Communication Support for Pre-School Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard of Hearing

Information for parents and caregivers

June 2015

Communication support for pre-school children who are deaf or hard of hearing

This information sheet is for the parents and caregivers of pre-school children who are deaf or hard of hearing. It outlines the government-funded support you can get from the Ministry of Education and other providers in the education sector. It focuses on the communication approaches to consider – it’s our job to explain to you these approaches and to support you to think about and decide what’s best for you and your child.

Communication is important to If a child has a hearing aid, cochlear with spoken language or using everyone. It’s central to a child’s implant or other hearing devices, it as their main method of ability to bond with you and other they may develop listening and communication. members of your family and whänau. spoken language through listening The key thing for you, as parents We all need communication to and talking, natural gestures and and caregivers, is to get a good develop and learn. lip reading. understanding of all the approaches Children who are deaf or hard Alternatively, they can learn to use available to you before working of hearing, with the right support, a combination of spoken language out what comes next. may learn to communicate in and New Zealand Sign Language That’s where we can help. different ways. (known as NZSL) – combining NZSL

1 Who does it suit? Any child who is deaf or hard of hearing, including children fitted with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Parents and caregivers keen on supporting their child to develop spoken language in the home as part of the daily routine. Who will I work with? A Ministry of Education specialist called an Adviser on Deaf Children. What’s involved? Ministry support What are the main Typically, your Adviser on Deaf We are here to: communication approaches? Children will meet with you soon after your child is identified with There are four main provide you with information hearing loss. They will work with communication approaches. about the different you to model language to your child communication approaches and 1. Developing spoken language as you go about your daily routine. what is involved with supporting through listening, speaking They will provide guidance and your child to learn and develop and gesture. advice on language development communication skills at home and help you track your child’s 2. Developing spoken language and in the community language development over through listening (also called time. With this approach, parents connect you with professionals Auditory-Verbal approach). who can meet you face-to-face and caregivers set the pace and to answer your questions and 3. Developing spoken language frequency of meetings. You also give you more information and NZSL through listening, decide when and where to meet about the approaches talking and using sign language – either at home or somewhere else (also called Bimodal Bilingual in the community that suits you. put you in touch with other communication). parents and caregivers who How do I get started? 4. Communication through NZSL are thinking about the same Start by talking to an Adviser on as the primary language. things and going through Deaf Children from the Ministry a similar experience Each communication approach of Education. is described below in more detail. put you in touch with the Developing spoken language Deaf community to learn more Remember, you can discuss your about NZSL and Deaf culture ideas, thoughts and concerns with through listening (called a Ministry of Education Adviser Auditory-Verbal approach) provide general support on Deaf Children at any stage. and encouragement. What is it? Developing spoken Once you’ve made a decision on This approach focuses on the language through listening, the communication approach you development of a child’s spoken want to take, our Advisers on Deaf speaking and gesture language skills through listening. Children will help you and your What is it? Who does it suit? child get started. This approach focuses on the Any child who is deaf or hard They will also help you review development of a child’s language of hearing fitted with hearing your child’s progress to make sure skills by teaching them to listen, aids, cochlear implants and other everything is on track. If things aren’t talk and use visual strategies like listening devices. Parents and quite right, it’s fine to change your lip reading and natural gestures. caregivers keen on supporting their mind and try a different approach.

2 child to develop spoken language spoken language at home and keen on learning and using NZSL with support from specialists who within the community, with and passing on that knowledge to use an Auditory-Verbal approach. support from an NZSL facilitator. their children and family members. Who will I work with? Who will I work with? Who will I work with? Auditory-Verbal Therapists from NZSL facilitators (called First Signs NZSL facilitator (called a First The Hearing House, the Southern facilitators) employed by Deaf Signs facilitator) employed by Deaf Cochlear Implant Programme Aotearoa New Zealand, as well Aotearoa New Zealand, as well and Northern Cochlear Implant as Advisers on Deaf Children. as an Adviser on Deaf Children. Programme, as well as Advisers What’s involved? What’s involved? on Deaf Children. Regular meetings with a First Regular meetings with a First Signs What’s involved? Signs facilitator and Adviser facilitator and an Adviser on Deaf Working with Auditory-Verbal on Deaf Children. The First Signs Children. The First Signs facilitator Therapists and Advisers on Deaf facilitator will work with you will teach you NZSL and help you Children from the time your child to develop NZSL and help you support your child to learn and is identified with a hearing loss. support your child to use NZSL. use NZSL as your child’s primary Auditory-Verbal Therapists will work The Adviser on Deaf Children means of communicating. Specialist with you to develop your child’s will help you to develop spoken support is available from the time listening and spoken language language and listening skills with your child is identified with a skills and provide guidance and your child. First Signs facilitators hearing loss through to the time advice on language development. are there to support parents and your child starts school. With this At times, you may work caregivers from the time their approach, you set the pace and together in a specialist clinic child is born and identified with frequency of the meetings and also or using technology like Skype a hearing loss through to the decide when and where to meet to communicate to each other time their child starts school. – either at home or somewhere else from home. With this approach, you set the in the community that suits you. pace and frequency of your First How do I get started? How do I get started? Signs meetings and you decide Talk to an Adviser on Deaf when and where to meet – either Talk to an Adviser on Deaf Children Children from the Ministry at home or somewhere else in from the Ministry of Education or of Education or an audiologist. the community that suits you. contact Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand. Developing spoken language How do I get started? What happens after making and NZSL through listening, Talk to an Adviser on Deaf Children a decision? talking and sign language at the Ministry of Education or After you’ve made your decision, (also called bimodal bilingual contact Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand. you can get started. The sooner you communication) Communicating through NZSL help your child to communicate and learn to communicate What is it? as the primary language – the better. This approach focuses on What is it? Remember, whatever you decide, learning to communicate using This approach focuses on the we recommend reviewing your a range of skills, including spoken development of a child’s language child’s progress at least every six language and sign language. skills by teaching them NZSL months to make sure everything Who does it suit? as their primary language. is on track. Any child who is deaf or hard Who does it suit? If things aren’t quite right, you can of hearing, including children always talk to us or try something Any child who is deaf or hard fitted with hearing aids or cochlear else. It’s fine to change your mind of hearing, including children implants. Parents and caregivers and try different approaches. fitted with hearing aids or cochlear keen on learning sign language implants. Parents and caregivers to support their child to develop

3 People and organisations who might work with you Contact us and your child Advisers on Deaf Children: If you’re unclear about the communication support Ministry of Education specialists available or have questions about the support your who support children who are child receives, please ask. deaf or hard of hearing. Start by talking to the people who work closely with Auditory-Verbal Therapists: your child – audiologists can give you information Therapists based at The Hearing about Advisers on Deaf Children and provide you House and the Northern and Southern Cochlear Implant with a range of Ministry of Education resources on Programmes to support children hearing loss. to develop spoken language You can also talk with staff at your local Ministry through listening. of Education office or call the Special Education Early Intervention Teachers: information line on 0800 622 222. Specialists employed by the Ministry of Education and Kelston You can get more detailed special education Deaf Education Centre and van information on our parent portal: Asch Deaf Education Centre (in their www.parents.education.govt.nz pre-school programmes) to support children with early learning and If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you can also language needs. contact Ministry of Education through the New Zealand Relay Service on 0800 4711 711 or go to First Signs facilitators: People skilled in NZSL and www.nzrelay.co.nz employed by Deaf Aotearoa to Your feedback is important. By letting us know help family and whänau learn what’s going well – and what we can do better – and teach NZSL to children who we can improve what we do to support all children are deaf or hard of hearing. with special education needs. Resource Teachers of the Deaf: Employed by Kelston Deaf Education Centre and van Asch Deaf Education Centre to support Contact details for the people in my child’s the learning and development of communication team: children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Kelston Deaf Education Centre and van Asch Deaf Education Centre may provide support for children 3 to 5 years of age depending on their overall needs, through their Regional Service. Speech Language Therapists: Specialists employed by the My local Ministry of Education office: Ministry of Education to support children who may have difficulties talking, listening, understanding and using language.