I feel that a lot of these tips can also be applied to a child who uses manual communication as well. In fact, I will draw up a thread for a child who uses manual communication, too. Parents, educators, and whoever else working with the child may not realize that they are doing things that might be hindering the communication process. Perhaps at least some of these tips can be helpful. Oral or not, a deaf child listens with primarily his eyes to see what is happening around him. Even auditory training requires seeing the sounds to make the connections and to train the brain. Also this list could be useful for children with mild hearing loss or functionally hard of hearing.
Whether we agree on the communication method the parent has chosen for his/her child is irrelevant from a professional standpoint in this case. Each child deserves a teacher who is willing to support the parent in every step of the way. As a professional, I cannot interject my beliefs...unless I can verify with solid data and assessment results that the method is not working or there's another method that would be better suited. If there's data, I certainly will.
Is it hard for me not to interject? Yes. More than you can ever possibly know. Do I want to drive around the country wearing a cap to go on a rescue mission to save children from the oral schools? Yes. I experienced the heartbreak personally to know that the route that these children take is the hardest one.
But when I work with a deaf child who is oral, my personal feelings are set aside. The parents have my fullest support and I will do everything in my power to make sure the child is given the best possible resources available. Hence my list. This list shows that there are things we can do, and things we should not do. That's my job.
Just because the route is the hardest doesn't mean they won't get to the designation. Some will make it, some won't. And I'm going to be walking every step of the way with them. I walked alone when I was going through my journey. But that doesn't mean the child has to, too. Take my hand, and we shall walk together.
Just wanted to explain that I wasn't directing my comments to the posters as a whole. Just a certain few who know who they are.
Better duck, looks like you've got 4 fingers coming at you, according to something a wise person once posted on a thread, long ago, maybe 2 minutes ago.
