About Clarke Speaks Up
The Clarke Speaks Up blog features content about children who are deaf or hard of hearing learning to listen and talk, students with hearing loss in mainstream settings, the latest research in deaf education, and so much more. Past articles from Mainstream News can be found here as well.
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When students navigate academic transitions or apply for internships, summer work or scholarships—sometimes even babysitting jobs—they often need a letter of recommendation. This type of letter, used to assemble a full picture of an applicant’s capabilities, strengths and professional promise, is often written by an adult who knows the student well and can vouch for their character through personal experience. For a student who is deaf or hard of hearing, the teacher of the deaf who works with them may be an ideal fit.
This year’s Week of the Young Child, (April 1—7) sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), is designed to focus attention on the vital needs of young children and their families.
With those goals in mind, it’s fitting to consider the importance of the whole-child approach to education and the many ways it benefits the youngest children whether at home, daycare, school or within their community.
Being a teenager has never been easy; in the wake of Covid-related disruptions and generally stressful times, it hasn’t gotten any easier. Families and educators can play a role in helping boost teenagers’ mental health, but sometimes only a same-age peer can truly relate.
Families consider private schools for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they’re seeking a community organized around a certain belief system, a school known for providing a particular academic focus, such as language immersion, or perhaps they attended the school themselves. A complicating—and often stressful—factor for some families during this selection process is determining what services will be available for their child with hearing loss.
Research indicates that children who study or participate in music tend to have larger vocabularies, better reading skills, improved school attendance and higher standardized test scores. Studying music can also help students develop better fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination, as well as build social-emotional skills, including discipline.
