Client profile: A school aged child with hearing loss that utilizes amplification devices (i.e., hearing aids, cochlear implants, bone anchored hearing aid).
Goal: Student will inform communication partners (i.e., teachers, peers, familiar and unfamiliar listeners) of his/her hearing loss and resulting needs to improve communication and listening in 4/5 conversation opportunities, as measured by SLP observation and student report.
This self advocacy activity can be used to get your student prepared to inform his/her teacher about his/her hearing loss and what can be done to promote successful communication in the classroom. A variety of templates are provided for your student to personalize a note to his/her future teacher for the upcoming school year. Help your young students with writing if needed. Complete this activity at the end of the school year after working on self advocacy skills and identifying individual needs in the classroom. The student can receive multiple copies of the letter at the end of the school year to prepare them for the next year with a new teacher and potentially new service providers. Let your student color the pictured listenining device on the template that resembles their own to add a personal touch. Role-play with the student once he/she has completed the letter to practice sharing the information.
Materials:
Letter templates
Coloring supplies: crayons, markers, dot paint, colored pencils
Writing utensils: pencil, pen
Cueing: Verbal cueing can be provided during role-play and letter preparation dependent on the needs of the student.
Data Tracking: SLP observation and student report will be vital with tracking the efficacy of this activity. Track data during role play scenarios to prepare the student using a tally system after each review opportunity in the speech room. At the start of the new school year, continue tracking this activity through student report of providing the letter to his/her new teacher.
EBP: Assertiveness training is an area of counseling provided for individuals with hearing loss to improve communication opportunities with conversation partners. The goal of this type of counseling is to empower the individual with hearing loss to confidently express what they need from others to improve their ability to express and understand verbally presented information.
Role-play is a teaching strategy that can be implemented to practice utilizing listening and communication strategies that the student learns through assertiveness training. The clinician provides feedback to the student during this process to enhance skills for effective use with a conversation partner.
References
Hull, R. H. (2005). Fourteen principles for providing effective aural rehabilitation. The Hearing Journal, 58(2), 28–30. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.hj.0000286115.54593.1f
Tye-Murray, N. (2020). Communication Strategies Training. In Foundations of Aural Rehabilitation: Children, adults, and their family members (pp. 203–225). essay, Plural Publishing, Inc.
Tye-Murray, N. (2020). Counseling, Psychosocial Support, and Assertiveness Training. In Foundations of Aural Rehabilitation: Children, adults, and their family members (pp. 253–256). essay, Plural Publishing, Inc.