Hello Mighty Voice readers! Today I’m so excited to bring you this interview with Elizabeth Gaffney. I first saw Elizabeth’s name on an e-book I love about auditory verbal strategies, and later found her on Instagram. I think readers will appreciate her insight having been in different roles in Deaf education, as well as her commitment to being part of … Read More
Back to School: Listening and Spoken Language Resource Round Up
At least in my corner of the world, back to school time is here. Whether you’re the parent who is still cleaning out backpacks from last year, or you’ve had the supply list checked off for weeks, you’re doing it. And what better way to start off the year than with a round up of back to school resources for … Read More
One Way to Get Therapy Services No One Told You About
If your child needs speech and language or listening and spoken language therapy, you’ve probably been told about early intervention (sometimes called Birth to 3) or school-based services. You may have had IFSP or IEP meetings where you tried to convince your team that your child needs more services. But did you know that your child may be able to … Read More
How is Auditory Verbal Therapy, or Listening and Spoken Language, Different than Speech Therapy?
I will be the first to admit it–the first time I heard the term “auditory verbal therapy” and saw a definition, I thought “Hmm, but how is that different than good speech and language therapy?” Maybe you’ve had the same thought. As I’ve been working on my certification, I’ve been thinking a lot about this question, and want to share … Read More
Self Advocacy Skills for Preschoolers with Hearing Loss
This is one post in a series about self advocacy skills for children with hearing loss. If you haven’t already, I’d invite you to read Self Advocacy For Kids with Hearing Loss: Becoming a Successful Adult Starts Right Now. It explains why I feel so strongly about self advocacy skills for children of all ages. The preschool age (3-5 years … Read More
Self Advocacy Skills for Your Toddler with Hearing Loss (ages 2-3)
If you read my post about why self advocacy skills are important, you already know that I am all about supporting our children to be as independent as possible, as early as possible. And, yes, this includes self advocacy skills for your toddler. It may be hard to think about toddlers who has hearing loss working on self-advocacy skills. After … Read More
Self Advocacy For Kids with Hearing Loss: Becoming a Successful Adult Starts Right Now
I went to a session on transition (moving from school to adult life) and self advocacy at the recent Midwest Conference on Deaf Education with few expectations. After all, I work with children, and didn’t think that I would find much practical application. But, it was an interesting topic and so I went. And now I can’t stop thinking about … Read More
Strategies for Creating a Rich Language Environment
If you’re a parent, you know the feeling…the ever present question or nagging thought, “Am I doing enough?” And if you’re the parent of a child with a hearing loss, that voice can be overwhelming because there can be so much you think you should be doing. So first, let me tell you, this post is not about what you’re … Read More
Back to School: 5 Things Your Child’s Teacher Isn’t Telling You
As the school supplies take over the seasonal corner in Target and the yellow buses draped with banners advertising great pay for drivers appear, we’re reminded (whether we like it or not), that the beginning of school is just around the corner. And as a former classroom teacher and school-based SLP, I have to tell you…there are things your classroom … Read More
Strategies for Improving a Child’s Auditory Feedback Loop
Have you ever been talking about two people, and accidently mixed up their names? Like instead of Mary and Ben you said “Bary and Men” and then caught yourself? Or accidentally called your child or partner the wrong name and had to correct yourself? If you have, you have used the auditory feedback loop. What is the Auditory Feedback Loop? … Read More