Ole Miss helps children with language impairments prepare for school

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Mississippi is doing its part to help children entering kindergarten.

The Department of Communication, Science and Disorder focuses on young people struggling with language.

The engagement only takes two days a week for two hours.

“Early intervention is the best intervention,” said Amanda deVere, undergraduate instructor and clinical supervisor.

Children with language impairments are preparing for kindergarten.

“Some children are not doing well. They don’t have normal language skills. They will have a hard time learning in school because everything is based on the language, ”said Dr Vishakha Rawool, head of the department.

This is where the University of Mississippi Speech and Hearing Clinic Between.

Dr Rawool and deVere help run the Preschool Language Group program.

“It kind of started with… one-on-one intervention with kids who were really lacking in social skills, taking in turn skills, emotional regulation, playing appropriately with objects and things like that,” said deVere.

Now, with a larger space, they can reach more children.

“Everything we do with the two hours we have with the kids is based on a theme. We apply it or generalize it to whatever the kid does, ”said deVere. “We link this to a linguistic theme. We read about it. We sing it. We play a role in this. We do puppet shows about it.

It is a structure that also requires Individual Education Plans, or IEPs. Without IEP, students may find language navigation difficult.

“They don’t have enough language skills that have had an impact on learning, on socialization because we socialize by talking with other children, on development because we express our emotions through language, l ‘general education and behavior,’ said Dr Rawool.

The past year has been a struggle due to COVID-19.

“First responders were unable to enter the homes,” deVere said. “It was a bit difficult to come back from there because these kids not only hadn’t received the early intervention services, but they hadn’t gone to the playgrounds, the church or the schools. restaurants.

However, the clinic has rebounded.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive from our families, for our customers. Almost everyone we worked with went to regular kindergarten. Two of our most recent graduates are entering school, not even with an IEP, ”said deVere.

It is an accomplishment which also doubles as a reward.