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 [...]
Newborn Hearing Tests In Waterford And Wexford
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011From November 7th, 2011, babies born at Waterford and Wexford Regional Hospitals can have free newborn hearing tests, in an opt-in programme that is also available to babies born outside of hospital in Waterford.
These new hospital newborn hearing test programmes, costing in the region of €1.1 million annually, are part of the HSE’s Newborn Hearing Screening Programme for the [...]
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 [...]
What To Do If Your Child’s Support Hours Are Cut
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011The parent of a deaf student emailed IDK. Her child’s secondary-school teaching support hours were cut during Transition Year, when the regional SENO said this was not the case. A deadlock had resulted, so our advice was sought. Here’s what we suggested.
Get a statement of resource teaching &/or SNA hours at the start.
All arrangements with [...]
What Exactly Does Oral-Deaf Education Involve?
Wednesday, July 27th, 2011Confirming your child has hearing issues or profound deafness is a big shock, but prospects for the children are different in recent years. Parents are finding their child has hearing difficulties ever-earlier, thanks to raised public awareness, and the screening technologies available to their children.
Existing misconceptions lead many to believe that deaf and hard of [...]
SNA Provision: The DES Value For Money Review
Thursday, July 21st, 2011The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme in schools in Ireland was assessed in value-for-money terms by the Department of Education from 2007/8 to 2010. Their June 2011 report is online.
In the report, concern emerges that “excess [SNA] support may lead to an over-dependence by the student on … support, [with] loss of opportunity for the student [...]