Geashill School Scoil na Croise Naofa

Unit for the Deaf

General Introduction

The Unit for the Deaf, which is part of Scoil na Croise Naofa, was established in 1985 as a result of parental pressure.

The aims of the Unit:

To educate severe/profoundly deaf children and children who have received cochlear implants as close to their homes as possible.

To allow these children to integrate with their hearing peers, where appropriate, in order to prepare them for a hearing world.

Staff:

Pupil/Teacher ratio 6:1
Currently one permanent teacher employed.

Special Needs Assistant who accompanies children in mainstream and assists in the Unit.

Ancillary Staff

The Unit also has access to the following:

Visiting Teacher of the Deaf
Speech and Language Therapist (H.S.E.)
Cochlear Implant Team, Beaumont Hospital.

Integration:

Children are integrated into the mainstream classes where possible. in some cases this may be partially eg for non- academic subjects such as PE, art, dancing, football, rugby , swimming. Other children integrate for most of the school day.
The success of integration is dependant on the close co- operation and collaboration of the whole school staff: Principal, mainstream teachers, special class and S.N.A., where it's kept under constant review.

Assessments:

Children are assessed annually (December) using Micra-T tests for literacy and Sigma-T tests for numeracy.

Children who have received cochlear implants are assessed annually in Beaumont Hospital and reports furnished to the school.

Speech and language therapists and psychologists carry out assessments as required.

Technology

Children either wear hearing aids or have cochlear implants.

The infant classroom is fitted with a soundfield system and has a pass around microphone.

Children generally use FM radio-aids when integrating with mainstream classes.

Children use computers (software and internet) to aid learning.

Communication

Children use whatever means of communication that is appropriate to their needs e.g. sign language, gesture, speech, writing. However since the advent of the cochlear implant the children are encouraged
to develop speech where possible.