Professional Support
Deaf Education Through Listening and Talking (DELTA) was initially formed by a group of Professionals (Teachers of the Deaf and Audiologists) who, when working together with families and educational settings, had evidenced the potential of severely and profoundly deaf babies and children. Sharing the collated evidence of these listening and talking children and young adults, highlighted fundamental attributes that contributed to the children’s success both in their educational attainments and in their future careers. These key factors formed the Philosophy and approach that they called ‘Natural Auralism’
The Natural Aural Approach recognises :
- That families are at the centre of the approach and are helped to understand the crucial part they play and that they ‘can do it’ within the natural circumstances of their home and community.
- That the day to day routines, interactions and enjoyment of hearing children that come easily and spontaneously is what their deaf child needswhen hearing loss is identified that the most appropriate audiological equipment is fitted.
- That this is managed and maintained and reviewed so that it is consistently worn throughout the baby/child’s waking hours
- That the Teacher of the deaf joins up the professional support with the family and encourages positive management and review of the equipment and ensures that the family recognises its natural skills, in monitoring and supporting the next steps. The family focused approach ensures that adjustments are made in a timely way, the support is individualised and that the family is always forward looking that there is an understanding of language development and that it starts with listening, hence the need for optimum working and worn ‘hearing aids’. (‘Hearing aids’ stand for any audiological device including hearing aids, BAHA, Cochlear implants)
- In the early stages it is all about listening and that to listen to what is said, it has to be meaningful and have purpose, even if that purpose is just ‘fun’.
- That children aren’t taught to talk in a structured way and nor is it reduced or over pronounced. The language is age and stage appropriate and it will often start in a contingent situation which provides the clarity to tune in and actively take part. As the listener becomes more experienced, language will become more sophisticated as information and ideas become more reflective and the child becomes more creative and can infer, predict and imagine.
- That the Teacher of the deaf along with the family has expectation as they monitor, advise and support access in the educational setting.
Professionals involved in DELTA find support in the strengths, knowledge and experience of colleagues working in the field. The strong research base and outcomes of the Natural Aural approach as evidenced by children and young people, highly functioning alongside their hearing peers in school and the workplace has improved practice across the country.
Professional Online Sessions for people who work with deaf children
We are running a series of short, on-line CPD sessions for Teachers of the Deaf and other professionals. These take the form of a 15 minute introduction to the topic by a relevant professional followed by a Q and A and discussion session.
Register your interest to be a DELTA Professional
Professionals working with hearing impaired babies and children are encouraged to get in touch with DELTA and find out more about improving their own practice.
Research
Several articles published by BATOD can be read in our research section.
The Monitoring Protocol
Supporting and Monitoring in the early years post identification of hearing loss
Professional Online Training
Start your training in the Natural Aural Approach online.
The Natural Aural Approach MESH Guide
This MESHGuide has been written for:
- Parents and other family members and friends
- Mainstream teachers and support workers, including SENCos
- Teachers of the Deaf in training,
- Medical professionals including GPs, audiologists and speech and language therapists, health visitors
- Early years practitioners
Our DELTA Professionals
Liz Rothwell
Teacher of the Deaf
Cate Statham
Teacher of the Deaf