Early Literacy Initiative:
Teaching Our Kids to Read

By Dinah Beams

En Espanol

The importance of literacy skills for children who are deaf and hard of hearing can not be over-emphasized.  It is never too early to begin to develop a love of books, and lay the foundation for future success in reading and writing.  The foundation for these skills is laid during the early years. As parents read to their children, language learning is enhanced and communication is fostered.  Reading together also provides a wonderful opportunity for bonding!

The Early Literacy Initiative is a collaborative venture that is designed to foster early literacy skills with young children who use sign language, either in a simultaneous communication or an ASL approach. The initiative encompasses two separate programs, both of which are designed to assist parents in their desire to encourage a love of reading with their young children. 

The Shared Reading Project (SRP) is a program developed by Gallaudet University.  Shared Reading teaches parents and other family members how to read stories to their Deaf child using American Sign Language (ASL). The program focuses on strategies to make book sharing effective.  Families sign up for a twenty week session following the school year.  Each week, a Deaf tutor visits the family and demonstrates for them how to read a children's book using ASL. The book is then left with the family so they can read to their child each day.  This program is designed for families with children birth - eight years of age.  If you would like more information, please contact Deb Branch (dbranch@csdb.org) or Cathy Bennett   (Cbennett@csdb.org) .

The Integrated Reading Project (IRP) is designed for families who have chosen a Simultaneous Communication approach (signing and voicing at the same time).  The program involves a sign language instructor who teaches the parents how to read the book using signs as part of an individualized in-home sign language instruction program.  Sign is taught using English word order.  The book is left with the family so they can continue reading to the child and practicing their signs.  This program involves a collaborative effort among the professionals who are working with the family and child.  The sign instructor teaches the family how to sign the book, and the family's CHIP facilitator uses the same book to work on language expansion, auditory skills, speech, and cognition.  This program is designed for children birth - five years of age and their families and continues year-round.  For more information, please contact Dinah Beams ( dinah.beams@juno.com or 303-735-5405) or Heather Abraham ( hechabraham@aol.com or 970-309-3521).

Happy Reading!