| In the last couple decades, educators, specialists, | | | | serious listening deficiencies which directly |
| clinicians and parents have complained that children | | | | interfered with their academic progress and their |
| do not listen in the classroom. Currently, this | | | | ability to normally develop their speech-language |
| complaint has increased significantly, especially | | | | and academic achievement skills. The two year |
| where language, learning and speech problems are | | | | longitudinal study laid the groundwork for the |
| involved. | | | | development of a kindergarten to second grade |
| In a listening skills project conducted a few years | | | | reading comprehension prediction model. |
| ago in the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit | | | | The longitudinal studies further demonstrated that |
| Catholic Schools, test results indicated that up to | | | | when you improve listening ability - brain listening |
| 40% of children in regular classes, grades one | | | | function - you see statistically significant |
| through six, were experiencing listening problems | | | | improvement in academic achievement (especially |
| in a variety of educational and clinical settings. | | | | reading comprehension and math) and in various |
| These are virtually the same children who present | | | | speech-language skill areas. |
| language, learning and speech problems in schools | | | | More recent research has been applied to |
| today. | | | | assessment and intervention programs for use |
| In an earlier study conducted in the Grand Blanc | | | | with children who have been identified as suffering |
| (MI) schools (supported by the U.S. Office of | | | | with Autism and/or Aspbergers syndrome. Some |
| Education), it was found that approximately | | | | tests offered take as little as five minutes but |
| 17-25% of children who entered kindergarten had | | | | can offer a world of information. |