Newsletter for families of deaf children Christmas edition 2015 #3

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1 Newsletter for families of deaf children Christmas edition 2015 #3 Hi everyone and welcome to the third newsletter for deaf children and their families! May I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas. This term has been as busy as ever with new additions to the ARPs and to the mainstream and pre-school caseloads. All the news is inside so read on! 1

2 Now the news Remark Community. Remark is the organisation run by deaf people on behalf of deaf youngsters. They have been our partners in several ventures over the years, designed to bring deaf children together, and to meet deaf adults. Some of our friends from Remark Community have moved on to other things either within the organisation or outside it. Jonny Nelson has moved to a different job within Remark, Davod Jarchlou has left to pursue his career elsewhere. Jess has gone walkabout and is exploring the world for a year. Let s hope she comes back to us at the end of that time! Our contact at Remark Community is now Andrew Tobin, and we look forward to working with him. The winter KIT day If you would like your child to meet other deaf children and deaf adults, at our next KIT day, please read about our proposed winter day (below). This, our next big get-together for deaf children will be on the 20th of January in Barking, (this is a change to the date advertised in the previous newsletter.) If you would like your deaf child to come along please fill in the application form at the end of the newsletter. In December last year, SportInspired helped us to put on, with Remark, a wonderful sports day for deaf children along with children with a disability - in the sports centre in Mayesbrook Park. SportInspired and Remark will once again be supporting us and we hope to break last year s record figure of fifty deaf youngsters from all over north-east London. Below are some pictures of last years Big KIT day. If your child is in year 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 please fill in the enclosed application form at the end of this newsletter, and they will be very welcome to come along. The session is free, but children will need to bring a packed lunch. 2

3 Here are some pictures of last year s event; Other news Miss Lynn Wager has started her work as outreach teacher of the Deaf. Lynn is a qualified and experienced teacher of the Deaf, and while she is missing the children she used to teach at Five Elms, she is enjoying meeting new children, and supporting their progress in their mainstream schools. Paul Robinson, inclusion adviser for deaf children will still be working for the borough supporting Lynn, but also delivering audiology 3

4 support to the ARPs and overseeing deaf children s progress across the borough. Children s Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG) Date for your diary! Please come along to the next meeting of the Children s Hearing Services Working group or CHSWG. The next meeting is to be at 1.30 p.m. at Eastbury Primary School on Wednesday the 3 rd of February. The agenda, as always will be designed to improve communications between families, hearing clinic and education. Your input is essential. At the meeting will be teachers of the Deaf from Havering as well as Barking and Dagenham; Speech and Language therapists, the consultant and audiologists from the hearing clinic, a representative from the National Deaf Children s Society but chiefly, yourselves. The Play and Communication group for Deaf children. Can I remind families with pre-school deaf children of this group please? 4

5 The group provides an opportunity for pre-school deaf children to meet and play with other deaf youngsters. It also gives parents an opportunity to meet other parents who have a deaf child in order to share their experiences and support each other. 5

6 The group is informal and the children can select and play with a range of activities designed and prepared to support the development of play and communication skills. Children also have the opportunity to explore and play outside. Parents are responsible for their child s safety and tend to multi-task by interacting with their child while talking to other parents. The parents and children follow a visual routine and help with tidying away the toys. We finish the group with a singing session using puppets and musical instruments. 6

7 The group is led by Tracey Boatright (Early years Teacher of the Deaf). We meet at The Heathway Children s Centre on the first Wednesday of the month from More news: Eastbury Primary ARP Eastbury Primary ARP had a visit from Lynda Holland of the National Deaf Children s Society. Lynda was asked to support a request from Margaret Hodge MP to visit and evaluate the resource base for deaf children at the school. This was with reference to assisting the resource 7

8 base to build on existing work and to evaluate the way they have developed and promoted sign language within the mainstream school Here are some of her comments: She: found evidence of great enthusiasm and innovation in the practice of the ARP under its manager Majella Williams. She praised the vision of a deaf-friendly school which was also sign-language friendly. She also found that: The school has embraced the use of sign language. It has whole-school signing/singing assemblies, staff training, after-school clubs for pupils, and focused training in classes where a deaf child is included. There are video tutorials on the school website for staff and parents. Children in the school use over 50 languages and this is one language that links them. And she noted that: Everyone I spoke to in the school was very positive about the initiatives that have been developed: I like it, it helps. The children in my class ask me questions in sign. I teach signs in the singing assembly. (Deaf pupil) It s good, it helps me to communicate with the deaf children, sometimes in the playground I help the dinner staff to interpret what s being said. Most children like it, some don t. It helps make friendships. If we didn't have it, it wouldn't be so good. (Hearing pupil) The signing assemblies are so good, the teachers and children love it. The deaf children feel more included; staff can now sign to pupils and understand what s being signed back. (Mainstream teacher) 8

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10 KEEP IN TOUCH DAY 20th of January 2016 Remark! Community and The North-East London Deaf Education Forum Invites you to: Keep in Touch Teachers of the Deaf from the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest and the voluntary organization Remark Community are joining with SportInspired to hold a sports day for deaf children aged 8 to 12 within North-East London. The day will provide the opportunity to sample a wide range of sports - coached by qualified and experienced sports coaches - in a safe, friendly and fun environment, providing opportunities for Deaf pupils and staff from different schools to meet each other and deaf adult role models, and share experiences. Where: A health centre in the borough of Barking and Dagenham, venue to be confirmed. When: Wednesday the 20th of January Time: am until 2.00 pm Please cut out this page and return the form overleaf by the end of the autumn term ( ) to the address on the form. If you have any queries please call Paul Robinson: Or paul.w.robinson@lbbd.gov.uk 10

11 Application form: Remark! Community and The North-East London Deaf Education Forum present KIT DAY in A Sports Centre Barking Name of child: D.O.B: School: Details of any allergies or medical information: I would/not* like my child (name above) to attend the Keep In Touch (KIT) get-together of deaf children happening in Barking. I have obtained permission from the head teacher. I give/do not give* permission for photographs of the event to be used in publicity literature for Remark and/or Barking and Dagenham service for the Deaf newsletter. *Delete as appropriate My name is (please print). Address. Home phone:...mobile:... Signed:... Please send the form back to Paul Robinson, Inclusion adviser, 5 th Floor, Roycraft House, 15 Linton Road, Barking IG11 8HE 11

12 For any information or advice on the local offer for deaf children in Barking and Dagenham contact: Paul Robinson, Inclusion Adviser Education Inclusion Team Fifth floor, Roycraft House 15 Linton Road Barking IG 11 8HE Telephone:

13 To help us to make this newsletter the best it can be, we welcome your comments. Please take a little time to fill in the form overleaf and send it back to me at the address above. Why not send it back with your application for the winter KIT! Best wishes, Paul Robinson. 13

14 Questionnaire. Please take a few moments to write your comments here and post them to me, or me at the address above. Q1 (Please delete as appropriate.) I like/do not like receiving information about services for deaf children in this way. Q2. (Please write a sentence or two). I would like more information on: Q3. (Please delete as appropriate) I like/do not like the layout of the newsletter. Q4. (Please write a sentence or two if appropriate.) The layout could be improved if Finally: Any other comments? With thanks, Paul and all the deaf professionals 14