The Cochlear Implant School Toolkit

8 - Social Integration of a Child with a Cochlear Implant

Create peer support

If the child with a cochlear implant needs extra support, implement a buddy system.

A buddy system pairs students in your class and asks them to support one another with specific tasks or skills. You may want to assign a buddy only to the child with a cochlear implant, or assign a buddy to every student.

A child with a cochlear implant may benefit from a buddy who helps signal transitions, repeats teachers' directions, or facilitates the child's participation in noisy environments (e.g., the playground).