New Study: Babies Learn Language By Lip-reading
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012All babies lip-read from about 6 months of age, to learn mouth-shapes for the sounds they hear, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University.
When a baby gazes intently at a speaker’s mouth, this indicates they are working to learn to form syllables for themselves, instead of just babbling.
Read the piece >> Babies Learn Language By [...]
New Words-App For Children With Hearing Devices
Friday, January 27th, 2012A new app enables children with hearing-aids and cochlear implants, to practice their listening and speaking with flash-cards and a range of speech sounds for each letter. Very cleverly, the app has parent tips for its use.
Read more >> New HOPE Words App for iPhones and iPads
Watch the video >> See the Hope Words App in [...]
How The HSE Can Use Telepractice To Cut Costs
Sunday, January 8th, 2012One year ago, IDK noted how a speech and language telepractice solution in rural Minnesota, could benefit Irish children in resource teaching allocation.
Telepractice is “the application of telecommunications technology to deliver professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client, or clinician to clinician for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation” (ASHA, 2004).
Here are three ways in which [...]
International Teen Summer Camp (UK, July 2012)
Friday, November 18th, 2011In July 2011, The Ear Foundation (Nottingham, UK) held its first international teen summer camp in Yorkshire, for 19 teens from five European countries, who between them had 7 different types of cochlear implant processors.
The camp is running again from July 23 to 27 2012, at the same venue: St John’s School, Boston Spa, Yorkshire, [...]
Write-Up Of IDK’s Tech Event (Oct 10th, 2011)
Sunday, October 23rd, 2011Irish Deaf Kids held a technology and education event in Dublin on October 10th, 2011. The event proved to be invaluable for all attendees, and was put together to give parents, educators and other stakeholders in-depth insights to how deaf and hard-of-hearing (hoh) children can use digital tools to better communicate and learn in a [...]
Video Games: The Literacy Of Problem-Solving
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011“Video-games, and the type of learning and thinking they generate, may serve as a cornerstone for education and economies of the future”.
For children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, video-games offer great learning potential. Social and interpersonal skills can be taught, as can problem-solving abilities (which the children in question may have already).
Read the full piece: Is [...]
Communicate, Educate, Integrate – Technology And Deaf Children In Mainstream Environments
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011IDK is hosting a seminar, “Communicate, Educate, Integrate – Technology and Deaf Children in Mainstream Environments” on October 10th, in Dublin.
This FREE event is for everyone with an interest in hearing, communication, language, learning and supportive technologies for deaf children/students in mainstream environments.
No prior understanding of deafness or of the technology solutions reviewed, is required [...]
Technology Has Revolutionised Deaf Education
Thursday, September 15th, 2011The teaching of children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing has altered as a result of technologies such as cochlear implants and speech-to-text tools, according to a recent report from Project Forum, at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, in the United States (see summary).
Technology Has Changed The Teaching Of Deaf Students
Notable findings [...]
After A Cochlear Implant – The Real Work Begins
Thursday, September 8th, 2011In response to a mum’s recent mail, here’s what may be expected when a child’s cochlear implant is switched on for the first time.
After a cochlear implant is activated, a child can take more than a month to respond to sounds they hear. Then, “the real work begins”, families are told.
(Lights, Sound) Activation!
As the child [...]
Cochlear Implants: Insights From Deaf Adults
Friday, August 12th, 2011Parents of deaf children, who are debating on a cochlear implant for their child, may gain insights from two articles written by deaf adults in the UK.
The first, published by writer Charlie Swinbourne in The Guardian, is titled “Not all deaf people want to be fixed” and offers a very balanced view on why deaf [...]







