5 Questions and Answers about the Ling 6 Sound Check

Here is a quick and easy, low-tech way to check each day to make sure your child’s equipment is working well and that his or her hearing levels are stable. Introducing the Ling 6 Soundcheck:

What are the Ling 6 Sounds?

• A “low-tech”, daily assessment of one’s access to the range of speech sounds
  • [m], [ah], [oo], [ee], [sh] and [s] contain the spectrum of frequencies present in speech, from 250-8000 Hz.
• Developed in the late 1970’s by Daniel Ling, an Aural Habilitation specialist who’s teaching methods are still used around the world

Who can administer the Ling 6 Sound Check?

• Anyone who wants to know more about what a listener is hearing and how listening devices are functioning can administer the Ling 6 sound check.
• Audiologists, speech/language pathologists, teachers, caregivers, families

Why should I use the Ling 6 Sound Check?

• To make sure hearing technologies are consistently transmitting complete speech information to the brain. When developing speech, consistent auditory info is necessary to create pathways in the brain.

• To confirm that the listener is noticing and actually listening to speech information

When should the Ling 6 Check be administered?

• Listening checks should be completed at least once per day, typically in the morning when the listener puts their device(s) on
• Ling sounds can be used throughout the day to assess how the device is functioning and if the listener is processing the sounds appropriately

How do I administer the Ling 6 Sound Check?

• Determine where the listener falls on the hierarchy of auditory skills: detection, discrimination, identification, and comprehension
  • Detection: The most basic auditory skill; Required awareness of the presence or absence of sound
  • Discrimination: The ability to tell if two sounds are the same or different
  • Identification: The ability to label or name the sound heard
  • Comprehension: The most complicated listening task; Requires the listener to detect, discriminate, identify and understand the meaning of what was presented
    • The Ling 6 Sound Check is NOT a test of comprehension

• Position yourself at a distance of either 3 feet or 6 feet from the listener, depending on the listener’s auditory skill level
• The listener imitates each sound immediately after it is presented
• Document the listener’s responses to track possible changes in hearing levels or device functioning. If consistent errors are documented, contact hearing professionals to determine if the errors are device related or if there is a biological explanation (fluid in ears, fluctuating hearing levels, etc.)
• Make the activity fun and rewarding for the listener by choosing an activity to go along with the task
  • Conditioned play: Give the listener an item to be used as soon as the sound is detected
    • Every time a sound is detected, the listener could…
      • Throw a ball into a basket
      • Push a button operated toy
      • Stack a Lego onto a tour
• For early listeners, imitation can be a difficult skill. Providing a visual option for identification can be useful
  • For each sound, the listener could…
  • Imitate each sound verbally OR point to pictures or toys related to each sound (must be previously taught)
    • “Ah”-an airplane, “ee”- a mouse, “oo”- a ghost, “mm”- ice cream, “ss”- a snake, “sh”- sleeping
• Discrimination: The listener must determine if two sounds presented are the same or different
  • For each pair, the listener could…
    • Place a token into a “same” or “different” labeled cup/pile
    • Use a hand signal determined to signal same or different
    • Verbally identify if the sounds are the “same” or “different”