15 Activity: Speech Tracking
This activity will require two people. One person will read the passage below in short phrases and the 2nd person will repeat the the phrases back. If the repeated phrase is incorrect, the reader will read that passage again. Start a timer on your phone for 60 seconds and count the number of words you were able to correctly hear and repeat in that time.
DeFilippo and Scott (1978) developed a technique called speech tracking, which can be used in therapy to provide practice in utilizing communication repair strategies in a conversation context. As it is used in therapy centered on improving auditory-speech perception, speech tracking involves having a listener repeat a phrase or sentence presented by a clinician in an auditory-only condition. To assist in perceiving 100 percent of the message, the listener can use various repair strategies, such as requesting that the entire sentence (or portions) be repeated or rephrased until the complete utterance is comprehended. Visual cues may be added for bi-sensory training as well. Performance in the speech-tracking procedure is monitored by calculating the number of words or sentences correctly repeated by the listener per minute over a set period of time.
What was your score? Many people can get to 50 words per minute!
There are many factors that may affect your score including visual cues, language, familiarity with content, speaker, etc.
If you would like to learn more about speech tracking visit the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Technology Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center at: https://www.deafhhtech.org/rerc/?s=tracking
