RL.A.6 SEARCHES FOR SOUND WITH EYES

Your child’s earliest response to sudden or loud noises will be a startled response, as described in RL.A. l. At about the 3 months’ level of development, she will begin to seek out the source of the sound, by looking about her. In time she will able to quickly and accurately locate the source of the sound, but in this item we are concerned with her attempts to find it, whether they are successful or not.

How to Assess

Materials: A small bell or rattle.

Method: While your child is lying on her back, shake the bell or Tattle to one side of her, so that she cannot see it.

Score plus if your child moves her eyes (she may also move her head) when hearing the bell or rattle. She need not necessarily locate the object.

 How to Teach

Although we talk about bells and rattles above, voices are just as important! Make a habit of speaking to your child – perhaps calling her name – before you come into her line of vision for instance, as you approach her cot to pick her up. Observe her to see whether she is looking around for you.

As well, use the exercise described under How to Assess above. If she does not search for the rattle or bell, bring it into her line of vision, encourage her to watch it as you shake it and then move it away again.

Let all her searches be successful, by making sure that she does find the noisy object, or the person speaking, in the end.

Teaching this skill can merge into teaching the next skills in this sequence, so read about them now.