We spent the last few days at the Moog Center's Parent Workshop. We are in love with this place. The workshop had about 15 families with children from one to five years old who had hearing loss. Some kids wore hearing aids, many wore Cochlear Implants and a few wore both.
The families were from all over the country and seriously committed to helping their kids learn to talk and listen. The last question of the seminar from the parents was when can we come back?
The workshop lasted four days and covered topics such as Modeling and Imitation, Simulated Language Learning, Audiology, Benchmarks, Capitalizing on Routine Activities, Mapping, IEPs, Teaching Family and Friends about Communicating with your Child, Parents Share and a Kids Panel made up of first and second graders and their Moms. Betsy Moog Brooks delivered most of the sessions and seemed to have an answer for every question that the parents asked. She meant business and was clearly there to make an impact on kids with hearing impairments.
Bestsy’s mother, Jean Sachar Moog was also there and presented research on Early Educational Placement and Later Language Outcomes. She highlighted the significant impact two-year-old classes for D/HOH kids can make in later language outcomes. These two women are leading the way in helping children learn to talk and listen. What a thrill to be a little a part of their lives.
The research they gave us about the Moog Center says that at three years old 81% of their kids were at or above their age level in receptive vocabulary and 86% were at or above their age level in expressive vocabulary. At age five, 94% were at or above their age level in receptive vocabulary, 97% in expressive vocabulary, 91% in receptive language and 77% in expressive language.
It seemed nothing at the Center happened by accident. Everything was recorded, strategic and intentional. We would move to St Louis in a minute if Lily was not thriving from the services in our area. Lily had an hour of speech therapy everyday with Laurie, a Moog SLP, and spent the rest of the time talking with Moog teachers in the toddler room. At the end of the workshop, we knew everything Lily worked on and where they believed we should put our “language and speech” energy.
They said we should focus on requiring Lily to use two and three word sentences every time she talks. Lily has a huge receptive and expressive vocabulary, but just needs to move towards more complex sentences. If Lily doesn’t attempt a two or three word sentence after we model it, they said we shouldn’t give her what she wants.
This is their model of modeling and imitation. It seems to already be working. Lily is talking non-stop and we don’t know where she is coming up with some of the words and sentences she is putting together. Some of that started before we got to St Louis, but the "strategy" seems to definitely be accelerating her language.
The facility itself was beautiful, incredibly quiet for the best learning environment and run with an eye for detail. We are re-energized!!!
Here are some photos of the Moog Center.
(Note the metal slide and static-free play structure)
