Menu
Hearing First
Person Icon
Hearing First Logo
Hearing First
  • Family Community
  • Professional Community
  • User
  • Site
  • Search
  • User
  • Getting Started
  • Listening & Spoken Language
    • Listening & Spoken Language
    • Overview
    • What is LSL?
    • What LSL Takes
    • The Science of LSL
    • Building Your Support Team
      • Building Your Support Team
      • Overview
      • Meet the Early Intervention Professionals
      • What to Look for in an LSL Professional
      • The Parent-Professional Partnership
      • Finding LSL Services in Your Area
      • Covering the Cost of LSL
  • Hearing Evaluation & Technology
    • Hearing Evaluation & Technology
    • Overview
    • Newborn Hearing Screening
    • Hearing Evaluation and Diagnosis
    • Hearing Technology
    • Maximizing Technology
      • Maximizing Technology
      • Overview
      • Baby
      • Toddler
      • Preschooler
      • School-Age
  • What To Do
    • What To Do
    • Overview
    • LSL in Daily Life
    • LSL Strategies & Techniques
      • LSL Strategies & Techniques
      • Overview
      • Be a Director
      • Be a Bird Dog
      • Hear It Before They See It
      • Make Listening Easier
      • Play-By-Play
      • It's Your Turn
      • Create a Listening Sandwich
      • Keep Them on Their Toes
      • Beyond the Here and Now
      • It's All About Me
      • Help Me But Don't Tell Me
      • What Did You Hear?
    • LTL Sounds and Phrases
    • Road to Literacy
      • Road to Literacy
      • Overview
      • Reading Aloud
      • Singing & Rhyming
      • Experience Books
    • New Experiences
      • New Experiences
      • Overview
      • Baby
      • Toddler
      • Preschooler
      • School-Age
  • Celebrate LSL
    • Celebrate LSL
    • Overview
    • LSL Life
      • LSL Life
      • Overview
      • Genesis
      • Sophie
      • Ethan
      • Cici
      • Kamen
      • Corlena
      • Maggie
      • Zach
      • Dacie & Carlie
      • Morgan & Katie
      • Maya
      • Fletcher
    • Powering Potential Podcast
    • Inspiring Stories
    • The Listening Project
  • Learn & Connect
    • Learn & Connect
    • Overview
    • Families
    • Professionals
    • Learning Experiences
    • Course Catalog
    • Resources
    • Articles
    • Starts Hear Campaign
Learn & Connect Articles

An LSL Strategy to Get Started

Article | 2 min read
LSL in Your Inbox

Stay current with the latest LSL news

Subscribe Now

As a new listener, your child doesn't know what sound is yet or what's important to listen to. That’s where you come in to teach them! You can use the Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) strategy “Be a Director.” That means you purposely direct your child to listen to the people and sounds around them. This helps your child learn which ones are essential! 

What Does it Look Like? 

If your child is a new listener (meaning they’re a young baby or toddler and only recently started using their devices), begin with the simple word “Listen.” When you use the word “Listen,” you’re training your little one to pay attention, get ready, and know there is something important happening! 

Next, pause after the word “Listen” and name what your baby is hearing. Like this: “Listen . . . I hear the music playing” or “Listen . . . I hear Daddy talking.” 

For an older child or more experienced listener, use the same strategy and you'll discover many places outside of home to “Be a Director.” Think of all the routine things that happen such as driving in the car, “Listen . . . I hear a fire truck.” Or at the grandparents’ house “Listen . . . I hear Nana’s dog barking.” 

Big Bonus of the “Be a Director” Strategy!  

“Be a Director” also gets your child’s listening attention before you start talking to them. If you're telling them something, wait until they respond to your call to "Listen!" before you begin talking. For example: “Listen (child’s name) ...[pause and wait for them to pay attention before continuing]... we are going Bye-Bye” or “Listen (child’s name) ...[pause and wait]... let’s pick up the toys.”

Listening Attention for a Lifetime!

You’re building a life skill for your young listener when you use “Be a Director.” When you think about it, you’ll stop using this strategy as your child grows up to be an accomplished listener. Your child’s listening attention is a skill they’ll need throughout their learning years — and it will be something they carry for a lifetime of listening!

LSL Strategies and Techniques

There are 12 key LSL strategies you can use as you interact with your child to help them develop their listening, talking, thinking, and reading skills.

Learn More

 

Related Resources

Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) Auditory Verbal Strategies and Techniques

Learn 12 key strategies to support families on their listening and spoken language journey. This learning experience will emphasize Auditory-Verbal (AV) teaching strategies to maximize a child's auditory potential from babies to school age.

Learning Experience
Why the Ling Six Sound Test Matters (and What It Can Tell You)

Hearing clear sounding speech is how a baby learns to talk. And little ones with hearing loss learn to...

Article 3 min read
The Best Present? Your Presence!

The holidays can be a time of joy, thankfulness, and wonderment for you and your baby. It’s also a fun...

Article 4 min read
Hearing First Announces Departure of Dr. Teresa Zwolan, Director of Audiology

Dr. Zwolan will be accepting a new role at Cochlear Americas PHILADELPHIA, October 11, 2022 – Hearing...

Article 2 min read
Fire and Emergency Safety Tips for Kids with Hearing Loss

Are you and your family prepared for an emergency at home? Fire and home safety alert devices are important...

Article 3 min read
Keep Them on Their Toes with the Sabotage Strategy

Did You Know? Babies and toddlers laugh at the most unpredictable spontaneous things. Shrieks of joy...

Article 3 min read
Why You CAN’T Get OTC Hearing Aids For Kids

Just like every child is unique, so is every child’s hearing. That’s one of the reasons you can’t turn...

Article 4 min read

Connect with parents who have been down this path before.

Remember, you’re not alone on this journey. Thousands of parents have been in your shoes. Find other parents who can share from experience, offer encouragement, and help your family reach your LSL goals.

Learn More

Sign In or Register

In order to save content, you need an account. Set up is quick and easy! If you're already a member - sign in here.

Register as a Professional Register as a Family Member
Hearing First Logo
  • About Hearing First
  • Starts Hear
  • Family Support Community
  • Professional Learning Community
  • Learning Experiences
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Celebrate LSL
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
©2023 Hearing First, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Policy Using Hearing First Resources Code of Conduct