| 1. Our son loves soccer and sports, so we used this to | | | | writing, many times children listen to their coaches |
| his benefit. We got him his own subscriptions to junior | | | | about academics. |
| and adult soccer magazines, Sports Illustrated, | | | | 5. Here is a big tip, as soon as you find out your child is |
| wrestling magazines and books on soccer for youths | | | | deaf, start learning signs and sign to your baby as you |
| and teens. Larry loved these magazines and books, | | | | would talk to your hearing baby. Also sign stories to |
| and reading became fun. This helped to improve his | | | | your deaf baby as you would to your hearing baby. |
| reading skills. We started doing this when Larry was 10 | | | | This will enable your deaf baby to have language |
| years old. I wished we had started much earlier. | | | | development at normal levels. In our case, we did not |
| 2. Here is what help the most with Larry's reading and | | | | find out that Larry was deaf until he was 1 year old |
| it was a total surprise to me. When Larry was in high | | | | and our sign language classes did not start until he |
| school, he had a Deaf teacher for English and | | | | was 4 years old. Larry's real language development |
| Literature, the communication and teaching using | | | | only started when he started school at Kendall |
| American Sign Language in these classes reached him | | | | Demonstration School at age 4. Your local school for |
| and like magic Larry crossed the reading bridge and his | | | | the Deaf and organizations for the Deaf will be able to |
| reading skills just started to accelerate. | | | | assist you with learning signs and even send someone |
| 3. If you Deaf child is struggling with reading and writing, | | | | to you home to teach you. Larry's wife Amrit worked |
| I would request 1 on 1 tutoring with a Deaf teacher | | | | part time for Massachusetts State Association of the |
| tutor. You can make this request via your child's | | | | Deaf Family Sign Language Program, she went to |
| school, teachers and IEP or you can hire a private | | | | hearing parents' house one hour every week for 10 |
| tutor. | | | | weeks to teach sign language. |
| 4. If your child loves sports, or another activity, you can | | | | 6. We always had closed caption on for TV programs. |
| ask his or her coach to encourage them in reading and | | | | |