Reading strategies for HI/Cochlear Implantee children
Here are some steps which I follow with the children with hearing impairment and cochlear implant to develop their reading skills integrated with my language therapy sessions: All of this I have learnt over the years through many books and through working with the different children.
Auditory strategy–
Call on children by their name always so they can track the speaker easily. I start with the auditory verbal therapy only by calling their name e.g. ‘Kyra’ and the child supposed to say, “yes ma’am”. As once the child is auditory alert of his/her name it would be easier to attract him towards the teacher, speaker and caller.
Teach them to track all speakers/recognition of all voices by practicing the skill in therapy sessions through recorded voices and matching voice with the picture.
In the same way I teach them key words to listen and reply e.g. “what is this”? Who is this?
What happen, Why are you doing…? and then answering, “This is…”, “because” etc”.
I work on one step, two steps and three steps general commands that is useful for classroom and home situations. E.g. give diary, pick up diary(1) and open it(2), lets go to the class(1) and keep diary(2) in your bag(3) etc.
Checking their Ling 6 sounds from time to time is very important.
Ling 6 sounds are-
There are six sounds in the Ling Six Sound Test that cover the range from low to high frequencies:
mm, as in me
oo, as in boo
ah, as in car
ee, as in see
sh, as in wish
s, as in us

So … the Auditory signal improved and processing also improved. Now we can start working on speech and Language.
Speech Strategies-
I work with the teacher as teacher is working on phonics and I am working on articulation strategies in sync with the teacher.
Auditory Learning involves the ability to pick up a sound, process the sound, recognize the sound, and comprehend the sound. CHILDREN WITH NORMAL HEARING: Learning begins prenatally (the auditory system is developed by the 20th week)
To be “Auditory Learners” children need to be able to detect, discriminate, identify, and comprehend spoken communication SOUND AWARENESS: Perceive a sound; be aware a sound occurred DISCRIMINATE: Be able to determine if two sounds are the same or different IDENTIFY: Be able to meaningfully match a sound to its meaning COMPREHEND: Be able to detect, discriminate, identify, and understand what is heard

Language strategies:

Then my main and favourite goal is to enhance vocabulary in integration of listening, receptive vocabulary along with expressive vocabulary. As the child can only read easily if he/she may have words wired in his auditory memory system.
So, my goals are integrated (Dolch words+ career phrases+ noun verb which later on turn into my language book)-
Nouns with sight words:
Animals picture with name as sight reading words
Vehicles pictures with name as sight reading words
Daily use objects name as sight reading words
Classroom objects name as sight reading words
Verbs with written word as sight reading.
Nouns and verbs in simple sentences.
Dolch list( prek) included in my career phrases.
This is…picture of noun with sight words
I want to go…
Do you have
He was…
The
Please play with me,
Look down, see a red and yellow ball
Mamma said run fast,
The three(3) big fishes.
This is so funny
One boy is jumping
Come down stairs.
Not me
Go and help him
Etc according to the level of the child
Dolch list used –
(Prek dolch words)
a, and, away, big, blue, can, come, down, find, for, funny, go, help, here, I, in, is, it, jump, little, look, make, me, my, not, one, play, red, run, said, see, the, three, to, two, up, we, where, yellow, you
Kindergarten Dolch Sight Words (52 words) all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, did, do, eat, four, get, good, have, he, into, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, there, they, this, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes
Sentence making- I give them some words to make sentences once they start reading. Words from dolch list and vocabulary list. Totally depend upon the level of the child.
Then key words to make a simple story in your own words.
Read the words and make sentences.
Read the key words and make your own story. (Some voice and documents recorded)
Read your own story.
Start reading a simple book of ‘Bubbles and Pepper series.
Then increase the level according to the progress.