As a big fan of the earlier edition (50 FAQs About Auditory Verbal Therapy), I was excited to read the latest update: 101 FAQs about Auditory Verbal Practice, edited by Warren Estabrooks M.Ed., Dip. Ed. Deaf, LSLS Cert. AVT® .
101 FAQs provides an expanded and up-to-date list of topics in Auditory Verbal Practice presented in an easy question-and-answer format with respose from leaders in the field. I’ve long relied on the original as a source of information for parent handouts and answers to parents’ most frequent questions. It’s also a book I recommend to my graduate students or professionals coming to observe for training in AV. The answers provide just the right amount of information — well-researched and cited, doing justice to the questions without being overwhelming or overly technical. The updated book retains all of the original FAQs, including several of my go-tos (What is Auditory Verbal Therapy? What recommendations does the AVT make for teachers in the regular classroom? among others)
There are several difference between 50 FAQs and 101 FAQs that make the new edition worthwhile for those who already own the original. Most importantly, the book has more than double the content. Many of the new questions relate to issues in Auditory Verbal Practice that the original authors could have only predicted when the first edition was published in 2000. The new edition includes questions about fathers’ involvemend in AV, Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD), families living in poverty, working with diverse families, and more. As the field has grown to include Listening and Spoken Language Specialist Auditory Verbal Educators, the book also includes more information about LSLS working in the school system. Unlike the first book, 101 FAQs is also organized according to the Nine Domains of Listening and Spoken Language, a new feature that may be especially helpful for those preparing to sit for the LSLS certification exam. The book is also available in a digital edition for e-readers.
I think this book would hold wide appeal for a variety of readers. While a seasoned professional may desire a more in-depth analysis of the topics presented, the included bibliography provides a launching point for further research and the succinct way in which the answers are presented can give professionals a good “elevator speech” for explaining these topics to parents or professionals in other fields. New professionals in the field of LSL can gain a comrehensive overview of the hot topics in the field explained in a way that gives food for thought without being overwhelming or intimidating. Savvier parents (in my world, “savvy” equals a parent who has a high school+ reading level and the leisure time to read, your interpretation may vary) may also benefit from having this book as a reference. While the parent might not read the book straight through, its easy index makes it a useful reference tool at each stage of the child’s listening journey, with questions and answers that address each stage of development and any challenges that may arise along the way.
Have you read 101 FAQs about Auditory Verbal Practice? What’s your review?
Elizabeth A. Rosenzweig 