Meet Cheri
Cheri’s Journey into Auditory Integration Training.
My search for answers began while teaching early intervention in the 1990’s; all my preschool students struggled with both expressive speech and fine motor difficulties. I wondered, “What is the connection between speech and fine motor?” As an undergraduate special education student at Memphis State University, I learned from one of my professors known for development of preschool assessment tools. I saw firsthand the negative effects of medical difficulties on development in babies and preschoolers. In awe, I saw these little ones catch up and sometimes even surpass expectations after direct intervention. Equally important were my interactions with families as I witnessed an increase in positive interactions with their child. In hindsight, I believe this is when I became an advocate for parents and struggling learners of any age.
Later, my experiences as a teacher and a mother led to a journey of self-discovery. My training as a special education teacher failed to fully prepare me to help my own children overcome their learning challenges. Testing provided a diagnosis, which then helped me realize they both needed help improving their auditory processing skills. Later, I realized they also struggled with different types of visual processing difficulties. Now I understood why they struggled despite their intelligence.
My resolve to find answers led to changes that awe me to this day. As I helped countless other families, my questions prompted me to complete my master’s program with a focus in family intervention. After much research, I was able to finally answer the question, “What is the connection between speech and fine motor?” The answer is auditory-visual integration.
It's a TEAM effort!
- Cheri Moore, Ed.S., LMSW, Educational Specialist, License social worker, certified auditory integration trainer
- Therapists, Teachers, & Professionals
- Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists checking the health of the ear
- Audiologists agreeing to test additional areas of concern
- Audiologist specializing in CAPD
- Developmental Optometrists and Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Optometrists completing comprehensive visual evaluations
Auditory Integration Training Certification
When clients work with me, together we advocate for academic and workplace accommodations. In 2010, I earned my certification as an in-home Berard-Based Auditory Integration Trainer. At the same time, I began to screen for visual processing difficulties and study central auditory processing deficits. At the end of three years, I was surprised when almost all visual processing evaluations from developmental or neurorehabilitation optometrists found visual processing concerns. And almost all hearing evaluations supported client’s complaints of sound intolerance. It was time for an online questionnaire.
Knowing there was so much more to understand, I stayed in contact with clients after completion of auditory integration training to learn more about their progress and areas of continuing difficulty. What I learned prompted me to earn my master in social work with a focus in research and family support. Upon graduation, I earned my certified in iLs Integrated Listening to provide clients with much needed emotional support. Today, I continue to study, learn, and grow professionally striving to meet the unique needs of each client and to support their family.
Moore Auditory-Visual Observation Activity Booklet
Learn about visual processing difficulties through the Moore Auditory-Visual Observation Activity Booklet. Reach out to Cheri to increase your understanding of how auditory with or without visual processing difficulties affect learning, expressive speech, and listening with comprehension and remembering.
It takes time for auditory integration training and vision therapy to improve learning and socialization skills. Thus, learn how to meet your own needs, the needs of your child, student, or client.
Improve Relationships Through Observation Activites:
- Reconnect
- Acknowledge their tenacity, hard work
- Share what a bummer it is you were unaware, “I am sorry.”
- Talk about ways you can help
- Request large print books
- Minimize handwriting
- Eliminate copy work
- Keep environment quiet
- Before talking, get their attention
- Talk more slowly
Cheri Provides Step-by-Step Help
- Screen auditory processing skills
- Screen visual processing skills
- Collaborate with parents and professionals
- Develop a maintenance program when there is ongoing poor ear, nose, or throat health
- Learned which clients benefitted from hearing aids when they received a diagnoses of Central Auditory Processing Deficits
- Request additional hearing tests due to characteristics of sound intolerance with hearing loss
- Help clients improve sound intolerance so they could successfully wear hearing aids
- Integrate auditory training with vision therapy
- How to improve client’s responses to auditory integration training and vision therapy
Are you experiencing academic, work, or emotional distress due to unknown auditory and/or visual processing difficulties?
Receive accommodation and advocacy help from Cheri by scheduling a phone conference to ask questions and share activity findings.
FDA Statement On AIT
"Auditory Integration Training remediates impairments in auditory discrimination (sound sensitivity and auditory distortion) associated with Autism, Learning Disabilities, and related disorders - ADD, ADHD, CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Deficits), SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), Dyslexia."
Are you ready to complete the Moore Auditory-Visual Questionnaire?
Discover what questions to ask and what to observe during visual activities.
Complete questionnaire to receive your Auditory-Visual Report.