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Opportunities for Communicating for students who are deaf-blind and prelinguistic
katheescoggin@gmail.com
11/3/2016 10:04 PM
Think about all the things the student who is deaf-blind likes to do. List them. Then think about what you might want to communicate about those things if they were on your "likes" list. We think about the student expressing his or here desire to get it. But there is much more that can be communicated!
Here is an example. The school team does not know of many things the student likes; but one thing is spinning things around, like the wheels on a toy truck or car. He would do that for long periods of time not engaging with anyone. How many things that spin can you find in the classroom, but also in other environments in the school such as the gymnasium/weight room, music/band room, cafeteria, the playground, etc? What places are within walking distance that might have things that spin?
Now you are developing a vocabulary to learn whether, spoken, signed, pictures or tactile symbols or combination of those forms. The student is learning those names, but also about the environments in which to find the items that interest him or her. Besides learning the name of the item, these things have characteristics and perform actions that also lead to communication. You have something to "talk" about that interests the student.
Now, make a list of things your student enjoys and select just one thing from that list and start to think in this way.
Makes choices,Requests a new action,Requests a new object
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Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging