By Olivia Syers-
Training the right ear successfully treat dyslexia, stuttering and symptoms of autism
spectrum disorder and improve language skills, according to evaluation of reseach by scientists.
Dyslexia can often lead to a sense of inferiority after repeated failure, with the individual having to
put a lot more effort in to achieve similar results. However, it is thought that by improving the
auditory system through a practice which requires no extra effort, motivation and communication
are greatly increased.
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Along with the eyes, the ears play a crucial role in how we make sense of the world. Being the first
sense to develop in utero where we hear our mother’s voice, hearing is our primary connection to
the world even before we take our first breath.
From travel sickness to balance, social isolation to learning difficulties, poor auditory function can affect us in ways we don’t usually consider. Most people don’t consciously think about which ear we use.
Surprisingly, mounting evidence suggests that if our right ear is dominant, we may be at a distinct advantage.
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Could something as simple as listening to specially filtered music retrain the auditory system and
part of the brain responsible for speech processing to treat dyslexia, learning and language
difficulties, and some of the more challenging symptoms of autism? According to some, absolutely!
Ears Hear Differently
There is plenty of research to support the revelation that the right er has a different level of reception to the left ear.
Research by University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) claims that your right ear is better at receiving sounds from speech, whereas the left is more sensitive to music and song, and better at receiving background noise.
The leader of the study, Yvonne Sininger Ph.D., who studied the hearing of 3,000 new-borns says:
“We always assumed that our left and right ears worked exactly the same way. As a result, we
tended to think it didn’t matter which ear was impaired in a person. Now we see that it may have
profound implications for the individual’s speech and language development”.
The left hemisphere of the brain directly connects to the right ear. This hemisphere dominates in
processing rapidly changing sounds, such as speech and words. It is the analytical part of the brain
that houses the main language processing centre.
The right hemisphere, on the other hand, has a direct connection to the left ear.
The right brain dominates in processing prolonged tones, as found in music and song. It is known as the creative side, but is much less efficient at integrating language.
Both hemispheres play a role in processing language, but the eye is expected to combine with the power and the quality of the ear to make sense of the written sounds.
Researchers have also long established that the auditory regions of the two halves of the brain sort out sound differently. The left side dominates in deciphering speech and other rapidly changing signals, while the right side leads in processing tones and music. Because of how the brain’s neural network is organized, the left half of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the left ear is more directly connected to the right side of the brain
In fact, a 2009 study demonstrates how we humans prefer to be addressed in our right ear and are
more likely to perform a task when we receive the request in our right ear rather than our left. 2
Pioneering French otolaryngologist and inventor Dr. Alfred Tomatis suggests that all of us have a
dominant ear and that people who are right ear dominant learn much more easily than those who
are left ear dominant.
Research by the Acoustical Society of America backs this up, stating that when everyday background noise and constant interruptions surround us, both children and adults rely on
their right ear for processing and retaining what they hear in demanding environments. According to the researchers, children understand and remember what is being said much better when they listen
Listening is the most basic skill required for verbal communication. A weakness in listening ability
often hinders the development of a strong language base. The more complex tasks of reading and
writing are therefore problematic: if the sounds of speech have not been accurately heard, they
cannot be accurately conveyed by symbols.
Dyslexia roughly translates to “reading difficulty”. Originally called “word blindness” it was
considered to be a visual problem. One of the earliest writers on the subject, Dr. Hinshelwood, was
an eye surgeon, which may account for emphasis on visual difficulties. However, much recent
evidence points to auditory problems as the fundamental cause.
Dr. Tomatis concludes that people with dyslexia are often not right ear dominant, meaning the
sounds they hear are jumbled. Sounds can reach the brain at different speeds, leading to errors of
reversal characteristic of dyslexia, such as writing “was” as “saw” or pronouncing “spaghetti” as
“pisghetti”.
Tomatis also worked with stutterers and those with speech difficulties. He said that each of them
had problems with the right ear that when addressed, resolved the speech issues.
When no particular ear (or side of the body) is dominant, this is known as cross (or mixed)
dominance.
A 2010 study shows that children with cross dominance are more likely to have
language and scholastic issues, and may display ADD / ADHD symptoms. 5
Information may be coming from opposite sides of the body into opposite sides of the brain. For
example, reading with the dominant right eye while listening with the dominant left ear. Reading the blackboard and listening to the teacher. The brain has to work extra hard to sync the two
messages.
Cross dominance can explain learning behaviours such as frequently misplacing objects- a tendency to rotate papers strangely or rotate the head when writing, switching or difficulty reading and writing certain words, constant indecisiveness, poor handwriting, and difficulty with
organization, motor movements, and performing actions that cross the body midline.
Callosum (the part of the brain connecting the two hemispheres).
This longer route causes a delay and difficulty processing information. Some of the higher frequencies are lost which can create complications in distinguishing between similar sounds, and emotional content contained in the messages can be lost. One prevailing symptom of autism and ADD/ADHD is the perceived lack of empathy. If emotional tones within the voice cannot be processed, it becomes very difficult to empathise with the emotion being conveyed.
Retraining The Ears
One way to enhance the function of the right ear is through sound therapy. According to Sound
Therapy Synergy, listening to filtered (predominantly classical) music through headphones expressly enhancing the higher frequencies in the right ear, the ears can be effortlessly retrained to create a right ear dominance, and automatically enhance language skills.
Dyslexia can often lead to a sense of inferiority after repeated failure, with the individual having to
put a lot more effort in to achieve similar results. However, it is thought that by improving the
auditory system through a practice which requires no extra effort, motivation and communication
are greatly increased.
The left forebrain is also the seat of some areas which enhance our sense of optimism and wellbeing, and can be activated by meditation. This particular technique of sound therapy has a similar effect as it specifically activates the left brain, which can reduce anxiety and depression. When we can hear the emotions in the voice, there is less sense of social isolation.
The repercussions of not developing a dominant right ear early on in life can be huge. However, with better understanding, we can retrain our ability to listen. This connects us more deeply to others and the world around us.
In this loud modern world filled with noise pollution in and outside of the home, our hearing plays a crucial role in our well-being and development, happiness and relationships. Our ears are precious, both left and right!
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