Guest guest Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Hi - I thought the conversation could be confusing for a 5 y.o., particularly one with hearing loss. I find even at 12 and 10 years of age, my boys are at times very literal. For example, our pediatrician told Sam at his 9 year checkup that he needed to eat 5 vegetables daily. somehow Sam got out of that conversation 5 vegetables over 5 days (okay - maybe he was hearing what he wanted to hear!) but I do find that I'm at times surprised at words they don't know but I thought they did. Sam has spelling words every week - and when he spells the words, we first go over the definition of the word, then I have him use the word in a sentence to be sure he knows it. Sam knew the word " prefer " but had no idea the word " preference " (or that it was derived from prefer). Sam's reading pretty far above grade level, he's in 4th grade and fully mainstreamed - it was surprising and eye-opening for me. Another time when he was in first grade, Sam and I were chatting and I mentioned that his friend, Jamison, would be coming home on the schoolbus with him on Wednesday. It was Monday - so Sam comes home on the schoolbus on Monday to an empty house (the Mellert family's answer to " Home Alone " - lost in Hanover!). It was very scary for Sam. I'm now very direct and ask him " where are you going after school " so I know he gets it. I find I'm continually learning about communicating with my boys and the best way to do it.... Barbara Kearns wrote: >I was reading the conversation you transcribed and thought it was confusing, especially to a young child and one learning language. You wrote... > >This is a conversation I had with my 5 y.o. child (moderate hearing >loss) as we were getting his backpack ready for kindergarten. > >me: What is due today? >him: What? >me: Anything that needs to go back to school today? >him: What? >me: WHAT IS DUE TODAY??? (getting impatient.) >him: What? >me: What do you think I said? (hmm, hearing aids are in, you're >sitting next to me... you can't possibly not hear me!) >him: What is due today? >me: That's right. What's the problem? >him: What is today? >me: oh, today is Thursday. > >I forgot to tell him that he needs to ask SPECIFIC question. I'm >pretty sure that I'll have another opportunity ;-) > >My son would be confused with the word " due " in the first place. Especially because he would be thinking " do " and in the context you used he would most definately be asking " What? " because he didn't understand. He'd probably be thinking " what do we do or what are you going to do " ... something like that. > >And then when you responded with " Anything that needs to go back to school today? " ... well unless he picked up on the tone to indicate it was a question he might be confused again and maybe even thinking you have totally changed the subject. > >Sounds like your son heard what you said but didn't understand it. Are you sure he didn't understand the word " today " or was it " due " I know my son at four understands " today " meaning now. Even if I told him the actual day of the week it would not make the context of the conversation any more understandable. >I'm so conscious about language now when communicating with my son that I think about things I never would have before. It's actually very facinating as well as confusing. > > K >'s mom, 4.5 years, MEDEL CI at 20 months > > > -- **************** Barbara Mellert Manager, Social Science Computing Kiewit Computing Services Dartmouth College 13A Silsby Hall, HB 6121 Hanover NH 03755 Telephone: 603/646-2877 URL: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ssc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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