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Students with Cochlear Implants at Schools for the Deaf. Judy Harrison, M.A. Beth Israel Medical Center-NYC 212-844-8446. Populations of CI users. Post-lingual adults and children Young children Pre-lingual adults Older children aural/oral signing Other. Young Children with CI’s.
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Students with Cochlear Implants at Schools for the Deaf Judy Harrison, M.A. Beth Israel Medical Center-NYC 212-844-8446
Populations of CI users • Post-lingual adults and children • Young children • Pre-lingual adults • Older children • aural/oral • signing • Other
Young Children with CI’s • Approximately four years and below • Auditory/oral language • Mainstream education
Older children whose language is based in sign • Limited auditory experience and skills • Limited speech skills • Visual learning skills
Opportunities for Older CI Students • Increased communication skills through audition • Increased access to incidental information • Enhancement of visual communication • Potential for more intelligible speech
Adolescents and Teens • Counseling • Sensitivity to the evaluation process • EXPECTATIONS • Participants in the creation of their own MAP • Support after the cochlear implant is activated
Challenges at Schools for the Deaf • Lack of training/experience/knowledge re:CI’s and auditory learning • Resistance to CI technology, results and educational potential • Resistance to creating an auditory learning environment • Administrations and/or boards of directors that do not support auditory learning
Creating an Auditory Learning Environment • Talking and signing together is not enough • Attention to the acoustic environment • Addressing “habits” from using visual language • Skilled use of auditory/oral language • Balancing the expectations for auditory skills with the need for visual language • Support for mainstream education
Successful Strategies • Ongoing consultation • Staff in-services • Student in-services • Family information meetings • Student progress meetings • Schedules that prioritize speech/language • Administrative support
Ongoing Consultation • Classroom and therapy observations • Follow-up meetings with staff (same day) • Video-taped sessions (self-evaluations) • Written recommendations
Staff In-services • Cochlear Implants 101 • Staff anxiety and/or resistance • Dispel the myths • Realistic AND challenging expectations • Auditory learning • Teaching strategies
Student In-services • Cochlear Implants 101 • Address the anxiety • Dispel the myths • Discuss realistic expectations
Family Information Meetings • Accurate and complete information • Families with children who use CI’s • Physicians and CI center staff to present
Student Progress Meetings • Quarterly during the school year • Attended by family, educational team, CI center representative and child (when appropriate)
Schedules that Prioritize Individual Sessions • Individual speech/language sessions occur simultaneously for students • New listeners require daily sessions • Appropriate acoustic environment
Administrative Support • Professional release time • Encourage attendance at auditory learning workshops • Graduate courses • Hire teachers trained in auditory/oral education • Technical support through audiology department
John Dewey, Educator and Philosopher “IF WE TEACH TODAY LIKE WE TAUGHT YESTERDAY, WE ROB OUR CHILDREN OF TOMORROW”