SPE 731 Language, Literacy & Communication Development for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (3 credits)

This course will introduce students to the components of language, normal developmental sequences in children, and the impact of hearing loss upon language acquisition. Auditory and visual strategies for facilitating language acquisition among students who are deaf and hard of hearing will be included, as will protocols for integrating language instruction into academic content area instruction. Students will be introduced to the array of communication options available to families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, early communication behaviors expressed by young children, and strategies for supporting families making communication decisions. The course will examine the components of literacy in conjunction with characteristics of scientifically-based reading research and principles of effective instruction. Students will examine reading programs created for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, create lesson plans, select websites and technology tools available online to support these lessons, practice using scoring rubrics, and develop personal plans for expanding their own communication skills over the course of the next year.