Teachers' DEN

 

New Year, New In-Service

In-services provide a way for school staff to better understand the unique access and learning needs of   students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Typically, the teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing will meet with staff prior to the start of a new school year. Midway through the year is also a great time for a refresher in the event of staff changes or access consideration updates. 

When developmentally appropriate, it is a great idea to bring students in to create their own in-services. They can create a poster, brochure, video, or even an in-person presentation.  

Including real-life situations or simulations can make the in-service not only engaging but understandable by audiences who do not frequently interact with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

In-service Topics

· The hearing mechanism

· The student’s hearing levels

· How the student communicates

· How personal hearing devices work

· The role of related service providers (educational audiologist, educational interpreter, etc.)

· Accommodations

· How Hearing Assistive Technology works and quick troubleshooting

· How to perform daily monitoring of personal and hearing assistive technology

· Difficult listening/visual situations

· Educational and social implications

· Remote learning considerations

 Simulations

· Nice to Meet You https://youtu.be/QWJTK2waj68

· Access to Closed Captioning in the Classroom https://vimeo.com/154598088

· Bad Lipreading https://youtu.be/Y2vS8dPMR2U

· Can You Read My Lips? https://vimeo.com/148127830

· Caption Fail https://youtu.be/7MuDgfX9C2w

· Cochlear Implant Demos http://bit.ly/3mpAIJI

· Hearing Aid + FM Simulation https://youtu.be/1l37lzLIgQU

· Hearing Level Simulator http://bit.ly/2KuRr1f

· Interactive Ear http://bit.ly/3gOnUvw

· Simulated Listening http://bit.ly/31zig7u

· What’s it like to be Deaf? https://youtu.be/60lzVhXW_0U

More Resources

DHH Inservice http://bit.ly/DeafEdInservice
Inservicing the Classroom Teacher https://bit.ly/2KyEIL2
Dear Classroom Teacher https://bit.ly/2LBY0zr
Distance Learning  In-service Template http://bit.ly/3mkTdix
Familiar Sounds Audiogram https://bit.ly/3gSkEz6

  

 

 

TACKLIN' Assessment

Investing in Your Child: A Penny for Your Thoughts

Multiple studies have shown that hearing children typically hear 30-40 million words before kindergarten. In a study by Hart and Risley (1999), the amount of listening experience necessary for adequate language development was investigated. In their longitudinal study of children from birth to age 4, they documented the number of person-spoken words heard by this population. The study did not include electronic words heard on the TV, books on tape, or the computer. On average, talkative families spoke 2100 words per hour while quieter families spoke only 600 words per hour. Parents who talked a lot provided more varied vocabulary, complex ideas, subtle guidance, and positive feedback ended up with children who also talked a lot.  Conversely, parents who rarely talked ended up with 3-year-olds who talked a little. These findings can be applied to all deaf and  hard of hearing children regardless of communication methodology. For example, it can be implied that parents who sign more to their child will have children who use sign more than those parents who sign only a little.  Strategies for increasing communication interactions and increasing your word count with your child at home in everyday situations is provided below.

Strategies to Increase Word Count

· Be a “sports commentator” and describe  every detail as your child is doing.  Make your words/signs match not only what the child is doing, but also what they are thinking and feeling. 

· Use self-talk to narrate what you are doing when playing and/or engaging in daily routines with your child.

· Find opportunities throughout the day to read aloud to your child. If you have an older child, you can engage them in partner reading and/or book discussions.

· Sing familiar songs with your child and/or make up your own song to accompany a daily routine.

Check out the Thirty Million Words initiative from the University of Chicago!

 Activities

· Brushing your teeth.                   

· Playing with playdough.           

· Making a snowman.

· Baking cookies.           

· Setting the table.        

· Building an indoor fort.

· Play board and card games.

Create an experience book with photographs or pictures of you and your child doing any of the above activities. Hearing First offers more information on experience books here.

 Cole, E.B. & Flexer, C. (2007). Children with hearing loss developing listening and  talking: birth to six. San Diego: Plural Publishing, INC.

Hart, B., & Risely, T.R. (1999). The social world of children learning to talk.  Baltimore: Brookes.

 

 

Language and Literacy Corner: The Importance of Resilience

2020 was a trying and challenging year with an increase in anxiety and depression in children. Emotional issues can impact language by slowing growth, reducing attention to language input, or in some cases, resulting in regression. Often people speaking in public forums have been observed to state, “children are resilient,” but resiliency does not develop naturally.

What is resilience? It is the ability to cope with a crisis and bounce back. Resilient people have protective factors that help them succeed and carry on, even when times are tough. These can be found in the environment (caring community, access to healthcare, needed resources, etc.), family, and within the child.

A video on resilience from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child can be found here

Social and emotional health is an important protective factor to help handle life. Three of the key factors related to social emotional development are:

· Attachments/Relationships (healthy relationships that begin in infancy);

· Self-Regulation (ability to show a range of feelings and control behavior in safe and healthy ways); and

· Initiative (independently use thoughts and actions to meet needs).

 How to support resilience:

· Talk/sign to your child and respond to their communication.

· Have a routine.

· Accept a range of feelings and talk about expressing those feelings.

· Accept mistakes as learning opportunities.

· Show joy in your child’s accomplishments and attempts.

· Play games together.

· Have set aside family time.

· Let your child help at home or plan activities.

The best summary is this quote from Dr. Sam Goldstein. “There are two ways to create a masterpiece. You can start with a lump of clay or you can start with a hunk of marble. Traditionally, in helping children gain knowledge, we’ve taken the marble approach. We’ve taken our chisels and chipped away and chipped away at children until we have a pile of rubble. In many cases, they’re very unhappy and not much better for our efforts. I suggest you shift your mindset to a way that is more in concert with the concept of resilience. You can start with a lump of clay. You can mold it and shape it and if it doesn’t seem to be moving in the right direction, you can reshape it. It’s a much more flexible and insightful approach. It’s not that children are lumps of clay or pieces of marble but what is your mindset. When you work with a child, is it your mindset to chip away at them and fix what’s wrong with them? Or is it your mindset to help shape, create, develop all that child can be regardless of what challenges this child brings to the world?”

Boosting Resilience and Stress Hardiness as Part of Language Intervention, by Sam      Goldstein, PhD, ABPdN - part of the "Adolescent Language Beyond the Classroom" ASHA e-workshop

 

 

Brain Builders Corner: Early Intervention

 Book sharing builds connections

Why do we start reading with children at birth or even prenatally?

Reading with children exposes them to print words, including words not used often in conversation and complex language structure. We tend to talk to children in very simple language about the here and now. Early exposure to more complex language stimulates even more neural connections. 

Novelty and repetition are key strategies that are beneficial for language and literacy. Novelty stimulates arousal and gains baby’s attention while repetition confirms their understanding. Seek out new and interesting books to share but also be prepared to read them over and over. Use dialogue   and talk about words and the pictures when reading with children. 

 What is dialogic reading?

· a conversation about the pictures and words

· less answers by pointing

· increased open-ended questions

· challenge by using emotions

For an example reading and the types of questions to ask, go to this link at Blue Manatee Press titled Dogs! (http://www.bluemanateepress.com/dogs)

 Examples of books that help grownups engage in dialogic reading: 

Dogs! by Dr. John Hutton

How to Hide a Lion by Helen Stephens

I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs

Talk with Me!  by Teri Kaminski Peterson

Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

Mix It Up! by Herve’ Tullet

“Between birth and kindergarten, we want children to become familiar with book   organization, meaning, letters and words.”

“Most of all, have fun when you read books in order to create lifelong learners.”

-Dr. Laura Justice, Keynote Presenter, Promoting Positive Outcomes Conference, November 2020

 The Center is offering a new virtual event for families of young children:

“Stories, Signs, and Snacks!” 

Our providers will share stories in ASL and spoken English– modeling ways to engage with your little one through books. Plan a snack to munch on    during the story!  After, there will be discussion among the adults discussing storytelling and story sharing strategies to hold the interest of our young minds. Look for notification for the next Story, Snack and Sign on our FB page or via email to our listserv.

 For additional information & Tips:

15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children, Shared Reading    Project, Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University

Read Together, Learn Together, Hearing First

  

 

Sound Advice: Audiology

 Innovations in Hearing Aid Technology

Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology allows hearing aid users to stream content directly from their device to their hearing aids. The listener has access to both environmental sounds and appropriately       amplified streamed audio.

Pros: connects to personal and school devices (i.e. phones, tablets) without intermediary devices.

Cons: battery consumption, dependent on reliable Bluetooth connection.

Rechargeable

Rather than using disposable batteries, rechargeable hearing aids are docked in a charging unit overnight. Built-in batteries cannot be replaced by the user; shelf-life is estimated to be               approximately 5 years.

Pros: environmentally friendly, protects young children and pets from battery toxicity.

Cons: dependency on charging unit, users may forget or be unable to charge hearing aids every night.

Accessibility

Pediatric hearing aids are equipped to connect to special microphones allowing the student to stream the speaker’s voice directly to their hearing aids (i.e. FM/DM systems and remote             microphones).

Pros: increased audibility from a distance or in noisy environments. Connect to non-Bluetooth    devices.

Cons: teachers need to remember to turn the microphone off/mute when appropriate.

Smart Phones

Manufacturers have released smartphone apps compatible with their products. App may include battery life estimates, volume/program adjustments, wear-time monitoring, and Find My Hearing Aid features.

Pros: allows more user control and information.

Cons: newly developed, some “bugs” remain (i.e. variable accuracy, unreliable pairing with      hearing aids).

 

 

Staff Spotlight: 2020 Bright Spots

Center staff was asked to share their silver linings from 2020

 

Some Center staff members also shared 2020 bright spots experienced

 Despite our new COVID-19 procedures, families have continually shared their appreciation for the in-person services at the Center within our “warm,” “welcoming,” and “clean” environment

Since moving to teleservices and the reduction in time in travel, we have been able to provide more services to   children and families across the state.

 The sudden need to learn/work from home has improved access in technology: remote sign language interpreting, live captioning, and the like .

 Since I did not have to travel, I had time to create handouts and an online library for families new to the DHH community to learn and explore.

 

From the Director: Farewell 2020!

As in years past, a new year brings new hope and opportunities. 2021 has been even more anticipated as an end of the tumultuous year of 2020. Yet, there was no miraculous change on January 1st, so we must continue to be diligent as we seek a healthier more equitable environment for ourselves, and the families we serve.

The state continues to provide resources and information related to COVID-19 with     specific information on the availability and distribution of the vaccine here.

The Indiana Department of Health is focused on identifying and eliminate health  disparities– read more on Health Disparities Projects here.

Here’s to health and unity in 2021!