cover.qxp 10/12/10 12:45 Page 1 British Association of Teachers of the Deaf MAGAZINE • January 2011 •ISSN 1336-07999 • www.BATOD.org.uk Support Life as a peripatetic ToD The National Year of Communication Using video to support family-child interaction Join BATOD to get THE Magazine for professionals working with deaf children batod_ifc.qxp 12/12/10 16:18 Page 40 batod_contents.qxp 10/12/10 12:46 Page 1 Contents From your editor Support This edition of the Magazine The LSA skill set 4 looks at a number of aspects Supporting additional needs 5 of support, ranging from the day-to-day support of students Equality v inclusion 7 in the classroom to the access A new role 10 arrangements given to students The Mary Hare experience 11 during the crucial time of their Together we are stronger 15 examinations, enabling them to show what they A Welsh way of working 16 know and can do. It includes articles about deaf 10 children with additional linguistic and other needs Training for CAs 18 in a variety of settings and also considers issues of mental health. As you read the Magazine you General features may feel that you wish to share some of your own What about Cued Speech? 20 experiences and we always welcome any such From Bercow to Hello 22 suggested articles. Please get in touch if you would Calling all heads of service 23 like to make a contribution – or if you would like to respond to something you have read in this (or any A Canadian adventure 24 other) edition. Take a look at Viewtalk 26 The VIG approach 28 The Magazine also, as usual, contains a wide Listening difficulties 30 range of other articles not linked to the theme Making the most of language 34 which we hope will be of interest. These include features about audiology, research projects and Working towards the standards 36 working overseas – in this case in Canada. Them or us? 38 Research report 40 You will see throughout the Magazine – including Useful kit! 42 24 the presidential article on page 3 – references to the current climate of public spending cuts, Regulars particularly as they affect local authority services for deaf children and young people. The situation Reviews 52 is very fluid and may well have changed between ICT news 54 the preparation of this Magazine and you reading This and that 56 it! Please keep an eye on our website – especially Abbreviations and acronyms 58 the members’ area – where we will try to keep you 56 up to date with relevant developments. As always, Calendar – meetings and training 60 if you would like to share your thoughts or ideas please do not hesitate to contact me at Association business [email protected]. Stronger together 3 Forthcoming topics Change of address notification form 37 March Literacy and maths Have you registered yet? 45 May Conference edition – Representing you – FEAPDA 48 Stronger together Representing you – NDCS 51 September Assistive technology BATOD was there representing you… 53 November Units and resource bases January 2012 Hearing aids Subscription rates 2010/11 59 Officers of Nations and Regions inside back cover 48 Magazine editor Need to contact BATOD about other matters? Cover picture features Gurdas Sing Taak and a support assistant from Cardiff. Talk to Executive Officer Paul Simpson email: [email protected] answerphone/fax 0845 6435181 For information on advertising rates see www.BATOD.org.uk batod_2.qxp 10/12/10 17:23 Page 40 batod_3.qxp 10/12/10 17:04 Page 41 Association business Stronger together As the New Year dawns, BATOD is as busy as ever, tackling the current issues for ToDs, holding meetings and planning for the Annual Conference, as Gary Anderson reveals s I write this I am surrounded by a carpet of snow We need to explore these questions to provide following the early arrival of exceptionally cold ongoing professional development of the highest Aweather. Sadly and unusually we have just had to quality for our members. cancel our December NEC meeting and are planning to reschedule in January. To that end, the Steering Group has planned a meeting on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 January 2011. On the Since the last issue of the Magazine I am pleased to Friday evening we will be addressing how we can report that I have been able to visit both the North and market ourselves better as an organisation both to South Regions. What was really apparent was that both recruit new members and to use existing Teachers of regions have been through a period of renewal as the the Deaf across the regions and nations to support the committee members have worked hard to engage with current membership. On the Saturday morning we have their members to discern local needs and priorities. invited a number of members to develop more guidance Both saw a coming forward of new committee members for services around the notion of statutory/critical who are keen to ensure that BATOD continues to be an provision. We hope that our discussions will also be active and supportive presence in the region. I would informed by the publication of the White Paper, the like to take this opportunity to thank once again both Green Paper on SEN and the new Equality Act. current and recent committee members for their time and commitment to making this happen. You will be reminded in this issue of our Annual Conference on Saturday 19 March 2011 at The Marriott In Chorley (North) and Sutton (South) I was struck by Hotel in the MetroCentre, Gateshead. Ann Underwood the common issues that are concerning our Teachers and Mary Fortune have worked incredibly hard to bring of the Deaf. The first issue is about the review of together an excellent range of speakers around the local authority support services in relation to the theme of ‘Communicating – stronger together’ to mark current economic climate and anticipated cutbacks. the National Year of Communication. We are delighted In particular, members are asking for NEC to provide that Jean Gross, Communication Champion for Children guidance on ‘what is statutory’ when defending their with Speech, Language and Communication Needs, will provision for deaf learners and the consequent staffing provide the keynote address. required to meet their needs. I was able to signpost them to the Features of effective services document as One of the reasons for choosing the North East as a start, and Ann Underwood quickly ran out of copies our venue this year is to recognise the work and on the BATOD stall! contribution to BATOD of the late Peter Preston, formerly Head of Service for Newcastle, and, with his The second issue also relates to funding. It was clear partner Judith and son, to present the first Award in that there was an absence of some members at the his name to a practitioner Teacher of the Deaf and/or meeting in the North, which was held in a teachers’ educational audiologist whom NEC feels has written a professional centre (as was the case in Wales and the winning article on audiology in last year’s Magazines. South West), due to the fact that staff were unable to be released from their work during the week. I would also like to record thanks and appreciation Interestingly, while it was a much smaller gathering, the to Paul Simpson as Magazine Editor, supported by meeting in the South took the form of a twilight session his editorial advisers, and to those of you who have in Overton Grange School. This raises the issue of how contributed, for the excellent Magazines which keep to plan us so well informed. for future meetings to meet members’ needs in a new world order. Will we see a return to Saturday meetings I look forward to meeting many of you at the and conferences? Should the emphasis be on smaller Conference. Meanwhile please keep in touch with and more local events in the early evening at a range your Association so that we remain ‘stronger together’ of locations across the region? Do members need to meet in schools and resource bases to save money? Do we need to consider greater use of new opportunities through webinars or other technology, such as updates or briefings via local email networks? © BATOD Magazine• January 2011 • 3 batod_4,5,6.qxp 10/12/10 12:48 Page 40 Support The LSA skill set Supporting children with cochlear implants in mainstream settings requires a specific blend of skills, as Jackie Salter and Julie Mather explain he majority of our profoundly deaf pupils are Unfortunately, a busy and active nursery classroom is cochlear implant users and most of them are now not a cochlear implant friendly environment due to the T being educated in mainstream schools. Many of levels of background noise, and a young cochlear these deaf pupils are supported, for at least some of implant user will almost certainly find it difficult. The the school day, by a learning support assistant (LSA) pupil is likely to require time away from the hustle and and they will almost certainly work for longer periods bustle to be able to develop listening and language of time with the LSA than they will with the Teacher of skills, which may conflict with the aims of the the Deaf. Each stage of education will bring different mainstream setting. challenges for the deaf learner, and the skills of the LSA will need to reflect those challenges. We are Within the early years an LSA will need to: aiming for pupils to leave secondary school: • have an understanding of and preferably a • with good English language which will impact on all qualification in early child development areas of their lives and which will enable them to • ensure that differentiation can occur as it is needed access a wide range of choices for the future within the nursery environment • with exam results which accurately reflect their • understand how to facilitate communication within potential the nursery classroom • as independent young people who are ready for life • understand the importance of monitoring how the beyond school child is using the technology and his or her • as confident and well-adjusted young people who developing language and communication skills feel at ease with their deafness.