Research and Training

Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT) is one of the leading ways of teaching children with hearing impairment to listen and speak. The aim of AV Therapy is to develop age appropriate speech and language skills in young children to enable them to integrate into their local schools. The AV therapist’s main role is teaching the parents, or primary caregivers, the skills necessary to help develop a child's speech language and vocabulary skills through play.  The parents are taught how to continue the therapy to continue the teaching and techniques at home.

International Certification can be obtained once a clinician shows the skills necessary to bring a child to language through audition. The Shepherd Centre incorporates a variety of programmes into its structure to enable professionals to learn more about Auditory-Verbal Therapy and work toward certification.  The Shepherd Centre is staffed by highly experienced clinicians with international certification in AV therapy.  The Shepherd Centre trains therapists to an international standard.