Cued Speech and Cochlear Implants: Powerful Partners

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Cued Speech and Cochlear Implants: Powerful Partners

by Jane Smith, M.A., LSLS Cert. AVEd, Communications Specialist, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

“We’ve stopped cueing because he just hears everything!”
“There used to be a need for Cued Speech, but with cochlear implants, it’s just no longer necessary.”
“My child hears EVERYTHING with his two implants.”

These are examples of statements I’ve been hearing in the past few years. Parents and colleagues tell me that cochlear implants are a miracle and that there is absolutely no need for deaf children to use visual information any more. In fact, some folks even add that visual information is detrimental to deaf child’s ability to learn to listen.

Nonsense, I say. For over 25 years, I have been using Cued Speech with children who have cochlear implants. While I would agree that cochlear implants are amazing and that this technology has changed the way I teach, I would adamantly disagree that they have lessened or wiped out any need to use Cued Speech. In fact, I see Cued Speech as an excellent means for helping deaf children learn language, develop speech, learn to listen to their maximum ability, and develop high-level reading skills.
In Montgomery County, Maryland, we have a large deaf and hard-of-hearing population. We have many children who learn by adding Cued Speech to their use of listening technology. In other words, they listen while they are cued to. Most of our students have cochlear implants. Many received their cochlear implant(s) as young as a year old. These children are excellent listeners, good speakers and wonderful readers, all thanks to Cued Speech.

Here are some observations: Babies who are cued to as infants internalize a phonological model of language. As the baby babbles and coos, parents imitate the sounds the baby is saying while cueing and speaking right back to him. The baby loves to see and hear that Mama is repeating the sounds he is making! Just as hearing babies learn to discriminate and imitate phonemes, babies who are cued to discriminate and imitate phonemes! Most babies are not implanted until they are at least one year old. By cueing as soon as possible, parents can establish a phonological grid even BEFORE he has the implant surgery.

As the baby learns more and more language, you can cue to him in order to be very specific about what you are saying. For example, instead of just talking about “shoes,” you can expand a child’s vocabulary and talk about “Crocs” or “Mary Janes” or “flip-flops” or “Uggs” or “slippers.” The possibilities are endless. By seeing the cues AND hearing the sounds at the same time, the child can be more sure of what he is hearing and thus imitate the words more correctly in his speech.

Children who get a cochlear implant (or a second implant) after they have been exposed to Cued Speech make quick listening progress. They already have a phonological grid in their brain and what they are hearing makes sense quickly with Cued Speech. They tend to zoom through listening curriculums.
Cued Speech also can ensure language development for children who might have an additional disability. There is evidence that nearly half of deaf children have additional problems. These may be subtle learning disabilities or more serious disorders like apraxia, language processing disorders, or cognitive disabilities. Children, including hearing children, are often labeled as “visual,” “auditory” or “tactile” learners. By cueing to a child at an early age, you are stimulating other senses for him. Cued Speech is visual representation of speech that totally complements what he or she is hearing. If the child learns to cue, the tactile support of making sounds (cues) on his fingers may make understanding language easier for him. This support nearly ensures a child with disabilities, even a subtle disability, learn more easily.
And reading…! Cued Speech’s connection to reading is well researched. It is a phenomenal benefit to a deaf child’s ability to learn to read. If you cue to a child with a cochlear implant from an early age, it can only help him learn to rhyme, differentiate phonemes and associate phonemes with print. These are the cornerstones to becoming a good reader.
Cued Speech is an incredible tool, system and mode of communication. It will not slow or impede a child’s progress with a cochlear implant. It will actually enhance a child’s progress and squarely put him on the road to becoming a great reader.

Cued Speech and cochlear implants were made for each other!
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http://www.cuedspeech.org/PDF/Winter2009_OnCue.pdf
 
. In fact, some folks even add that visual information is detrimental to deaf child’s ability to learn to listen.

As usual, false information is posted here about visual information. How is it detrimental? :roll:
 
Well, some of us were right..cued speech is part of the oralism approach. Not surprising that it is partners with CIs.
 
shel90 said:
Well, some of us were right..cued speech is part of the oralism approach. Not surprising that it is partners with CIs.
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It is visual. I thought you were an advocate for 100% access for deaf children through a visual means. Am I wrong? Do you think that ASL is the only appropriate way?
 
Cued speech is 100% visual. You don't need to hear to understand cued English.

Oralism is very vague while cued speech is very clear. Cued speech is NOT part of oralism. Oralism demands that you only lipread. Cued Speech requires you to look at handshapes/placements while looking at lip movements.

Cued Speech is really 100% visual and it was supposed to be that way. How do you know which is m, b, or p since it looks same on lips? You use handshapes. If an open handshape is used, how do you know which consonant it represent? You use mouth shapes. You don't need to hear at all to benefit from cueing.
 
It would be very interesting if someone who is profoundly deaf who used cued speech, Got implanted in their late 20's (like me), and can hear with their implant as well as children who were implanted before their 1st birthday.
 
Cued Speech was ONLY intended for classroom settings. To clarify a word ...

ASL have a much more beautiful and expressive language than cued speech. I don't think two young cued speech lovers " talking " to each other while sticking their finger in their nose is well romanitic... eekkk
 
no one ever felt it was a language. It's a visual tool, just like hearing aids (instead of visual, it is hearing tool), for spoken English.
 
Cued Speech was ONLY intended for classroom settings.
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Exactly!
NOBODY here is anti cued speech. We just don't think it's a good "all over" mode of communication.
 
deafdyke said:
Exactly!
NOBODY here is anti cued speech. We just don't think it's a good "all over" mode of communication.
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Actually, I suspect that some of us are. I am, for instance, but that's when it's suggested that I use it myself, personally.
 
I am thankful I never had to cue, it looks horrible. I never had problems learning to read and write in my native language, and CS would be totally a waste of time for me. But I am fine with it as a special needs tool for students with and without hearing loss, and suggest people to check out the more up to date system from Gallaudet, called visual phonics if you are interested.

Cued speech itself is not oralism, but it's a popular tool at oral deaf schools all over america, and Loml promotes it with articles from National Cued Speech Association here on alldeaf.com as a tool that define ASL as redudant. NCSA agree with AG Bell that ASL as a first language not allways is the best option, and ASL as a first langauge can be dangerous with literacy in mind. There you have the oralism.
 
what about cued speech for those not have use of two hands to sign with. this is the reason we tried to learn to cue. and also cued speech offers

Description: This attractive item is designed for individuals unable to communicate except by eye-gaze movements. The plexiglas is 16� high and 20� wide. and can be held or placed upright in a slotted composite-material block (included). An instruction booklet is also included. Clark. 1981.Cued Speech Discovery Product Details
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see attachment for picture of the board
 
inmate23 said:
what about cued speech for those not have use of two hands to sign with. this is the reason we tried to learn to cue. and also cued speech offers



see attachment for picture of the board
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I have seen people who only have one functional arm use sign languages before.

Maybe i should film an example someday-- if JennyB haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
SouthFella said:
Flip Oralism is not better than ASL in so many ways...

Don't forget I went to Gally ...
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Faire_jour is right I was not saying oralism is better, just that NCSA promote oralism with cued speech. The NCSA message is that ASL is shit, and cued speech is what will save your kid.

Some people seem to think that cued speech not is oralism, and that's right. It's among other things, used as a tool by oralists in oral deaf schools. Modern bilingual deaf schools rarely use cued speech anymore, except for some pilot projects using visual phonics, a more up to date version of cued speech. Visual phonics seems to have limited popularity like cued speech. Cued speech also used as an aid for hearing people with mental handicaps.
 
Wirelessly posted

ASL is shit? I strongly and respectfully disagree. If ASL sucks, then why are they allow many hearing babies and toddlers to learn the basic ASL that may boost their IQs, while D/deaf/HOH babies & toddlers are "not allowed" to learn the basic sign language? It definitely doesn't delay the speech skills... I suggest you to go and see FAQ from the two websites:

www.mysmarthands.com

www.baby-and-sign-language.com
 
What I see as ironic, is oralists flocking to cued speed which is a form of visual language. Hopefully , the oralists will realize how beneficial ASL is before they die off !!!
 
except for some pilot projects using visual phonics, a more up to date version of cued speech. Visual phonics seems to have limited popularity like cued speech.
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That's a good point. If Cuem is so sucessful then how come it hasn't been used in ALL kinds of deaf ed programs? It's been around for ages.
I do think it would be an AWESOME tool to use in reading class, ala hearing kids using phonics. But it should also be used with a whole lanuague approach AS WELL!
Cued speech also used as an aid for hearing people with mental handicaps.
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Really? How so? I've never heard of that before. I've heard of Sign being used for hearing people with other disabilites (CP, apraxia, tracheostomies)
 
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