‘Experience’ Books From Off We Go! Publishing
Monday, January 18th, 2010Irish company, Off We Go! Publishing, has released a set of books for children to learn about different first-time experiences in early life.
These books benefit those with special needs and any young child experiencing these outings for the first time.
Twelve different titles are in the series, including “Going on a Plane’, “Going to the Optician” [...]
Cochlear Implants Boost Childrens’ Early Learning
Monday, November 2nd, 2009The development of deaf children fitted with a cochlear implant is being profiled in a study at Malaga University, headed by Ignacio Moreno-Torres.
Three months after receiving an implant, all children profiled could recognise sounds in their immediate environment. Social and family factors were also analysed in the study for a more in-depth result.
Children become used [...]
Child Literacy & Social Inclusion (NESF, June 2009)
Thursday, July 9th, 2009A Plenary Session on Child Literacy and Social Inclusion was organised on June 16 by the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF), at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin.
By 2016, the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 has the goal of reducing the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties in primary schools serving disadvantaged [...]
Learning Language Is Fun! For Parents & Children
Monday, May 25th, 2009Irish Deaf Kids and artist Helene Hugel are inviting families with very young deaf children to join in a series of “imaginative play” sessions. Create and the Arts Council are funding this initiative to develop creative skills with parents to support early language development in deaf children.
The initial sessions will take place at the National [...]
NCC Statement On Education & Training
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009The National Competitiveness Council recently issued key points to prepare the country’s education system to contribute to future economic growth.
Some recommendations are a direct fit for IDK’s messages.
1) Develop a formal pre-primary education system as a key priority
Specifically:
integrating disadvantaged children into education as early as possible
providing pre-primary education & centre-based daycare at one venue
re-orienting the childcare sector as a cost-effective [...]
Life & Deaf DVD Project For Communication Skills
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008Here’s a project that Transition Year students (deaf & hearing) may like to adapt in their own way. With some imagination, it has great potential.
A group of deaf children at support units in four mainstream schools in the London borough of Greenwich are involved in a creative language project.
The ‘Life & Deaf’ book/DVD project aims to develop the childrens’ [...]
Picture Diaries For Natural Language Development
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008Deaf children learn new words and language visually, so pictures or simple drawings are the key to developing their ability to link words and meaning.
Informal diaries with stick figures, line drawings and specific pictures can help reinforce this link by recording what’s been learned in daily activities.
This way, both you and your child have a [...]
Language Development: Linking Items To Words
Monday, June 23rd, 2008It’s never too early to start teaching deaf children their first word, or words.
One approach when your baby is playing, is to identify what they’re looking at, and to tell them the name of the item.
This teaches your child to link items to words, and is a key part of their early language development.
Watch for [...]
Toys for Baby Development 0 - 24 Months
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008The IDK article “Toys & Games for Deaf Children” is one of the most-read on this site, so this complementary piece suggests toys for early development.
Developmental Baby Toys for 0 - 24 Month Olds
Remember, children who’re deaf have the same toys as hearing children, even if you may think otherwise!
Handheld rattles will develop your child’s ability to ‘listen’ [...]
Cinematic Life Lessons
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008A French film, The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (2007), captivated recent audiences at the Irish Film Institute and was retained for a second run.
It’s a biopic about 43-year-old Jean-Dominique Baudy, one-time editor of French Elle, who suffers a massive stroke in his sports car on a country road.
He’s left with what’s called locked-in syndrome, [...]