NED BEHNKE SPEECH LANGUAGE PRESCHOOL         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 (below) Teacher Cathy Mace, M.S., CCC-SLP using Cued Speech 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.             Learning Through Language         Families enrolled in the preschool program benefit from access to the following resources:   Developmentally appropriate activities to promote language, cognitive, motor and social skills through child-centered activities in a natural environment   Daily language-centered activities led by a certified speech-language pathologist   Visual support for learning oral language through Cued Speech   Phonemic awareness instruction for early literacy   Small, blended class including typically developing peers   Family education, resources and referral services   Preparation for transition to kingergarten         About The Teacher           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.         About Ned Behnke           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.         For more information about the Ned Behnke Speech Language Preschool, please phone 208.388.1288 or contact us by email.