CODA Resources
CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) children that fall into this group are unique and often have specialized needs, particularly in early childhood education. Many times CODA will have American Sign Language as their first language.
Often, a CODA is caught between two cultures and has to take on both without fully understanding the different nuances between each culture ("Deaf Culture" and "hearing culture"). They are often thrust into the role of interpreting for family members at a very young age without fully developing the understanding of a different culture outside of their home environment.
Common challenges can manifest themselves in developmental delays. These challenges can create frustrations that are uniquely difficult to overcome and can have long-lasting effects in a child's early development.
Some resources on this page help bridge the gap between cultures.
Letter to Teacher, created by Jennifer Witteborg
Letter that was written to help teachers to understand CODA student by sharing Deaf culture and language used at home. It is editable, please edit to represent your family background before sharing with the teacher.
I share this letter every year with my children teachers beginning of the year. It has been helpful.
COPY and PASTE the letter to document to make edits. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UDUx3OiDQWTTC6TlBnVO3On-W5GyCAH8Lhmku_OqwlY/edit?usp=sharing
KODAheart shares Back to School Resources
including the letter to teacher and beyond. Check it out too. http://kodaheart.com/back-to-school-resources/
10 LINGUISTIC DEVELOPMENT TIPS FOR A SIGNING FAMILY by KODA Heart
http://kodaheart.com/10-things-16/
Play is an essential way for kids to interact with and learn about the world around them. According to the Kenneth R. Ginsburg of the American Academy of Pediatrics, “play is essential to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth.” Parents perform an important role in this learning process: through one-on-one or group play, parents model language and encourage linguistic development in their children, as well as teach social and cultural norms. What “play” looks like will vary across age groups, but parental involvement is always important.
As minority languages, access to signed languages is limited in larger society. Promote the use of sign language in your home by creating a safe environment for your children to play with the language and develop their skills. Here are 10 different activities to help encourage language development within your home!
1) Language Play
2) Play with Classifiers
3) Rhythm and Rhyme
4) Grammatical Non-Manual Markers
5) Real-world Applications
6) Depicting Verbs
7) Cinematic Signed Language
8) Language Variation
9) Vocabulary Development
10) YOU are the best resource for your child’s acquisition of signed language.
Language play encourages children and parents to expand vocabulary, explore the grammar and structure of language, and learn about different forms of communication. In small ways, everyday, families shape the process of language acquisition at home. While there is no one way to learn language, parents can create language-rich environments that encourage children to explore and develop their skills, while also bringing the family together!
What language development strategies do you utilize at home? Which games are a family favorite? Share them with us at oneKODAheart@gmail.com
For more details, check their page http://kodaheart.com/10-things-16/
