St. Rita's School isn't just for the deaf. A one-year-old non-profit within the school,
St. Rita Comprehensive Communication Resources,
focuses on the school's ongoing work with children who are deaf and
children who have speech impairments. Both groups face similar
challenges in classroom settings.
Apraxia, a motor speech disorder that can be diagnosed when children are
as young as 2 years old, makes it frustrating if not impossible for
hearing children to learn in traditional classrooms. At St. Rita's, an
innovative practice known as
Sign 'n Say
teaches apraxic children sign language so that they have a
less-stressful way to communicate and a back-up when words literally
fail them.
Sign n' Say includes Montessori curriculum for a mix of preschool deaf,
apraxic and typically learning students. Teachers and aides, some of
whom are deaf, provide extra support and encouragement for apraxic
students, who tend to have other physical or neurological challenges
with which to contend. Speech therapy adds yet another layer of support,
as do regular support group meetings for parents.
Parents who send their children to Sign 'n Say report that their
children are happier, speak more and communicate more clearly as they
learn sign language and become immersed in the nurturing environment of
St. Rita's, where they are always challenged and always supported. When
one family moved to Indiana, they decided to have their son live with
his grandparents through the weekdays just so that he could continue to
make the progress he has in Sign n' Say.
Do Good:
• Shop Till You Drop. The school's annual fundraiser takes place
Saturday, Aug. 27, from 4-8 p.m. A $5 donation will get you wine,
appetizers and the first pick of choice items.
•
Take a tour. Whether you want to learn sign language or find out more about innovative apraxia education, St. Rita's welcomes your visit.
•
Be a monster. That's right -- you can volunteer to be a monster at St. Rita's famous, or infamous, haunted house this fall.
By Elissa Yancey
Photo courtesy of St. Rita's School for the Deaf
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.