By DOUG SCOTT
Methodological approaches for teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing in the U.S. have been divided since the 18th century. It is not likely that there will ever be a single approach that benefits all children. It is important, therefore, that there be a diversity of quality programs using different educational approaches to meet this need.
Today, many children who are deaf or hard of hearing are able to hear and speak thanks to technology and family support. This “Listening and Spoken Language” (LSL) approach is the cornerstone of the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech (Clarke) programs and services. At Clarke, more than 200 professionals across multiple locations are dedicated to partnering with parents in helping hundreds of children who are deaf or hard of hearing learn to listen and speak so that they can enter mainstream schools in their neighborhoods. American Sign Language (ASL) is not part of Clarke’s curriculum because it is a separate language from spoken English with its own grammar, and we are not a bilingual program. We do not discourage the use of ASL or its teaching.
Children acquire their native language by consistent interaction with fluent users. More than 90 percent of children who are deaf or hard of hearing are born into families that hear and speak. Advances in newborn identification of hearing loss and technology, like hearing aids and cochlear implants, offer families increased communication options for their children. Early access to the sounds of spoken language and parent coaching during the first few years of life fuel the early neurological development that provides a foundation for verbal communication. This phase of brain development occurs during a limited window, and LSL programs like Clarke’s focus on maximizing this opportunity to the greatest extent possible. Clarke professionals support families with expert knowledge and practical, attainable strategies for their child’s linguistic development through listening and spoken language.
Clarke partners with doctors, audiologists and educators to ensure the best possible outcomes for child language, literacy and family inclusion. Parents make informed, family-centered decisions about options for communication. Should they choose an LSL approach, their children are provided with wearable hearing technology and clinical and educational support to make spoken language accessible. Their children read aloud with their grandparents, sing with their siblings, perform in musical concerts, speak for themselves in hearing classrooms, learn languages in addition to English that may be spoken in the home and have broad opportunities in careers of their choosing.
Clarke is committed to the full development of the children we serve. In addition to offering an immersive, language-instructive environment for spoken English, the social, emotional, cognitive, literacy and academic development of the children in our programs is assessed and supported in collaboration with families and partner school districts. Our services extend to support students as they transition to their neighborhood schools, and indeed, the vast majority of Clarke students participate in inclusive educational settings by kindergarten or first grade. We work with school districts to prepare them for the special needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and we teach our students to advocate for themselves so that they can participate fully in classroom activities. We see our students become leaders in their local schools, joining in sports, theater and other activities with their hearing schoolmates.
While Clarke uses a Listening and Spoken Language approach, we recognize that ASL is an important language for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Clarke participates in state and national consortia that include leaders of programs for children who are deaf or hard of hearing across the U.S., representing all types of communication and educational methodologies. For example, Clarke leaders were founding members of the Common Ground Project which provides a forum for LSL and ASL-focused programs to collaborate on effective ways to serve children who are deaf or hard of hearing so all can reach their full potential as human beings. Clarke also participated in recently published national guidelines, “Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.” We recognize that our goals are the same — to enable communication, and all of the social benefits that brings, for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The future is filled with possibilities for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and Clarke proudly partners with nearly 1,000 families every year to fulfill these possibilities.
Doug Scott is president and CEO of Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech.