Updated 2013 by C.D. Johnson. Based on Functional Listening Evaluation by C.D. Johnson & P. Von Almen, 1993 4
Common materials include are listed below. In many of these
materials there will not be sucient lists for the entire
protocol (8 lists are needed). If it is necessary to use a list
twice, select the lists that were more dicult for the student
in order to reduce familiarity with the material. The Common
Children’s Phrases and the Children’s Nonsense Phrases,
included with this protocol, each contain eight lists of twenty
phrases and provide the option of phrase or word scoring.
Sentence materials: BLAIR sentences WIPI sentences
SPIN sentences (older students) BKB sentences
PSI sentences HINT-C sentences
Phrase materials: Common children’s phrases Children’s nonsense phrases
Word lists: PB-K NU-6
Picture – Closed set: WIPI NU-CHIPS
The Recorded Functional Listening Evaluation Using
Sentences (Johnson & Anderson, 2013) is available on CD
from www.successforkidswithhearingloss.com. This version
utilizes 5-word HINT-C (Hearing in Noise Test for Children)
sentences that were based on the original Bamford-Kowal-
Bench (BKB) sentences (1979). Half of the sentences are
recorded in quiet and the other half with a +5 SNR and
follow the condition presentation order of the FLE. This
version simplies presentation of the FLE by eliminating the
need for a noise le and adjusting noise and speech sound
levels; however the SNR cannot be altered. Additional
instructions are provided with the CD.
Presentation levels
The conditions of close/far and auditory/auditory-visual are
presented in quiet (4 presentations) and then in noise (4
presentations) to achieve the total of eight conditions.
Speech to noise ratio levels (SNR) should be based upon the
auditory environments encountered by the students in their
classrooms. Sound level measurements of classroom
discourse and activity may be necessary to determine these
levels. For this example, the levels will achieve values
resulting in a +5 dB speech advantage in the close conditions
and a –5dB speech to noise ratio in the far conditions
(12-15ft). Levels will vary slightly depending upon the
acoustics of the room and consistency of the examiner’s
voicing of the stimuli. Measure and record the classroom
ambient noise level (unoccupied), approximate teacher or
talker levels, and noise levels as directed on the scoring form.
Speech: Calibrate the examiner’s voice at a distance of 3 feet
from the listener (close condition). Ask the student to hold
the SLM to their ear and the examiner to talk measuring the
examiner’s voice with the sound level meter so that speech
averages 65dBA SPL at the listener’s ear. Once that level is
measured, check the SPL level when the sound level meter is
held one foot from the examiner’s mouth (being careful to
keep the voice level the same) so that the examiner can hold
the sound level meter to monitor his/her voice for all
conditions to verify that the proper speech level is
maintained. The level at 1 foot from the examiner will be
approximately 3 dBA SPL greater that at the listener’s ear for
close conditions.
Noise: Locate the noise source 3 feet from the student and
adjust the volume of the noise source (classroom/multitalker
noise) using a sound level meter, so that the noise averages
60 dBA SPL at the student’s ear. This yields a +5 speech-to-
noise ratio level.