Applying Andragogical Principles to Real-Time Embedded Parental Coaching When Helping Their Children with Hearing Loss to Talk

The purpose of this study was to explore the application of andragogical principles to real-time embedded coaching of parents, when teaching their children with hearing loss to talk. The research population included parents of children with hearing loss from 10 months-of-age to three years old. These participants engaged in parent support sessions at the Moog Center for Deaf Education using real-time embedded coaching during face-to-face sessions. The research population also included the teachers of the deaf, employed at the Moog Center, who provided the real-time embedded coaching with the application of andragogical principles during parent-child sessions. At the conclusion of the six-month study period, the five caregiver participants engaged in in-person interviews, and the five teachers at the Moog Center participated in a focus group. The interviews provided caregiver perspectives, while the focus group provided information about the teachers’ perspectives about the application of andragogical principles to real-time embedded coaching. All responses were analyzed for emerging themes. Caregiver responses during the individual in-person interviews, related to their experiences as coaches during real-time embedded coaching, revealed three main themes: establishing a climate conducive to learning, readiness to learn/motivation to engage in coaching sessions, and the coaching experience. Teachers’ comments, related to their experiences as coaches, provided during the focus group, revealed four main themes: changes to the implementation of providing coaching, teachers’ perceptions of their roles as coaches, changes in teachers’ attitudes, and changes in caregiver behavior. Teachers’ perspectives, as expressed in the focus group, were in agreement with the caregivers’ perspectives. Secondary data came from routine data collected at the Moog Center and iii provided information about the children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary growth. Data for both groups indicated the same growth for receptive vocabulary. Data for expressive vocabulary growth indicated the study children made more expressive vocabulary progress than those children whose parents did not receive andragogical real time embedded coaching. The implementation of real-time embedded coaching with the application of andragogical principles to coaching caregivers, when helping their children with hearing loss learn to talk, increased caregiver engagement

Working with Families of Young Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Through Tele-Intervention

Tele-intervention services have been utilized for many years to serve families of young children, in addition to or in lieu of traditional in-person intervention services. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic cultivated urgent dependence on access to effective services via a distance connection. As such, the need for information, guidance, and resources related to tele-intervention as a primary service model has increased. This article serves as the introduction to a monographic series aiming to describe practices, circumstances, and perceptions surrounding tele-intervention services for families of children aged birth to five who are deaf or hard of hearing. Topics include: (a) a brief history of tele-intervention as a service delivery model, (b) an overview of tele-intervention for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, including the impact of COVID-19 on emergency virtual services, (c) a description of the components of a tele-intervention session with families of infants and toddlers, and (d) a discussion of the challenges implementing services via tele-intervention. Figures containing information related to state funding and ideal session components for tele-intervention services are provided

Frequently Asked Questions about Receiving Tele-Intervention Services

The purpose of this article is to provide resources related to parent perceptions and needs in receiving tele-intervention (TI) services

Intervention and Outcomes of Children in Different Types of Listening and Spoken Language Programs

This study explores the impact of the type and dosage of listening and spoken language (LSL) services on speech and language outcomes in children with cochlear implants or hearing aids in two LSL programs. Identical demographic variables were collected across the two programs for use in the statistical analyses. Speech and language outcomes were examined at ages 3 and 5 using standardized test measures. At age 3, significant differences in LSL outcomes existed between programs for children using cochlear implants but not for children using binaural hearing aids. However, at age five, outcomes were similar between the different LSL programs for children with hearing aids and cochlear implants. Total hours of LSL services do not serve as a predictor of LSL outcomes at five years of age. However, early identification of hearing loss, early amplification, and early enrollment in a LSL program were highly influential factors affecting LSL outcomes at three and five years of age. Non-verbal IQ and maternal education levels also influence LSL outcomes. Children with earlier access to hearing technology and LSL intervention may need fewer hours of LSL services to achieve age-appropriate LSL outcomes. Overall, both of these LSL programs supported age-appropriate speech and language outcomes by age 5

Vocabulary Outcomes for 5-Year-Old Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Impact of Age at Enrollment in Specialized Early Intervention

The aims of this study were to examine vocabulary scores of 5-year-old children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), as well as the impact of early enrollment in specialized intervention on vocabulary outcomes. Receptive and expressive vocabulary scores were analyzed for 342 five-year-old children who are DHH enrolled in specialized listening and spoken language intervention programs. Regression analyses were utilized to examine the effects of age at enrollment on vocabulary outcomes. Overall, participants achieved scores within normal test limits on receptive and expressive measures of vocabulary. Children who enrolled in intervention prior to 28 months of age had better vocabulary skills at 5 years old. The findings support that children who are DHH can understand and produce vocabulary at skill levels commensurate with their typically hearing peers, regardless of severity of hearing loss. Results highlight the crucial impact of specialized programs on children's lexical readiness to participate in general education settings by kindergarten