The Cochlear Implant School Toolkit

Welcome to the Cochlear Implant School Toolkit Forum! Here you can connect with other parents and teachers to post questions about cochlear implants (CIs) and the mainstream school-entry process, to share stories about successes and challenges with school-entry, and to enjoy thoughtful discussions about topics that interest you. The forum is divided into two sections: Parent Topics and Teacher Topics.

Please note that this forum should not be used as a platform to promote products, organizations, or CI manufacturers.

Parent Topics

• Introduce yourself
  New to the Parents forum? Introduce yourself to meet other parents like yourself.
• CI troubleshooting
  Is your child having problems with his or her CI? Does he or she dislike wearing it? Share stories and tips here.
• Coffee break
  Take a break from discussing CIs and enjoy a laugh and some light-hearted conversation.
• IEPs/Section 504 plans
  Discuss everything from requesting accommodations to forming a team and making sure your child reaches his or her goals.
• Meetings with the principal and other school officials
  Find out what the school needs to know from you, and discuss the best ways to share this information.
• Miscellaneous
  Have a question or story that isn’t covered by one of the other topic areas? Share it here.
• Peer acceptance and socialization
  Share stories or learn from others about the best way to help your child succeed socially in school.
• Playground time and sports/gym class
  Does your child need special equipment to play certain sports? Is it safe for your child to play on the slide? Share stories here.
• Preparing your child for school-entry
  Discuss tips and strategies to help your child prepare for the first day of school.
• Preparing your child's teacher
  What information will he or she need? What materials should you provide? Can you see the classroom before school starts? Share stories of successes and challenges.
• Progression in the classroom
  Is your child excelling academically? Or has your child’s progress slowed? Ask questions and share tips about how to ensure your child succeeds in class.
• Visiting and observing your child at school
  Discuss the best way to work with the teacher to visit the school, and what to look for once you’re there.
• Working with the school
  Discuss successes and challenges encountered with the school, and offer tips and strategies for successful communication.

Teacher Topics

• Introduce yourself
  New to the Teacher forum? Introduce yourself to meet other teachers like yourself.
• American Sign Language and interpreters
  Some children who are deaf or hard of hearing use American Sign Language. The transition to spoken language can be difficult. Share stories and learn what to expect.
• Arranging your classroom
  Share tips and strategies to reduce background noise and help a child with a CI hear better in class.
• CI basics
  Discuss how CIs work, what the parts are called, and how to know if they are functioning properly.
• Coffee break
  Take a break from discussing CIs and enjoy a laugh and some light-hearted conversation.
• FM systems
  Discuss what FM systems are and how they help a child with a CI.
• IEPs/Section 504 plans
  Learn from one another how best to work with others on your team to make sure the child succeeds.
• Meetings with the child's parents
  Find out what questions you should ask and how often you should communicate.
• Miscellaneous
  Have a question or story that isn’t covered by one of the other topic areas? Share it here.
• Peer acceptance and socialization
  Share stories or learn from others about the best way to help the child succeed socially in school.
• Playground time and sports/gym class
  Does the child need special equipment to play certain sports? Is it safe for the child to play on the slide? Share stories here.
• Progression in the classroom
  Is the child excelling academically? Or has the child’s progress slowed? Ask questions and share tips about how to ensure the child succeeds in class.
• Sound testing
  Learn how to test if the CI is working.
• Teaching strategies and tips
  Have additional teaching tips and strategies? Share them here.
• Troubleshooting techniques
  What happens if the CI stops working at school? Share stories and tips.
• Unilateral implants
  Does a child with unilateral implants hear differently than a child with bilateral implants? Are there additional strategies for working with these children? Share them here.
• Working with professionals in fields related to hearing
  Who are the professionals and how do they help the child? What do you need to know from them? Share your experiences.
• Working with the parents
  Discuss successes and challenges encountered with parents of children with CIs, and offer tips and strategies for successful communication.