Which Approach Should I Use With My Child Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing?
For hundreds of years, parents of children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have been faced with two exclusive choices for the education of their children: learning with sign language or learning through the use of spoken language and any residual hearing their child may have (historically called the “oral” approach). Many families have felt torn about which language modality to provide for their child, and some have faced intense pressure to make permanent decisions prematurely.
At the Utah School for the Deaf, things are different.
Here at USD, parents can choose a personalized program using both American Sign Language (ASL) and English, an English-only program using listening and spoken language skills, or they can customize the educational experience for their child with all of the advantages of both programs. Our highly specialized professionals are sensitive to the difficult decisions faced by parents, and in our schools the needs of the child always come first. As the primary stakeholders in their children’s education, parents are encouraged to follow the lead of their children and to be flexible if their needs change over time.
How do we do this? During the regular Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team meetings, our educators evaluate the progress, strengths, and weaknesses of each child with their parents. Using this knowledge the IEP team determines appropriate goals, services, and placement for the child. Parents can send their child to a USDB school (Ogden, Salt Lake, Springville, or St. George) or they can choose to place them within their local school district – with or without the support of USD specialists.
USD then implements the IEP team recommendations for each student. We recognize that each child’s path is individualized and can change over time. If at any time a current placement no longer meets the needs of the child, the parent can request a meeting to discuss other options.