Graduating from early intervention to mainstream school
The transition between early intervention and school is an exciting milestone for a child and their family. The decision of where to send a child to school can be fraught with the responsibility of making the best choice for a child’s future. For parents and carers of a child with a hearing loss or any additional needs, it can also be an emotional time of change and uncertainty.
A plan to ensure a smooth and successful transition to kindy and school is essential for a child who needs ongoing support. Preparing them for school prepares them for future learning and development.
Families in TSH’s Early Intervention Chatterbox Program may transition to a mainstream school with either a TSH Outpost School Support Program or to the School of Special Education Needs – Sensory.
Successful outcomes are most likely to be reached when both the school and your family are working together toward the same goals.
For more information and support regarding Telethon Speech & Hearing’s Outpost program, please contact our Deputy Principal – Outpost via email or call 9387 9888.
What to expect from the transition process at Chatterbox:
Chatterbox’s multi-disciplinary team will provide a handover report to the school and program that your child is transitioning to.
Chatterbox’s case manager will arrange a meeting with a TSH Outpost teacher of the deaf and Chatterbox’s multi-disciplinary team to discuss future goals and the school transition.
TSH’s Chatterbox case manager completes a handover report. Families are given a copy of the handover report and provide authority for TSH to release information in the report to SSENS.
Suggested steps to support a transition into school are:
- Familiarising your child to the school with an orientation program.
- Ensuring your child has optimal hearing technology and assistive devices such as a Personal Roger System and Sound Field classroom technology.
- Ensuring that the teacher of the deaf is working with the school to help them understand how to support your child’s listening skills and any challenges that they may face.
- Building your child’s social skills (e.g. smiling, saying hello and goodbye, making eye contact, taking turns in play and conversation, reinforcing positive social behaviour).
Telethon Speech & Hearing’s in-school program with intensive support
TSH is partnered with eleven independent schools around Perth to deliver school support programs (Outpost) to students with hearing loss and their families.
Based in the mainstream school, TSH’s Outpost program provides individualised and intensive assistance for students with hearing loss from Kindergarten to Year 12. Students in Outpost are able to access a range of support services while being integrated into mainstream classes, to maximise their academic potential, school life success and create strong friendships.
A multidisciplinary team of support staff work with the family, teachers and students to ensure that the students are holistically supported in their school setting. The team consists of Teachers of the deaf, Education Assistants, Audiologist, Psychologist, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapist and Note Takers. The level of support that a student receives is tailored to their individual needs.
TSH’s Outpost Program strives towards achieving the following:
- Supporting students with hearing loss to maximise their academic potential/achievement and educational outcomes.
- Supporting the school i.e. staff and teachers in the classroom by having educational assistants and note takers in high school.
- Ensuring students with hearing loss have best access to hearing in the classroom by assessing acoustic environment of the classroom and using technology such as Sound Field systems.
- Provision of a holistic program e.g. audiologists, OT, speech pathologist and psychologist who visit schools to support school staff and students and families.
- Teachers support the family in ensuring their child has everything they need to support learning as specified in IEP (Individual Education Plan) document.
- Supporting self –advocacy skills in the students so they can advocate for their own needs.
- Facilitating classroom teachers/educators understanding of the students’ hearing loss and impact on their educational needs.
For more information and support regarding TSH’s Outpost program, please contact our Deputy Principal – Outpost via email or call 9387 9888.
