The Processing Program--Using Language Webs and Altered Auditory Input to Improve Comprehension . (2000). By Sandra McKinnis. Thinking Publications, 424 Gallaway St., Eau Claire, WI 54703. Level 1 (32-page manual and 70 picture plates) $69; Level 2 & 3 (68-page manual and 74 picture plates) $75. Reviewed by Traci W. Ingram, St. Louis, MO.
The Processing Program is a set of picture-identification tasks paired with increasingly complex verbal commands. This program is used to increase language-processing skills. The manual discusses in detail a technique called Altered Auditory Input (AAI), which alters the rate of speaking, pattern of pausing, and normal prosody. The program is designed to use AAI while presenting the verbal commands to aid in auditory processing, decrease frustrations, and prevent sensory overload.
The program is arranged in two wire-bound books, each sold separately. Each book contains a manual and 70-74 easy-flip, full-color picture plates . The Processing Program is divided into three levels. Level 1 is developmentally appropriate for children 3-6 years of age. It targets 39 primary concepts, including nouns, singular/plural, size concepts, quantifiers, and the primary colors. Level 2 is developmentally appropriate for children 6-9 years of age. It targets 35 advanced concepts, including nouns, shapes, sizes, spatial relationships, and the primary colors. Level 3 is developmentally appropriate for children 9-12 years of age. It targets 74 upper extension concepts, including shapes, sizes, temporal concepts, spatial relationships, condition concepts, quantifiers, and nouns.
The Processing Program is appropriate to use in any treatment setting with children who have difficulty processing and learning language. It is useful for children with a wide range of impairment. Though there are suggested ages for each level in this program, it may be appropriate for children with more severe impairments to be targeting a lower level.
This program is a very useful material when working with children with auditory processing and language disorders. It is easy to use, easy to track and document progress, and targets useful concepts and vocabulary. The Processing Program facilitates processing of increasingly longer and more complex verbal commands, increases the ability to follow directions, and improves processing speed and efficiency. The AAI technique can be easily taught to parents, teachers, and other communication partners in order to insure carry-over of treatment targeted goals into the child's everyday life.
The Processing Program can be used with a group of 1-3 children, as long as the children have similar impairments. The program can be used for an entire therapy session, though it seemed to work best as a warm-up activity secondary to the redundancy and "test-like" nature of administration. It is effective to use with all children with processing impairments and language learning difficulties, but was especially useful with children with autism, Down's syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. The incremental learning and redundancy provided success and routine paired with more challenging tasks.
In summary, this program is a useful addition to other processing materials for professionals working with children with auditory processing and language impairments. Well-designed activities and appropriate verbal commands paired with the AAI technique can increase processing, knowledge of concepts presented, and the ability to follow directions.