First visit to the school for children with hearing impairments

On June 11th, Pieter and I visited the school we're working with for the first time. It is a large organisation hosting various care institutions and focusing on several target groups. We spoke with the director and the psychologist of the school.

Both the director and the psychologist are enthusiastic about participating in the project and they gladly offer their support and collaboration. Together we decide to focus on the so-called groups of "auditieven", with children who are either deaf or hard-of-hearing, but have no other problems.

We already learn quite some things about deaf children we had never realized. For instance, all deaf children can hear and speak to a certain extent nowadays, because they get Cochlear Implants at a young age. But despite of this implant, deaf children will always experience difficulties with hearing and with understanding spoken or written language. One thing that especially struck me was the fact that many deaf children tend to think that they will be able to hear when they grow older. (Most of) Their parents can also hear! Therefore, deaf adults visit the classes on a regular base, as a role model for the kids.

During the meeting, we have made a global planning for the interviews with school employees, contextual inquiries with families with (a) deaf child(ren) and observations. We are invited to attend the press presentation of a children's book about a deaf girl. This presentation will be held in a kindergarten class with six deaf children. A good opportunity for some early observations!

Karin