Just for you, here's the last light of sunset over Lake Eyre which we finally got to fly over, with water and some birds. this is this userpics first outing. Now for the rant... what you underwent during that language class should never have happened...
I suffer from fairly bad tinnitus and although they say it's not hereditary, I disagree as my Dad has had it all his life too. Perhaps we're just both more prone to damaging our ears through some genetic problem. It gets worse when I'm tired and can keep me awake. Add in the fact that I had an abscess in one ear that exploded when I was a little kid (high pain threshold meant I didn't complain, not once) that damaged the inner workings, and you have an odd situation.
It's odd because I actually have terrific hearing and almost perfect pitch especially when mimicking sounds. This probably due to a nurture situation from living in a number of different, non-english speaking, countries up until I was 7yo + learning classical music from age 4. Spent my entire childhood mimicking. But throw me into a party situation or anywhere where there's background noise and I end up lip reading and hope to god my guesses are correct! Dinner parties aren't much better. I cross my fingers every time I go to a restaurant, hoping the floor is heavily carpeted and the ceiling is low! It helps to cut out background noise enormously as I'm sure you're aware of.
Shopping centres are the bain of my existence. Hard high surfaces, music being played over the PA and voices bouncing off everything. I'm literally exhausted when I finally leave them even if it's only been a 30 minute immersion. Sydney was driving me crazy from the lack of peace and quiet.
Paradoxically, when there's no background buzz, small sounds that don't seem to bother other people, can drive me nuts. I use earplugs every morning to block out the sounds of dawn. I wake easily and I'd be permanently sleep deprived if I didn't use them. Reckon my hearing would've been super duper if not for the other issues.
Enough of me. Just wanted you to know you're not alone. Anybody who puts background noises into a language learning tape is an idiot in my opinion. You were perfectly right, hearing issue or no, to be upset. How on earth could the traffic noises have ever helped anyone learn the nuances of language? An example of wasted effort, time and money with no forethought being put into the making of the tape or by the teacher using it.
Interesting story in the Perth newspaper the other day. It related the tale of a gentleman who was accosted by police in his own home after a neighbour had complained about excessive noise. Somehow they ended up tackling him and spraying him with something obnoxious because they believed he was resisting arrest. Turned out he was just trying to write them a message. It would've said 'I'm Deaf'. He probably didn't even realise the volume was turned on let alone it's level.
"Not all disabilities are obvious." Your teacher could well do to remember that. It's certainly a major topic covered during my recent basic Training and Assessment Certificate. I believe it's a good move that all trainers of adults in Australia - whether for vocational or recreational purposes - are being increasingly encouraged to do the TAS cert to cover such basic issues as these.
no subject
I suffer from fairly bad tinnitus and although they say it's not hereditary, I disagree as my Dad has had it all his life too. Perhaps we're just both more prone to damaging our ears through some genetic problem. It gets worse when I'm tired and can keep me awake. Add in the fact that I had an abscess in one ear that exploded when I was a little kid (high pain threshold meant I didn't complain, not once) that damaged the inner workings, and you have an odd situation.
It's odd because I actually have terrific hearing and almost perfect pitch especially when mimicking sounds. This probably due to a nurture situation from living in a number of different, non-english speaking, countries up until I was 7yo + learning classical music from age 4. Spent my entire childhood mimicking. But throw me into a party situation or anywhere where there's background noise and I end up lip reading and hope to god my guesses are correct! Dinner parties aren't much better. I cross my fingers every time I go to a restaurant, hoping the floor is heavily carpeted and the ceiling is low! It helps to cut out background noise enormously as I'm sure you're aware of.
Shopping centres are the bain of my existence. Hard high surfaces, music being played over the PA and voices bouncing off everything. I'm literally exhausted when I finally leave them even if it's only been a 30 minute immersion. Sydney was driving me crazy from the lack of peace and quiet.
Paradoxically, when there's no background buzz, small sounds that don't seem to bother other people, can drive me nuts. I use earplugs every morning to block out the sounds of dawn. I wake easily and I'd be permanently sleep deprived if I didn't use them. Reckon my hearing would've been super duper if not for the other issues.
Enough of me. Just wanted you to know you're not alone. Anybody who puts background noises into a language learning tape is an idiot in my opinion. You were perfectly right, hearing issue or no, to be upset. How on earth could the traffic noises have ever helped anyone learn the nuances of language? An example of wasted effort, time and money with no forethought being put into the making of the tape or by the teacher using it.
Interesting story in the Perth newspaper the other day. It related the tale of a gentleman who was accosted by police in his own home after a neighbour had complained about excessive noise. Somehow they ended up tackling him and spraying him with something obnoxious because they believed he was resisting arrest. Turned out he was just trying to write them a message. It would've said 'I'm Deaf'. He probably didn't even realise the volume was turned on let alone it's level.
"Not all disabilities are obvious." Your teacher could well do to remember that. It's certainly a major topic covered during my recent basic Training and Assessment Certificate. I believe it's a good move that all trainers of adults in Australia - whether for vocational or recreational purposes - are being increasingly encouraged to do the TAS cert to cover such basic issues as these.
Rant mode off!