Deaf & Hard of Hearing - Oral Deaf

The Oral Deaf Program serves students who are deaf or hard of hearing, from birth through secondary education.

Mission

The Oral Deaf Program provides specialized instruction, in order to develop skills in listening and spoken language, so that every student may fully participate in academic and social opportunities within their school and community. 

Core Skills

• Listening and Spoken Language
• Speech
• Literacy
• Self-Advocacy

Mission Implementation

• We are committed to teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing to become independent oral communicators in all environments.
• We provide audiological services to families in order for children to have optimal access to sound.
• We are committed to the philosophy that learning to listen is the foundation for language literacy development.
• We empower students by providing them with the strategies to develop self-advocacy skills in order for them to be educated with their typical hearing peers.
• We utilize curriculum that is aligned to the MDE Academic Standards and Early Learning Standards.
• We are committed to partnering with parents to ensure their child’s progress in listening and spoken language.
• We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all students.
• We are committed to improving outcomes for all students through continuous improvement and implementing a system of supports. 

Contiuum of Services

Our program serves students from birth to age 26. All services are provided by staff licensed with DHH Certification. Fifty staff members have additional Listening and Spoken Language Certifications.

Birth to age 3

Services are provided in the student's home community (home daycare, playgroups, etc.) with family members or other caregivers to help provide education regarding Hearing Loss,  strategies to support listening and language development, and service coordination to support audiological care.  

Preschool

These services can be provided in the home, daycare, local preschool, or an acoustically sound self-contained classroom based on the individual speech, language, and auditory needs and abilities of the student. Services are provided based on the student's needs.

School Aged Services

For students that need intensive specially designed instruction in an acoustically sound classroom,  K-4  programming is provided to address the speech, language, and auditory needs and abilities of the student.   Teacher Consultant Services are provided in local school districts for students who need less intense specially designed instruction and can learn incidentally within the general education classroom.  Teacher consultants help provide knowledge and training to the local districts to help support these students.  Services are provided based on the student's needs.

Self-Contained Classroom Programming

Programming is currently housed at North Oakview Elementary School in Northview Public Schools.

Audiological Services and Supports

Provided to families within Kent County who are being served by Oral Deaf staff members.

Ancillary Services

Speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and social word services are provided on an individualized basis within the self-contained programming.