With young readers now having the latest screen-based reading options like e-books, touch-phones, DVDs and more, we are firmly in the digital age. In the US, a new DVD to teach children sign language is now on release. It is based on “Goodnight Moon” and other bedtime stories, adapted from the 1947 storybook by Margaret
Universities in Ireland have used the Moodle interactive teaching system for years, while schools are just “getting it”. In this piece, we show how the universal design of the Moodle-based Connect School system gives seamless inclusion in class for all pupils. Connect School is a joint initiative of South Dublin County Council and St. Aidan’s
This piece follows on from IDK’s earlier post, Infant Literacy Skills: Newborn To Three Years, and complements other IDK posts on early-years literacy. The bottom line is that children learn about literacy from birth, regardless of their hearing ability. While early introduction to literacy is essential in babies and toddlers, the process needs to be
IDK recently heard a very sad story about a newcomer child with deafness and autism, so we are sharing it here, to show how vulnerable children can ‘fall through’ the Irish education system. The iPhone GraceApp for people with autism, could be his lifeline in teaching sign with PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). B, the
Children need to develop literacy skills before their first day of school and research consistently shows children learn literacy skills even before talking. Emergent literacy theorists believe that children start learning about literacy (reading and writing) from birth. Infants can learn about the letters of the alphabet and concepts of print long before they are
Just recently, the Early Learning Initiative at National College of Ireland launched its new Parent Child Home Programme (PCHP). Many of the programme’s “points” are similar to the home-work the parents of severely to profoundly deaf children need to do, to develop their child’s spoken language as early in life as possible. Based on a
This post continues the piece, Including Deaf Children At Preschool (Part One). A key question was put to the mum & creche manager: How did you identify the potential challenges you (mum & creche) might meet during Charlie’s early days? NOTE: Charlie was late detected at around age two, unlike today’s infants who benefit from
Ireland’s government offers a free preschool year to all infants aged over three, regardless of additional needs they have. The Early Child Care & Education (ECCE) initiative, which is open to all preschools in Ireland, is profiled on Sound Advice. For children with deafness, creche and preschool is a pivotal stage in their spoken language development, with the foundations
TV3’s Ireland:AM team invited Caroline Carswell from IDK, and Kate Gaynor from Special Stories, into the studio to talk about their “Birthday For Ben” book after Special Stories received a Moonbeam award in the US during late 2009. The video clip of the interview is online at the TV3 website. Subtitled video clips are also
Irish company, Off We Go! Publishing, has released a set of books for children to learn about different first-time experiences in early life. These books benefit those with special needs and any young child experiencing these outings for the first time. Twelve different titles are in the series, including “Going on a Plane’, “Going to
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