H&V Library

How Can Families Get to Language Thrivation?

By Karen Putz – This article was a paired with the article Toward Language Thrivation: The Parent and Child Journey in the Winter 2022 edition of the H&V Communicator

Gather Resources

Learn all you can! Set aside time each day to learn one new thing. Connect with other families, join online groups, understand your state’s system of services. If your child is in school, are teachers trained in an approved curriculum for teaching reading?

TIP: Do an audit of available resources. Are you exploring all opportunities?

Know Your Child

As a parent, you understand your child in a way that is unique to you. When something feels “off” or “not right,” explore the feeling further. Is your child struggling or are they thriving? What can you change or add to continue the “thrivation?”

TIPS

  • Begin with an Open Mind.
  • Look within to understand your own biases and barriers—are you uncomfortable in exploring something that seems too different from what you envision for your child?

Build a Team; Who’s on your team?

Find professionals who are willing to work together as a team, even when there are differing opinions. Connect with and learn from diverse Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults.

TIPS

  • Network with a DIVERSE pool of parents, professionals, Deaf/Hard of Hearing adults.
  • Put together a team that propels you FORWARD.

Do an Accessibility Check

Language cannot thrive without communication access—do accessibility checks to ensure that what is being communicated to your child is accessible and being understood in every situation. What seems insignificant to you (the person who hears) can be the missing building blocks of language to your child. For example, a family member arrives home–and you hear the garage door opening. To a deaf/hard of hearing child who cannot hear the sound of the door rumbling open–the person appears as if by magic. Explain the various sounds that happen throughout the day, such as a garage door opening when a family member arrives home, the phone ringing and the conversation you’re having and with who, etc.

TIPS

  • Ask yourself if your communication is accessible.
  • Does your child have access to incidental learning?

Measure Progress

The goal of progress is one year’s growth in one year’s time (academic, social, emotional).

Check in with your team and their assessment results to see where your child is on language development and progress. Every child progresses at their own pace, but your first job is to make sure that language and communication are GOING IN and accessible and that your child has expressive means that work for them.

TIPS:

  • Review professional assessments/tools and understand how this information fits with what you know about your child.
  • Examine your own biases/practices/commitment level—does what YOU want conflict with what your child needs?
  • Are you limiting your child’s language growth? Examine ways you may be hindering progress.
  • If your child has additional concerns, check out the newly published EHDI Parent to Parent Committee resource guide on the D/HH Plus page and join the community for more support: https://www.handsandvoices.org/resources/dhh-plus.html

Celebrate with JOY

Celebrate the journey! Language Thrivation happens best when celebrated with joy. Joyful play is the “work” and the learning arena of childhood. At Hands & Voices, we have just the place where you can connect with others and expand your joy.

TIPS

H&V Communicator – Winter 2022

More Content

Search Web Site