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Little hands and voices

Little Hands and Voices (LHV) is an instructional preschool program for students with mild to severe hearing impairments. The program is designed to develop communication skills of preschoolers (ages 3 through 5) with hearing impairments to age-appropriate levels. The LHV program offers a small, structured classroom and is staffed on a 1:4 ratio, generally with a teacher and a classroom assistant.

Program components of Little Hands and Voices:

• The classroom utilizes small instructional groupings that focus on the development of speech and language skills and academic readiness skills.
• Equal emphasis is placed on the acquisition of receptive and expressive language skills, speech production and listening skills.
• Most students wear amplification equipment to utilize their residual hearing and to systematically develop listening skills.
• Total Communication is employed as an instructional approach; the communication approach used by each individual child is based on student needs and family preferences. All communication modes are accommodated, including Auditory/Oral, Total Communication, and the use of speech reading.
• Auditory habilitation, speech reading, and the use of assistive technology (FM systems) also are emphasized.
• Daily schedule includes snack/lunch time, structured physical activities and opportunities for cooperative play.