Short Term Programs for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Short term programs (STPs) for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing provide a comprehensive level of programming which may be difficult to incorporate in an integrated setting. Programs focus on the mastery of specific skills and address specific learning or behavioural challenges, as related to hearing loss. STPs are usually one week in duration; however, students may attend more than one program per year. A residential component is included in each STP, and residential staff are informed of STP themes and schedules. School based homework is built into the daily schedule (10:35-12:00), and is monitored by a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Parents, itinerant teachers, and public school staff are involved in the design and follow up of programs. Specific goals are targeted for each student. Consultation may occur between parents, school teachers and principals, APSEA Itinerant Teachers, Transition Planning Facilitators, Student and Family Counsellors, and the STP Facilitator. Upon completion of the STP, parents and schools receive a comprehensive report including information about the program content, the week’s activities, and depending on the type of STP, a list of student specific observations and recommendations.

Attending an APSEA STP also gives students the opportunity to see and experience the APSEA centre (playground, gym, music, swimming pool, games room, evening residential activities, etc.), to meet APSEA staff (the Director of Programs, the Audiologist, Provincial Supervisors, the Interpreter Consultant, etc.), and to be exposed to a variety of technological assistive devices for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (visual alarms, TTY, video phone, etc.).

Students who feel isolated in their towns, communities, or schools have a chance to meet other students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing; students who wear hearing aids, who have a cochlear implant, or who use Educational Interpreters / Language Facilitators / Language Acquisition Support Workers in the classroom.

Complete Descriptions of Available Programs:

Social Skill (Elementary, Junior High / Middle School, Senior High)

Depending on the needs and skills of the group, week-long social skills programs focus on the development of positive interpersonal skills, friendship and conversation skills, self-advocacy skills in relation to hearing loss, understanding and describing one’s hearing loss, understanding and describing personality traits and characteristics, sexuality, puberty, or drug education, and/or dealing with anger, teasing, bullying, and negative peer pressure situations. Students are grouped by age, communication modality, maturity, degree of hearing loss, or whether a student has a cochlear implant.

Language and Communication Building (Sign Language, Spoken Language, Sign Supported Speech)

These STPs, which consists of up to four weeks of programming per school year, are intended for students who have limited sign and/or spoken communication skills. Programs are thematic and experience-based. Themes are delivered in consultation with the Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Social Studies Curriculum and the Atlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum. The focus of the programs is on building expressive and receptive language and communication skills, expanding vocabulary, understanding appropriate pragmatics, and practising the syntax and grammar of signed and/or spoken language. Depending on the needs and skills of the group, attention may be focussed on developing basic interpersonal communication skills or cognitive academic language proficiency.

Language and Communication Building (Grammar of Sign Language)

This week-long program focusses on introducing the students to sign language vocabulary and syntax, and to specific features of a language in the visual modality (e.g., facial grammar, classifiers, use of space, sequencing, directional verbs, etc.). The program is planned and delivered with the assistance of the Educational Interpreter Consultant and members of the Deaf Community.

Transition Planning Grade 9 Career Week

This week-long program focusses on giving Grade 9 students exposure to different career options and paths, introduces them to labour market vocabulary and concepts, and offers a one-day Job Shadowing experience in a field of interest. Students will participate in many hands-on activities designed to familiarize them with initial planning for future employment, such as self discovery, interest inventories, and exposure to successfully employed adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. School based homework is not included in this STP.

Transition Planning Senior High Career Week

This week-long program, intended for students in grades 11 and 12, focusses on understanding and developing skills for the labour market. The students will be presented with information on how to market themselves, how to maintain professionalism, and how to utilize appropriate assistive technology and resources. The program consists of many hands-on activities, including visits from guest speakers, a one-day Job Shadowing opportunity in a field of interest, portfolio development, group discussions, activities to develop leadership and other interpersonal skills, and role playing opportunities to practice interview skills. Class time to complete school based homework is not included in this STP.

Deaf Culture and Community

This week-long program focusses on introducing students to community, national, and international organizations that serve individuals who are Deaf, as well as to introduce students to some prominent members of the local Deaf community. The students will have opportunities to learn about different aspects of Deaf culture (history, storytelling, language, games, current events), to be exposed to a variety of interpreters, to discuss interpreter issues and protocol, and to be exposed to fluent users of sign language. The program is planned and delivered with the assistance of the EI Consultant and members of the Deaf Community.

Independent Living Skills

This week-long program provides opportunities for students to work on several different areas of independent living skills including lessons on responsibility (cooking, cleaning, working, paying bills, safety precautions, etc.), money (monthly costs, budgeting, splitting costs with a roommate, making change, payment options, writing cheques), nutrition and health (food groups, portion size, meal planning, healthy choices, exercise, reading prescriptions, personal hygiene), relationships and sexuality (characteristics of good and bad relationships, conversation topics that would be appropriate for different settings and/or groups of people, responsible choices about sexual activity, birth control methods), workplace (appropriate clothing choices, dealing with problems), and telephone and TTY use (making social, professional, and emergency calls, using the relay service, using the phone book and the yellow pages, advocacy related to hearing, etc.). A practical residence component, where students live independently with support from residence counsellors, complements classroom lessons.

Supported Work Skills

This term program (3-5 months, generally February-June) is intended for students with limited functional academic skills (e.g., grade 1-2 reading level) to help students explore and develop career skills, responsibility, and independence through career exploration and supported on-the-job experience. The program provides basic skills training, both in the classroom setting and on job sites at the APSEA Centre and/or in the community. The focus is on identification of students’ abilities, interests, and career options. Collaboration with parents, local school staff, itinerant teacher, and community agencies is maintained to provide recommendations for future school programming and/or further training.

Additional Information

Short term programs are provided on a basis of student need, number of applicants, space, and staffing. Generally, direct service students are accepted before consults, and acceptance is on a first-come-first-served basis. Please note that suggestions for other program ideas are welcome. Additional programs may be offered in the future if similar needs exist within the APSEA student population. For further information on STPs, please contact Gillian Lahoda, STP Facilitator for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, at (902) 424-2497 or Short Term Programs.