batod_cover.qxp 9/12/12 21:39 Page 1 British Association of Teachers of the Deaf MAGAZINE • January 2013 • ISSN 1336-07999 • www.batod.org.uk Tips and information for Teachers of the Deaf Audiology updates Deaf children in Sierra Leone BATOD representing you Join BATOD to get THE Magazine for professionals working with deaf children batod_ifc.qxp 10/12/12 10:24 Page 58 batod_contents.qxp 10/12/12 13:05 Page 1 Contents From your editor Tips and information This edition of the Magazine is Difficult conversations 4 different from most. We usually SEND – where are we now? 7 have a specific subject on which New to the UK 8 we commission a range of Question time 10 articles – and sometimes we also receive unsolicited Eliminating discrimination 12 contributions on the same Thinking science 14 theme. On this occasion the subject matter is Success in Suffolk 16 broader and much more diverse – a sort of Take a look at Sounding Board 18 miscellany. We have called it ‘Tips and information Early exposure to BSL 19 for Teachers of the Deaf’. This has allowed us to Exploring outcomes 20 put together a very varied range of contributions, The MOSAIC report 22 including articles on dealing with difficult Student life 23 conversations with parents, questions asked of technicians when they visit schools, useful ICT news 24 websites, teaching science, deaf children new to Deafness and EAL 26 22 the UK, collaborative working practices between Understanding deaf equipment 33 education and social services and an update on current proposed changes to the SEN and General features disability system in England. We hope you enjoy the range. As ever, please do not hesitate to let us Improving listening conditions 35 know if you have any ideas for themes or indeed Armed with information 36 individual articles for future Magazines. They are Reel education 37 always welcome. In conversation with Ellen 38 Sierra Leone – the teaching challenge 40 38 It is clear that many Teachers of the Deaf Audiology updates 43 colleagues and heads of schools and services would welcome the idea of a supply list of ToDs. We are looking into how best to develop this but Regulars would like to gauge the number of possible ToDs This and that 51 who might wish to be on that list. Please let me Reviews 53 know at [email protected] if you would be Abbreviations and acronyms 58 interested – whether for full-time work or single Calendar – meetings and training 60 53 days. Forthcoming topics: Association business March Extra-curricular activities Achieving potential 3 May Conference 2013 – Achieving Change of address notification form 9 Potential with Technology BATOD was there representing you… 39 September Acoustics FEAPDA news 44 November How do Teachers of the Deaf Can you contribute? 45 make a difference? Representing you – The Communication Trust 46 Representing you – DfE 47 Representing you – Consortium for Research Magazine Editor into Deaf Education 48 Representing you – Federation of Leaders in Special Education 50 Subscription rates 2012/13 59 Officers of Nations and Regions inside back cover 3 Need to contact BATOD Cover about other matters? The BATOD Conference 2012. Picture taken by Arnold Underwood. 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 10/12/12 10:27 Page 58 batod_3.qxp 9/12/12 20:18 Page 13 Association business Achieving potential Karen Taylor reports on a busy spell of visits to the different BATOD regions and nations and picks out some key points for improving the lives of deaf children and young people ovember proved to be a busy month for me as knowledge and a good understanding of the needs President of BATOD – starting with a presentation of the individual children they work with. Nat the Signature Conference at Canary Wharf in • Children placed in the centre of the process – where London. We were asked to focus on getting the right multi-agency assessments consider all the child’s support so that deaf children and young people can needs. achieve their full potential. It was a really interesting and • Children’s views being sought and respected. varied conference, with SEN Minister Edward Timpson MP as the keynote speaker. You can access all the These are just a few of the many excellent examples information through the Signature website. I then had of good practice in deaf education. The report also the pleasure of attending BATOD Scotland’s annual identified a number of areas that authorities need to conference in Glasgow. This focused on changes to the develop further: curriculum and examinations in Scotland and provided • Well co-ordinated involvement of social care staff in very practical workshops on areas such as lip-reading. supporting deaf children and young people. My thanks to Carol Thomson and the team, who looked • Strategic planning and quality assurance. after me so well. It is important that BATOD can • Evaluation of the quality of services and the impact on represent the nations and regions equally well. We are improving the lives of deaf children and young people. good at responding to consultations that affect England and need to ensure that we also respond as well to The latter is an increasingly important part of our work. those from the other nations. This was discussed As funding changes and local authorities reduce the further at the November Steering Group. core services they provide we need to ensure that the value of all professionals working with deaf children and The following week I was invited to BATOD North’s young people is recognised and celebrated. The areas regional conference in Huddersfield, ‘Focusing on the of development identified may take many of us out of Whole Deaf Child’, which was well attended and again our comfort zone, but to ignore them may well be to the had a range of practical workshops with Danny Lane detriment of the deaf children and young people we from Music and the Deaf giving the keynote speech. support. We need to: Once more, my thanks to the team who looked after me • evidence the impact professionals make so well. Visiting the regions and seeing the high quality • publicise the good work we do professional development and commitment of our • keep the profession high profile Teachers of the Deaf is one of the real privileges of • be alert and respond quickly to proposed changes being President. • keep the education of deaf children and young people high on the local and national agenda. Visiting the regions has also given me an insight into the many changes to service provision that are evolving. Communication is the key highlights the good practice Please do contact BATOD if local developments are we can all be proud of. The cases studied in the report having an impact on the profession and the provision show that when diagnosed early, placed in the right offered to deaf children and young people in your area school, with parent or carer involvement and with so that we can offer support wherever possible. the right support, deaf children and young people can match their hearing peers in their educational In October 2012 the Ofsted report Communication is achievement, demonstrating that deafness in itself the key was published. The full document is available should not be a barrier to achieving their full potential. at www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/120169/ This is a small survey drawing on evidence from good practice case Don’t forget the BATOD Conference and AGM on studies and from the views of children and young 9 March, which will be held at Austin Court in people, their parents and professionals in three local Birmingham. The theme is ‘Achieving Potential with authorities. It highlights the key factors that underpin Technology’. It will be awesome. effective joint working across agencies, for example: • Teachers of the Deaf who have high levels of expertise, playing a pivotal role in providing and co-ordinating support. • Specialist staff with the right skills, experience and ©BATOD Magazine • January 2013 • 3 batod_4_5_6.qxp 9/12/12 20:20 Page 12 Tips and information Difficult conversations According to Amy McConkey Robbins, if Teachers of the Deaf are to provide a full and efficient service for deaf children they need to be equipped with the necessary training and resources and be prepared to have honest conversations with families that will lead to constructive solutions r and Mrs Wilson, parents of a daughter aged often without accompanying supports or ongoing three years three months, were mystified by mentoring. Advances in technology, early Mher communication test results. Their baby’s identification via newborn hearing screening and the deafness had been identified at birth, and she had provision of family-centred early intervention have been fitted with hearing aids and begun family- reshaped the services that ToDs are expected to centred therapy shortly thereafter. At the age of provide. But changes in identifying babies early and 12 months, she received bilateral cochlear implants. fitting them with hearing technologies have not been The family’s desired outcome was listening and matched by an equally rapid expansion of in-service spoken language and her therapy had been focused courses or mentoring opportunities for ToDs, nor in in this direction. This child had had the advantages the number of teachers available to serve these of early identification and technology being fitted, babies. Many ToDs were not trained to work with yet her parents were stunned and angry to hear infants or toddlers and may have been prepared to the results of a recent speech/language evaluation.