Lesson 4: Communication
Communication is the foundation for
- Relationships
- Learning
- A meaningful life
As a family engagement coordinator, you will want to have a basic understanding of communication development in children who are deafblind and the wide range of communication methods and devices they use.
Knowledge and Skills Addressed
- Stages of communication development and the importance of specifically teaching early communication skills (e.g., intentional communication, symbolic communication)
- The range of communication methods and devices used by children who are deafblind
Learning Activities
Video
The 10-minute video Communication Essentials was created for teachers and related service providers who are just beginning to learn about deafblindness. It's from the module Communicating With Children Who Are Deafblind in the NCDB series Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind: Professional Development for Educators.
Assignment
Everyday routines around the house provide an excellent opportunity for families to engage in developing their child’s expressive and receptive communication. For this assignment, complete the following:
- Read the article Communication Interactions: It Takes Two.
- Review “An Example of Communication Interaction for Lee” on page 2 of the article. Then, pick a common home routine for a child who is deafblind, and write your own example of a communication interaction.
Reference
National Center on Deafblindness. (2024). Communicating with children who are deafblind [Video]. In Teaching children who are deafblind: Professional development for educators [Series].