Teachers' DEN (Deaf Educators' Network)

It’s summer! Long, sunny days are here and children are looking forward to having fun! Opportunities to socialize with other children and adults who are deaf and hard of hearing is critical to developing a positive self-image and summer can be a great time to find these opportunities. 

Summer camps for students who are deaf and hard of hearing are fantastic opportunities for peer interaction and socialization. Students immediately bond over shared experiences. They meet children they may never have had the opportunity to meet and make lasting friendships. If your child missed camp this year, plan for it next year!   

 “Social interactions and friendships in childhood are associated with a wide range factors related to psychological well-being and can be considered protective factors against life stressors and developmental challenges..”  (Batten, Oakes, Alexander, Factors Associated With Social Interactions Between Deaf Children and Their Hearing Peers) 

"Meeting deaf adults will acquaint you with the world and culture of deaf people, and it will bring role models into your child's world—a factor whose importance, right from the start, cannot be overstated."  (Ogden, P. 1996, The Silent Garden: Raising Your Deaf Child) 

More ideas:

• Play groups/dates
• Open-captioned movies
• Sports/classes w/ an interpreter
• Deaf Community groups
• Social media groups

Where to find events: 
https://www.facebook.com/CDHHE  
https://www.deafhoosiers.com/news 
https://www.hearindiana.org
https://iadhoosiers.org     
https://www.inhandsandvoices.org

Brain Builders Corner: Early Intervention

Children and Families Connecting

Why attend a playgroup?

We know that early experiences are important for brain development and that early intervention and engagement with infants and toddlers are essential for language development. We also know that:

· Connections families make with other families of deaf and hard of hearing children is  important for providing
emotional support to families.

· Meeting others who have had similar experiences is comforting and affirming.

· Children benefit from meeting and seeing other children like them of all ages.

· Siblings benefit from meeting other children who are siblings of deaf and hard of hearing children.

Playgroups offer opportunities for families to be provided with emotional support and affirmations from other families along their journey. Siblings and deaf and hard of hearing children receive the benefit of time with children like themselves. The playgroups offered through our Center are typically offered the first Saturday of the month and we work with community resources to offer various settings of family-friendly places.

Playgroups like this not only benefit the families who participate, it also gives an opportunity to educate family-friendly community locations about deaf and hard of hearing children, accommodations that will benefit them, and to understand diverse communities of children.

Have a Happy New Year and keep making those connections!


REMINDER: Our next playgroup is an exciting partnership with the Indianapolis Children’s Museum that will provide an opportunity for our families to gather in the Playscape area an hour prior to the opening of the museum, view a special production on vibrations for young children and then you can visit the rest of the museum at no cost to your family. This is a special event designed for families with deaf and hard of hearing children only ages birth through 5 years of age and their siblings. Registration is full, but watch for information on the next opportunity.