important part of our auditory training program at Brain Works is the Learning Breakthrough Program of visual-motor-balance activities, which activate the brain to improve such skills as attention span, visual tracking, peripheral vision, hand-eye coordination, balance, quick visual-motor decision making, right and left hemisphere coordination and reading.

In addition, we add cognitive training with computer programs and table games that stimulate mental skills.

Finally, a portion of the DLS training involves the Interactive Listening Program during which the client reads, sings and repeats words or phrases into a microphone for greater auditory processing and expressive language. Call 855-379-1981 for prices.

Home Auditory Training Programs Available from Brain Works

iLs Focus™

The iLs Total Focus and Focus 200 are portable auditory training systems designed to be used for home, school or corporate use. The units each have a headphone with bone conduction and a visual-motor Integration Kit.

Read more at Home Training.

iLs Kick Start™

The iLs Kick Start is a portable auditory training system designed for home, corporate or school use. It is 12-week program that progresses gradually through the sensory motor, speech/language, and integration bandwidths

Read more at Home Training.

Integration Kit™

The Integration Kit and Playbook included with the iLs Focus and iLs Kick Start enhance the efficacy of the listening component. The Integration Kit and Playbook are sold only in conjunction with iLs listening systems, and are not available separately.

Read more at Home Training.

iLs Interactive Language Program™

The Interactive Language Program is designed to help children and adults improve various auditory processing skills such as phonemic awareness, auditory memory, auditory figure- ground and dichotic listening.

Read more at Home Training.

What’s the Next Step?

We offer many options, from personally supervised sessions to at-home programs designed for personal use.  We can design a training program for you or a family member, which has given thousands of children and adults a new lease on life. Please give us a call or email us and find out how we can help you with your needs.