Abstract: |
The social-emotional development of young children has been designated a priority within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, state and national Common Core Standards, and as documented through empirical research. The ability to recognize one’s needs, and then utilize effective self-advocacy skills to meet those needs, is an essential component to social-emotional skill development. Young children with disabilities require strong self-advocacy and self-determination skills, particularly as they transition from preschool into mainstream early elementary settings. Children with disabilities, including children who are deaf or hard of hearing, should learn that they have a right and a responsibility to access the same educational experiences as their peers, and should be given the tools to effectively identify and implement appropriate self-advocacy strategies within the classroom. As early-developed advocacy skills serve as foundational skills for those attained later in life, age-appropriate advocacy skills can and should be introduced within early intervention home-based programs and within the preschool and early elementary classrooms. This presentation will describe teacher perceptions of the self-advocacy skills of their students with hearing loss, including hearing technology management, developing proactive listening behaviors, and advocating for ones needs in academic and social situations. Results of a survey study evaluating the self-advocacy skills of children who are deaf or hard of hearing in preschool through third grade will be presented, including quantitative and qualitative findings. In addition, content analysis of teacher recommendations for implementing self-advocacy instruction into daily curriculum and Individualized Education Plan development will be presented. |