HELPING YOUR CHILD LEARN TO TALK

Each year in June, The Moog Center for Deaf Education hosts a unique summer experience for families.  The Moog Center Parent Workshop offers families of young children with hearing loss the opportunity to come to a single location and, in 3 1/2 days, receive education, connection, support and resources, in addition to the fun St. Louis has to offer.

Families come from across the United States to participate in the workshop.  Many come with spouses, grandparents, siblings, and others significant in their child’s life.  The children, ranging in age from 15 months to 5 years, receive daily instruction from Moog Center teachers, while the parents attend meetings designed to share information, connect to each other and to Moog Center resources, provide opportunities to learn and practice techniques, and address questions on a variety of topics. The parent program includes presentations by Betsy Moog Brooks, Jean Sachar Moog, and pediatric audiologists Valerie Sonneveldt, Amy Birath, and Megan Brockmeier.  Group sessions also include panel presentations with alumni and/or parents, giving the families an opportunity to glimpse into the future and see what is possible for their children. 

The highlight for many families is the hands-on experience of individual real-time embedded coaching sessions. Parents are given the opportunity to work with their children, while receiving direction from a Moog Center coach. One mother found the coaching sessions to be “eye-opening”, seeing opportunities for language that she hadn’t thought about before.  In addition, parents participate in individual meetings with a staff member on a topic of their choice.

Many of the families who attend the workshop come from areas where resources for developing spoken language are scarce.  For some, this is the first opportunity they have to spend time with other families who share a common experience and to gain access to support from experienced professionals.  

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“It has been amazing being at the Moog [Center] for this workshop…it has open[ed] up many doors of opportunity for me in helping kids…[with] hearing loss.”   –Kaweeni S., Nanny

“The coaching session provided me with an example of what I can do with…[my child.]”      –Sarah R., Parent

Moog Center’s Parent Workshop – We’re in Love!      –Lily’s Dad
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Thank you for the workshop!  I wish every family could be offered a workshop like this.  Very well organized and the coaching sessions were extremely valuable for us.  Audiology talkes were very well explained and the information very helpful    –Amy, Parent