Sunny Days, Bright Minds: DHH Summer Learning Ideas

Summer provides an amazing opportunity to continue language and literacy development. New or different experiences from the school year routine offer an opportunity for children to build their background knowledge through a variety of adventures. Summer is also a great time to get outside and play. Intentionally engaging in conversations and describing items or experiences is a great way to build language. Continue reading for ways to encourage children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) to learn in fun ways throughout the summer.

Before You Go

• Sit down with your child and make a list of interesting places to visit. Use your list to talk about plans and when your family might have time to visit certain places. Calendars are a daily routine during the school year that children may not have exposure to over the summer months. 
• If you are visiting a new place, have a conversation about the location ahead of time. Discuss the things you might see and introduce new vocabulary. If the location has a website, scroll through pictures to help with the discussion. 
  • Go over any expectations before you arrive to help your child process the language. This may lead to a more enjoyable experience for your family. 
• If you are taking a trip, create a packing list together. Discuss the items you might need to have a good time. Then use the list to pack with your child. The list could be written, or it could be a visual list with pictures of the objects.
  • Expand your child’s language by introducing conditional phrasing, such as “if it rains, we will need an umbrella” or “if we leave early, we may not have to wait in traffic.” 

Outdoor Tips

• Use descriptive words to describe the objects you see. This can include size, color, texture, and shape.
• Go on outdoor scavenger hunts at your house, at the park, or on a walking trail. Look for different colors or animals. Collect small objects along the way and have your child sort them by size or color.
• Add in action words to a variety of play. The playground at the park is a great location to use an assortment of words to describe play.

Printed Text is Everywhere

• Printed words can be found in a variety of settings. Draw your child’s attention to the words and make connections with signs or spoken words.
• Take an opportunity to point out signs along the road when riding in the car.
• Explore the grocery store for printed words on food containers or signs. Go on an “ABC scavenger hunt” to see if your child can find each letter of the alphabet somewhere in the grocery store.

In the Kitchen

• Find time once a week to make food together. This can be a meal, snack, or dessert item. Identify and name the tools you are using. Talk about following a recipe and the steps you will take to create the food item.
• Point out the printed word on the ingredient labels. Make connections between the object, printed word, and signed or spoken word. 
• Have your child help with your family grocery list. Include phrases with language about quantity and amounts (e.g., “the milk is almost empty” or “we are going to need more bread soon”).

Indoor Literacy Fun

• Place a bin of books in places that are easy for your child to reach in several rooms of your home so they can access them throughout the day.
• Make a book box to keep in your vehicle. Car rides are a great time for your child to look at pictures or read the text silently or out loud.
• Add labels to objects in your home. Choose one room a month to create index cards with the name of each item and tape each card to the corresponding item. Your child will then have visual access to the word and the physical object. Point to the word occasionally as you are using the object and say or sign the word.

Use the Library

• Libraries offer a range of programs and activities throughout the summer. Many also offer summer reading programs with incentives.
• Libraries are a great resource for more than just books. Some branches also loan board games, crafting kits, sports equipment, or day passes to local attractions.
• MDE-LIO offers a library full of materials to borrow. Items are shipped via UPS at no cost to you and include a pre-paid return label.
  • Each DHH Reading Kit includes a book, suggested activities, and supplies.
  • The DHH Character Books library includes books with characters who are DHH. Books are available for all ages, and we have added some new titles to the collection.
  • The DHH Resource Library includes materials to learn and support American Sign Language development. Additionally, this library includes parent resources for raising a child who is DHH.

Journaling

There are many ways you can journal and reflect on your summer fun. This is a great way to support your child’s storytelling skills when they share their journal with family members. 

• Go to the store together to pick out a simple notebook for your child to use as a journal. 
• Add a few minutes to your bedtime routine to reflect on the day and enter it in the journal.
• Make an experience book in a notebook with your child. Write a one-sentence description of what you did that day. Draw or attach pictures of objects that remind you of the activity. For more ideas on making experience books, visit MDE-LIO’s Literacy Resources page.
• Encourage your child to use a journal independently. This can range from a bulleted list or one sentence to full-paragraph summaries.
• Make a digital journal. Take pictures throughout an activity on your phone. Scroll through the pictures at bedtime or print your photos. Then, look through the photos and have your child describe what they saw, what they felt, and what they enjoyed.

Creating small intentional chunks of time throughout the day to focus on language or literacy can have a big impact on your child. Remember to make it fun; learning opportunities don’t have to feel like work for your child. Engaging conversations, new experiences, and time together will help your child grow in many ways. Enjoy your summer!

From Amanda Schneider, MDE-LIO Education Consultant