INTERVIEW

iLs Interview: Geralynn Spencer, Reading Specialist

What client population do you work with? Mostly K-12 kids with learning disabilities that come to me because they aren’t progressing at school. Some of them have IEPs, others are not responding to the school’s interventions.

What interventions do you use? I have a lot of tools, most of which I use to get a child to the point where I can teach them how to read. Just about every student I have begins with iLs. If the student has lower brain issues I’ll also use an integration therapy such as Balametrics or Brain Gym, and I’ll often start with eye exercises. As they progress, I’ll use Lindamood-Bell and ear/voice work such as iLs’ Interactive Language Program or Learning Ears by Gayle Moyers. I also use tongue thrust therapy for some, while others may need brain sharpening programs, which work processing, sequencing, recognition and other frontal lobe, cognitive-based skills. I work from lower brain up, trying to fill in the holes that didn’t develop as the child matured.

Are you offering summer intensive programs? Yes, summer is a good time to do the intensive work that is hard to get done during the school year. Students will be here 3 times per week for 1.5 hours each visit. They do fine motor activities and other games, writing exercises, etc. while listening to iLs, and I work with them one-on-one for 30 minutes. That 30 minutes might include PlayBook work (iLs visual and balance exercises), ear/voice work, Lindamood-Bell, etc. The summer program lasts for 8 weeks and for some of my students I will continue into the school year, depending upon their needs.

Working on sub-cortical functions first and then focusing on cortical skills is unusual among reading specialists. What kind of results do you see? In general, the combined tools I use always result in improved reading. The majority of my students improve in other areas also: motor skills, attention and focusing, handwriting, and overall school performance. About 50% of them get to a level where they actually become passionate about reading.

WHAT'S NEW

Summer Intensives Now More Affordable

As a neuroplasticity-based therapy, iLs requires frequent practice to effectively develop neural circuits. We see best results with at least 3 one-hour sessions per week, but even two sessions a week can bring about lasting, positive changes. To attain that level of intensity, many iLs-trained therapists lease or sell iLs equipment to their clients to use at home.

Thankfully, technology is on the side of the consumer and costs have dropped dramatically in the past 7 years. In 2004, the state-of-the-art listening system was made by Dynamic Listening Systems (DLS), developed by iLs’ Ron Minson, MD and Kate O’Brien Minson. The non-portable equipment weighed a few hundred pounds and cost $30,000. Leveraging new technologies, iLs came out with portable units in 2007, priced just under $2,000. We are proud now to be able to offer the Focus 100 for under $1,500, ideal for therapists who want to lease clinic-level equipment to their clients for supplemental home use.

FOCUS 100

Custom-fitted air/bone conduction headphones
Vestibular, visual equipment and PlayBook
1 customized program and the Calming/Preparatory program

iLs Webinar Series

iLs now offers three complimentary webinars! Whether you are new to iLs and are a parent or clinician, or an iLs Associate looking for a refresher, we have a webinar for you:

Introductory Webinar for Professionals - 60-minute webinar is intended as an introduction to iLs methodology and equipment for clinicians and educators. 1 Contact Hour or 0.1 AOTA CEUs
iLs Associate Professional Development Webinar: Focus Applications – This 60-minute webinar is for those who have completed iLs training, but would like more review on how to customize the four programs of the iLs Total Focus. 1 Contact Hour or 0.1 AOTA CEUs
Introductory Webinar for Parents – This 30-minute webinar is intended to introduce iLs methodology and equipment to parents

Learn more about each of these webinars, find one that works best for you and register here.

Summer Reading Suggestions

How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond by John Powell

The Mind's Eye by Oliver Sacks

Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A. Barkley PhD ABPP ABCN

Thinking in Pictures (Expanded, Tie-in Edition): My Life with Autism (Vintage) by Temple Grandin

A History of Autism: Conversations with the Pioneers by Adam Feinstein

Case Studies

iLs Associates, keep sending these in! They are valuable learning tools and proving to be very popular. Please submit all case studies to info@integratedlistening.com