Talk Around the Clock

I just heard an amazing presentation by Karen Rossi, M.A., Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Early Intervention Specialist. If that isn't enough, I think she's the Principal or Executive Director of the Omaha Hearing School, an oral based program, has 33 years of teaching experience, and she was just amazing! Information on her program can be found at: www.learntotalkaroundtheclock.com .

To sum it up, the program is designed help early intervention specialists to teach PARENTS how to teach their own children. There was outlined a hierarchy of communication behaviors and language skills that the parent could learn to use with their child. And throughout the whole program there are amazing ideas of how to incorporate these lessons into every day life.

Now, I would automatically think this would come naturally to a very involved parent of post CI children. Uh-uh. I could use all of the training I can get in this area. The day after the program, I used some of the ideas and activities I learned about with Josh, and immediately started getting "back and forth" communication responses from him. I may have been getting them before, but just wasn't paying attention to his "communication behavior". Having her point our certain things during the presentation really gave me the tools to better assess where Josh is at, how to help him move forward. We've been "talking" all this week, too, back and forth communication. It's like I'm finally plugging in to his wavelength or something.

Karen Rossi stated up front that her experience is with Oral Education, and that's where she was coming from in her approach. But I find that her program would work very well with our son who uses some sign, too. Josh seems to have some sort of motor processing delay, mostly output, and we've found he communicates much easier with sign. I don't know what label an expert would put on him, maybe five different people would give us five different titles for his delays. But the signing is actually giving form to his language, getting him comfortable with new vocabulary, and almost pulls him into oral communication, too. I think the more comfortable he feels with his communication skills, the more freely he vocalizes for things he wants, sees, feels. Pretty cool!

That said, I'll be honest. I've been pumping what language and vocabulary I can into Josh. But after listening to Ms. Rossi I feel much better about finding where Josh actually falls on a communication scale of sorts, and how to work with him in meaningful communication. I think I've finally made a connection with him, one that's been missing between us, even after all the different therapies he's had. Maybe because after this move we've actually not been able to rely on our EXCELLENT therapists back at our old home, and I've been forced to do more on my own. And I've had more time, too. I'm always willing to try something new, and I would highly recommend "Learn to Talk Around the Clock". If we aren't using it here, I'm just going to buy the program myself. I think it would work very well with the "Listening for Littles" program I just bought, too. Yes, I'm actually using activities from the program. Love it!!! :)

Okay, I need to get on with the day!