The whistle of a teapot, or bubbles in a pot hint at tasty things to come. The whizz of cars in front of us are warnings, while those traveling beside us are protective. The dial tone that lets us know we are one step closer to speaking to a loved one. In this series of classes, we will discuss the many ways we can sharpen our listening skills to make the most of what we hear. Whether your goal is to get out and travel, prepare a special meal, return to school or work, or write the great American novel, we will help you separate the useful signals from all the noise, and to level up your listening skills.
 
Course Schedule:
• Session 1- Welcome & Course Overview- This session will include staff/student introductions, a course overview, and introduction to auditory skills, the completion of a pre-test, and time for questions.
• Session 2- A Deep Dive into “Thinking in Sound”- The goal of this session is to introduce common examples of how to utilize auditory cues. Students will begin by identifying the type of learner they are and how to supplement that with auditory input. Tips for reading comprehension and interpersonal communication will also be covered.
• Session 3- Around the House- This session will focus on the application of auditory skills within the area of independent living. Cooking, note-taking, object location-identification, and labeling are some of the skill areas that will be covered.
• Session 4- Voices, Tones, and Beeps! Oh My- This session will introduce students to the audio information provided by various forms of mainstream and access technology. Students will be exposed to various types of voices and indication sounds. They will learn how to determine what the certain indicators mean, and which voice characteristics are most appropriate for various tasks.
• Session 5- Out & About- An O&M Specialist will join this session to discuss the intersection of orientation and mobility skills with auditory skills. Students will be provided with relevant examples and guided through the process of siphoning out the most useful auditory information amongst the plethora of noise in outside and unfamiliar environments.
• Session 6- Putting It All Together- This session will include time for final questions, a discussion about the process of transitioning to the usage of more auditory input, and a discussion of how to determine when it may be appropriate to use vision as well (this is known as the “Use Your Vision When it is F.U.N.,” technique). Students will also complete the post-test during this session.

What: The Language of Listening
When: Mondays & Wednesdays, November 18, 20, 25, & 27 and December 2 & 4
Where:  Online via Zoom
RSVP to Casey Lam at CLam@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7683.