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NED BEHNKE SPEECH LANGUAGE PRESCHOOL |
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Two years ago, HSDC opened the Family
Preschool to
serve families with deaf & hard of hearing children ages 3
to 5, building upon fifty years of success with our Parent-
Infant Program (PIP), which covers birth to 3.
This year, we are pleased to announce the opening of the
Ned Behnke Speech Language Preschool, with five
children currently enrolled. This innovative program
serves children with hearing loss and/or speech- language
delays, along with typically developing peer
models. HSDC is able to provide a low student-to-teacher
ratio to meet the special needs of each developing child
in a productive and nurturing environment, and families
are proud to enter our brand new classroom facility. |

(above) The 2008 Preschool Class |
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(below) Teacher Cathy Mace, M.S., CCC-SLP using Cued Speech |
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| This is the first preschool in the region using Cued Speech, a method
that utilizes a series of visual cues to help children learn oral language.
It takes advantage of children’s natural attention to visual stimuli to help
them differentiate between the sounds of spoken language. Research
shows significant gains in oral language and reading skills for children
with hearing loss, and many educators find Cued Speech an effective
tool for children with developmental or speech delays. |
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| Learning Through Language |
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| Families enrolled in the preschool program benefit from access
to the following resources: |
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Developmentally appropriate activities to promote language,
cognitive, motor and social skills through child-centered activities in a natural
environment |
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Daily language-centered activities led by a certified
speech-language pathologist |
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Visual
support for learning oral language through Cued Speech |
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Phonemic awareness instruction for early literacy |
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Small, blended class including typically developing
peers |
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Family education, resources and referral services |
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Preparation for transition to kingergarten |
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About The Teacher |
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Cathy Mace, a licensed speech pathologist with extensive background
in working with children who have hearing loss, teaches the class.
Cathy received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology
from Gallaudet University and then worked on Gallaudet’s
campus at the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School. She worked
in Washington public schools for 6 years as a deaf and hard of
hearing specialist & speech-language pathologist
(SLP), using sign language, Cued Speech, and auditory-oral methods.
In addition,
she worked with the cochlear implant team at the Listen for Life
Center at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. |
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About Ned Behnke |
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Deaf from birth, Ned Behnke chose to express himself in the visual
arts from an early age. He received his BA from Central Washington
University and then graduated from the prestigious Rochester School
with an MFA. He went on to teach the Deaf students at Cornish College
of the Arts. Ned received many national fine arts awards; among
them was a major public art commission, awarded by the King County
Arts Commission for the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center.
His legacy of benevolence is honored throughout our community,
with tributes to him at Cornish and the Henry Art Museum. |
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For more information about the Ned Behnke Speech Language Preschool,
please phone 208.388.1288 or contact
us by email. |
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