The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The students at this preschool imitate animal sounds, dance to music during circle time and count paper monkeys in a tree.
But before they start their day, teacher Janet Knust checks to make sure they can hear. Each child in the new Oral Preschool Program at Old Dominion University has hearing aids or a cochlear implant to improve hearing.
"If it's not working, there's no point," Knust said. That's because sign language is not used. "All we do is listening and speaking all day. "
The program is the only local option for parents who want their deaf or partially deaf preschoolers to learn solely through speaking and listening. It started in February with six students ages 3 to 5.
The demand for such programs is skyrocketing as more young children get cochlear implants, said Dr. Barry Strasnick, director of hearing-related surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Children as young as 12 months can now get the devices, which deliver electronic hearing sensations to the inner ear. Since Virginia began screening all newborns for hearing loss in 1999, the number of children getting the implants at EVMS has grown to 60 a year, he said.
Oral preschool aims to prepare students to join mainstream classes by first or second grade.
During a recent class, Knust and 3 -year-old Gerry Winde-mil-ler looked at two images on a computer screen.
"Which one makes this sound?" Knust asked as a "moo" came out of the speakers.
Gerry bypassed the boat and pointed at the cow. "Ow!" he said.
Until last spring, Knust was the teacher of the oral deaf preschool class that ran for six years at the Virginia School for the Deaf, Blind and Multi-disabled in Hampton. When the school closed last year, the region was left without a similar program.
A group called Coalition for Hearing, Education and Research, headed by Strasnick, had been pushing for an oral program in South Hampton Roads for several years. Old Dominion was interested in the program as a way to train future teachers of the deaf in oral methods, and conduct research. The closure of the Hampton program provided an opening for state funding.
Deborah Pfeiffer, who oversees deaf programs for the state Department of Education, said the state wanted to make the option available along with other methods. The department invested $139,000 to modify, supply and staff the classroom.
"A child with a cochlear implant needs several years of pretty intensive therapy to sort out the sounds they are hearing," she said. The oral approach is controversial among some in the deaf community because it doesn't prepare children to interact with other deaf people.
Dan Montero, a former Chesapeake resident whose son Pierce, 6, has cochlear implants, said he wouldn't consider any other method.
He helped push for the local preschool but moved with his family to Jacksonville, Fl a., two years ago so his son could attend a school that uses the oral method.
"If I can give my son the gift of speaking and hearing, why not?" he said.
Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133, lauren.roth@pilotonline.com.
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Maybe I didn't come across
Maybe I didn't come across correctly in my statement, I did know about ASL before, I have even learned a few signs and my son knows a few b/c at first he would not wear his hearing aids, so I had to communicate with him in other means than just yelling at him all day long. But again this is my choice and my choice alone. There are other means of communications for deaf children than just ASL in todays world. Please do not sit hear and say we are wrong, we are doing what we believe is best for our children. The children in the class get along so great together and the love their teachers. My son when we drive by the school tells me "go play". Four Months ago he didn't know these words. Its working and I love the program and can not wait until the new school year.
Shame, part 2
ODU library carries the American Annals of the Deaf which offers research that could prove useful. Seeing Voices, by Oliver Sacks is an interesting book to read, as well as At Home Among Strangers, by Jerome D. Schein. I found both early on and enjoyed them.
Good luck with your child and I hope you and your family do learn sign language for your child.
Shame
It is a shame that when you found out about your child's hearing impairment that you were not advised as to all the language and educational options. This is where the problem occurs. Every parent should and does have the right to make decisions such as yours, but it should be an informed decision. The only why for that to happen is by receiving unbiased information. The doctors, audiologist, etc. who have a financial gain in your decision are not the ones to be providing this information, but are. Typically, they are our only point of contact before we reach the schools. The schools may have an agenda as well because of funding, and your child’s best interests may not be addressed again. It is a shame that an organization doesn’t exist that works with this group of professionals so that information can be disbursed to parents once a hearing loss is discovered. Sadly, most the doctors, audiologist and schools I have encountered wouldn’t work with such a group anyhow.
ODU library carries the American Annals of the Deaf which offers research that could prove useful. Seeing Voices, by Oliver Sacks is an interesting book to read, as well as At Home Among Strangers, b
part B of mom in the class
Furthermore since I found out about my sons hearing loss not one person has come to me and said we have a program for the deaf to teach ASL to young children. So what am I left with? I take the option that I have and send my child to an oral program and at this time I love this program he has learned so much. And yes he has to learn to listen to hear, he never knew before that there was hearing, so please before you respond to this article negatively think about all the aspects in life. Again this decision is for the parents not anyone else’s.
Mom of one child in the class....
I am very sadden to see how some people have viewed this article, this article was simply saying there was a new oral program out there for children with hearing loss and/or are deaf. My son attends the program, for me this decision was the best option I could give my child. He has severe hearing loss; he is not deaf. So where does a mom go with that? This program has given him words, words that are beautiful to a mothers ears, he had almost non 6 months ago. I have never been against ASL and I actually would Love for my son to learn it along with myself so in the case that if he were not wearing his hearing aids I can still communicate with him. But this is an option left to parents neither the speaking hearing community nor the deaf community; how we decide what is best for our children is our decision. Technology has changed allowing for amazing things and who are you to say that b/c you are born deaf you have to stay deaf. Think about all the technology that you let into your life and see if you could make it without certain things like a computer or even electricity. I want my child to have as many options as possible. Furthermore since I found out about my sons hearing
ASL?
The people I know who are deaf are proud, passionate and beautiful. Their culture is distinctly their own.
This is very true. My father is deaf, and my mother is hard of hearing. They're proud of the lifestyle that comes with their hearing impairment, and they wouldn't have it any other way.
Learn to hear??? pt II
Speech therapy and sign language can be used in conjunction to optimize the a deaf child's success in understanding the world around him or her and communication with his or her parents, teachers and peers. Why is sign language encouraged with hearing babies and, as in the case of ODU's preschool program, not given to deaf children as a tool for success? This is a contradictory and misguided myth that using sign language with deaf children will harm their speech skills. I've seen myself, an implanted child's speech skills improve upon using ASL with him. I also saw the world open up to him through the use of visual communication - sign language - a language what was easiest for him to comprehend and express himself with - a language that was fully accessable and easy for him to use.
An aural/oral approach - without the use of sign language only limits what a deaf child can optimally achieve... it saddens me that deaf child's worth is based pretty much on how good their speech skills are, when actually there is so much more to a deaf child and so much more that could be understood so easily through the use of ASL.
It would be perfectly wonderful for people to "learn to" see t
Learn to hear???
It saddens me to read this article "Learning to Hear" as this program uses an aural/oral only approach to teaching these young deaf children while sign language is not used at all to communicate and educate these young deaf children. Any Deaf or hard of hearing adult can tell you that cochlear implants are not always successful in "restoring" one's hearing nor "teaching" a child language. Unfortunately, this realization hits, oftentimes, when the critical period of language acquisition has already passed - much to the detriment of the deaf child's psychological, emotional, cognitive and even physical well-being.
The Baby Signs movement is strong and growing among parents and babies who have no hearing loss. Research has shown, again and again, that signing with one's baby only produces positive effects, such as increased IQ, fewer behavioral problems due to communication frustration, and increased bonds between the parents and their babies. So, why not use American Sign Language with deaf children as well. Speech therapy and sign language can be used in conjunction to optimize the a deaf child's success in understanding the world around him or her and communication with his or h
OK, they need classrooms too...
I had this forwarded to me today by one of the brightest, most powerful women in my life. She happens to be proudly hard of hearing and actively involved in the deaf community here and throughout the nation.
With the understanding that I do not know what it is like to give birth to or raise a deaf child, it still saddens me that American Sign Language is not introduced into these children's lives in this program.
As a hearing woman, I have had the great blessing of being introduced and welcomed into the local deaf community. The people I know who are deaf are proud, passionate and beautiful. Their culture is distinctly their own. They have taught me much and I have happily learned not just about their culture but even more so about myself. What a shame not to encourage these children to explore such an amazing and rightful opportunity... Viva,Southeastern Society for the Deaf!