Written Brynjulv Simonsen, Trondheim lytte- og læresenter.
When we describe a
person as attentive or concentrated, we usually mean that he or she is concerned
with a selected aspect of received information, from either the surroundings or
his/her own body. This happens simultaneously as he or she suppresses unwanted
or disturbing signals.
Many people experience modern society as chaotic and frustrating, with rapid changes and high speed – demanding more than ever from us to make choices about where to put our attention. Many individuals, adults and children alike, don’t know how to use their lives, at the same time being overwhelmed by information and details, and not being able to find order. If an individual for one reason or another has, to some extent, a disturbed or reduced ability to focus his or her attention, life will not be made easier, when so few activities are routines and with a constant demand to readapt.
The human brain is the
most complicated organ we know of. It contains more than 20 billion nerve cells,
which through a great number of nerve fibres are connected to each other. Each
of the nerve cells may be connected to more than 300 000 other nerve cells,
explaining the enormous number of communication directions of the nerve system.
Signals sent through these communication channels make it possible for us to
move, feel, speak, hear, see and experience the world around us and within us.
More than 40 years ago
the French ear specialist, doctor Alfred Tomatis made some surprising
discoveries, which lead to the development of the Tomatis method. This method
has been given various names, from “listening training”, “listening
stimulation” to “listening therapy”. The purpose of this method is to
train a person ´s listening skills, to improve learning- and language
possibilities, communication, creativity and social behaviour.
The Tomatis method has
helped thousands of children and adults alike with problems such as listening
skills and auditive processing, dyslexia, learning difficulties, ADD, ADHD,
DAMP, autism and PDD, neurological or genetically
determined developmental retards, such as, for instance, cerebral palsy,
Down ´s syndrome, as well as people having moving- and co-ordinating
problems, tinnitus, reduced hearing, some neurological sufferings. Not least,
the method has also helped adults to fight depressions, overcome difficulties in
adjusting to new situations, faster learning of foreign languages, develop
better communication skills, improve creativity and other skills. Many musicians,
singers and actors have been able to finely adjust their skills, with the aid of
the Tomatis method. Last, but not least, many clients have noticed psychological
changes, such as better self confidence, more energy and motivation, better
thought and a sense of well being.
Listening is improved
by training the ear, thus stimulating the neural system. Due to listening being
the cornerstone in developing many other skills, improving an individual’s
listening ability entails an enhanced learning ability, language and
communication skills. One should also bear in mind that whether we are concerned
with attention and focusing, motivation, self control, reading, writing, talking
or even to develop friendship, these things all depend on good listening skills.
Today, this method is
used by more than 100 certified centres world-wide. These are led by certified
specialists with backgrounds in communication, medicine, psychology, pedagogy
etc.
Throughout the years
Dr. Tomatis has developed complicated theories concerning the various functions
of the ear and its connection to the voice. Below we will only present some
fundamental ideas, all based upon neurology of the listening process, namely:
1.
The ear as an apparatus of hearing (the cochlea)
2.
The ear as a centre of balance and body carriage
(the vestibule system)
3.
The ear as an apparatus of generating energy to
the brain.
4.
The leading ear.
5.
The connection between the ear and the voice.
1. THE EAR AS AN APPARATUS OF HEARING
The verb “to hear”
is associated with the ear. However, listening, not hearing, is the primary
function of the ear. It is task of the cochlea of the internal ear to analyse
various sounds, which are particularly important in the ability to understand
and apprehend language.
According to Dr.
Tomatis, hearing is a passive process, whilst listening is an active process,
demanding a wish to utilise the ear’s total capacity. Thus, we might have a
splendid hearing, nevertheless being poor listeners.
Many children having
learning difficulties, ADD, DAMP, ADHD etc. might have a very good hearing, but
still not be able to read properly or to concentrate. Their problem is a
listening problem, and as a result, can not concentrate and so have problems
with reading.
If you wish to know
whether you or your child, have a listening problem, have a look at Paul
Madaule’s questionnaire, choose “TEST YOURSELF” in our menu.
Listening deals with
our ability to receive information as well as filtrate out irrelevant
information. When our senses are adjusted properly and the processes within the
brain function, irrelevant stimuli is locked out, and we are able to focus and
concentrate on the essence of our surroundings or within ourselves, without
feeling bombarded by the heap of information. We are able to sort out and
organise this information into meaningful connections, so that we separate
between behaviour, intentions, goal, meanings and values etc. On the other hand,
when this process becomes disturbed, listening problems arise, leading to
further problems in communication as well as in social abilities and behaviour,
and not least getting problems in theorising and in academic skills.
Listening training as
developed by Dr. Tomatis helps individuals develop or train the ear’s ability
to listen in an efficient, organised and balanced way. The goal is to be able to
utilise the brain ´s capacity to learn, more than to learn specific topics or
skills. When the listening function has been trained, the brain shows a more
efficient learning capacity when exposed to stimuli from the surroundings.
2. THE EAR AS A CENTRE OF BALANCE AND BODY CARRIAGE
According to Dr.
Tomatis, the vestibule, being a part of the internal ear, controls balance,
co-ordination, how the body relates to its surroundings, muscular tonus etc.
The vestibule and the
cochlea together form a connection centre between the nerve system and the brain,
comprising the total information from the senses -
these being touching, taste, smell, visual- and sound impressions - which
are all interpreted and forwarded this way. Children having vestibule/cochlea-problems
often experience various problems of treating and integrating sense signals.
It is important to
mention some other aspects related to the ear, referring to the same. We have
two very central muscles in the internal ear: the stapes-muscle (muscular
stapedius) and the malleus-muscle (muscular tensor tympani), the latter
tightening the eardrum. Tomatis found that the stapes-muscle was especially
important, as this controls for instance the malleus, the incus and the stapes,
meaning that this muscle controls all the three small bones of the middle ear,
and enables us to hear the more high-frequency sounds of speech and music. He
also found that this muscle had to do with our body carriage. When the
stapes-muscle was slackened and limp, the person had a corresponding slackened
body carriage. When Tomatis training had been performed by the electronic ear,
tightening the stapes-muscle, that person’s body carriage also automatically
improved. Dr. Tomatis concluded from this that the muscle was intimately
co-operating with the cochlea of the internal ear.
3. THE EAR AS AN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING
ENERGY TO THE BRAIN.
Another important
function of the ear and its connection to the brain, is that high-frequency
sound produces energy for the brain, whilst the opposite takes place by the use
of low-frequency sound. Sounds of low frequency create a need in our body to
move, as a compensation for energy-extraction, and in an attempt to supply new
energy to the brain. This takes place as the body activates the semicircular
channels of the vestibule system. If these low-frequency sounds are constant our
body will continue to move until exhaustion. This effect is often seen among
people listening to Rock- and Rap-music. However, it is important to note that
low-frequency sound isn´t just bad and vice versa. For instance, music and
sound-impulses of low frequency may be favourable for people who have very
little contact with their body, as in certain urban youth cultures where manual
labour is limited and there is a mental over-stimulation. On the other hand, a
piece by Mozart, rich in overtones, generates a quite different behaviour…
Dr. Tomatis noticed
that when our brain is well loaded we concentrate, organise our memory, focus
attention, learn, and work throughout a longer period of time without effort.
Many children and
adults interested in classical music receive enough energy via this functioning
of the ear and rarely experience the feeling of losing energy or being depressed.
On the other hand, hyperactive children are often found to be constantly on the
move in an attempt to load the brain through vestibule activity. Those, whose
brain is constantly prevented from being loaded properly, have or experience
great problems, especially when confronted with the many challenges offered by
present-day society with its high speed.
4. THE LEADING EAR.
Surprising to most of
us, we should and ought to have one dominant ear. Some of us are right ear
dominant, others left ear dominant, and further some have none dominance on
either ear. The advantage of those being right ear dominant is that the right
ear offers faster treatment of incoming listening signals than the left ear
(auditive processing). Due to this, an individual who is right ear dominant, is
able to control his or her speech and voice in terms of intensity, frequency,
tonality, rhythm and fluency much better than people with the opposite or none
domination at all.
Tomatis’ program
teaches clients a more efficient right ear use. When they learn this, they
experience better control over their voice, thus improving their communication
skills. This will strengthen their self-control and self-confidence. Many
scientists who have studied the result of the Tomatis method on stammers have
discovered that that right ear dominant clients showed an excellent ability to
spontaneous and accurate reaction on emotional stimuli.
The right ear
dominants turned out to be more open, more attentive and could better control
their emotional reactions, as well as being less exposed to fear, tension,
frustration and aggression; everything in accordance with Tomatis’ expression
of laterality.
5. THE
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE EAR AND VOICE
In 1953 Dr. Alfred
Tomatis presented the French Academy of Science with his findings, stating that
“the voice can only express what the ear can hear”. This observation seemed
unlikely. But Dr. Tomatis was able to prove that the ear and the voice were part
of the same neurological circulation, so that changes in one response
automatically influenced the function of the other. This is something we often
observe when singers have a voice problem. In many cases the voice problem
derives from a small listening problem; the ear is not capable of finding out
exactly when a tone should be produced. The singer is **forced to strain?
“squeeze” the voice in an attempt to overcome the problem. When the
listening problem is solved many singers regain their full potential.
Children having a
boring and inflated voice often experience learning problems and suffer from the
phenomenon of bad listening. Such a voice
Indicate, for instance,
reduced ability to analyse overtones. In addition there might be problems of ear
dominance (laterality). By improving the listening skill and establishing right
ear dominance, the voice will gradually change into
a rich selection of overtones, greater accuracy, harmony, rhythm and
faster response.
At an early stage
Tomatis claimed the foetus hear and listen to his/her mother’s voice.
Scientific research has proven this. Today it is commonly agreed that the ear is
the earliest organ entirely functioning. This normally takes place when the
foetus reaches 4,5 months. Based on numerous scientific studies and Tomatis ´s
own experience, Tomatis concluded that a mother’s voice is not only an
emotional learning to the child, but also prepares the child to really learn
languages after birth (wish for communication). This means listening already
starts in the mother’s womb.
Due to this fact Dr.
Tomatis has promoted the use of the mother’s voice to reopen the listening
process. The voice thus is filtrated as much as possible to sound as it did in
the mother’s womb.
Judged from reactions
from both children and adults, it is clear that to use the mother’s voice has
great effect: The children calm as if the voice pleases them; they seem more
satisfied and sensitive in a positive meaning, especially in the relation to
their mother. Adopted children connect more strongly and better to their adopted
mother. The mother’s voice makes the necessary and strong basis that allows
the listening process to develop through various stages till the development of
language.
The whole process is
nothing more than an attempt to restore the various stages in the human
development through a symbolic experience; a kind of reprogramming.
The use of the
mother’s voice is only a therapeutic tool for creating or recreating the tie
between the mother and the child in cases where it might not have been
completely developed. Hundreds of studies show that the tie between the mother
and child is of fundamental importance for development and self-confidence, and
upon which the child’s wish to communicate with its surroundings is built.
Using mother’s voice is an attempt to prepare the child
to re-establish contact and to listen to its first caregivers and its
surroundings. This psychological approach must be accompanied by preparation in
the sense system. With Tomatis’ method both is combined, to establish a solid
foundation for further development.
In order to train the
hearing organ and the brain to more accurately comprehend, select, and give
priority to the incoming sound signals a method has been developed. The method
involves music, which has been subject to special filtering and signal treatment
to present-time (real time) in our sound apparatus. Later on in the process a
microphone may be used in an active stage. This is to help promote or support
the development of the individual ´s own use of voice, and is a part of
training the controlling mechanisms of this neurological circulation system.
The electronic ear,
which is a central element of the training, consists of, amongst other things an
amplifier with two audio channels. The purpose of one of the channels is to
enforce the low frequencies of incoming signals or music, and high frequencies
are reduced.
This sound treatment
simulates a condition of “passive
hearing”. When the music reaches a certain volume, another “road” is
activated, redirecting the sound to the other sound channel. This sound channel
has the opposite function or purpose: enforcing the high frequencies, and at the
same time suppressing the low frequencies. This sound treatment simulates the
condition of “active listening”.
The listener
experience the result of this rapid alternation or “flip flop” of the music
from one channel to the other as a pulsation. This pulsation trains and
strengthens the auditory system, a kind of “ear gymnastics” which enforces
the stimulating effect of music.
The electronic ear is
also equipped with a flexible postponement mechanism on outgoing sound signals
(to hearing phones). This enables the therapist to improve the listener ´s own
sound treatment.
It is possible to
reduce the intensity of the music through a special balance function (sound
attenuator) being sent to both ears, independent of each other. This function
helps establish or strengthen auditory laterality; preferably right ear
domination.
This is, in brief, how
the listening is trained.
For more detailed
information contact us for unbinding/non-committal conversation or ask for more
information. You could also choose “TOMATIS training” from our menu.
Dokument ansvarlig: Brynjulv Simonsen
Publisert av: Thomas Nygård