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"Mellie's Teaching Kit" includes, among other
things, a Mellie the MED-Elephant plush toy. |
The MED-EL Corporation, a worldwide leader in hearing implant technology, announced the launch of "Mellie's Teaching Kit," a free resource that educators can use to teach children about hearing, hearing loss and cochlear implants. The kit includes: Mellie the MED-Elephant plush toy with cochlear implants; Mellie and Her Cochlear Implants story books; and, Mellie and Her Cochlear Implants coloring books. The kit can be customized to allow enough coloring books for each child in the classroom. MED-EL also launched the "Kid's Corner" section of its Web site, with presentations featuring Mellie that compliment information in the teaching kit. Materials are suitable for kindergarten through elementary school and can be tailored for specific grade levels.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has designated May as Better Speech and Hearing Month to raise awareness about communication disorders and to promote treatment that can improve the quality of life for those who experience problems with speaking, understanding or hearing.
"We have heard from many teachers and parents looking for ways to help children understand hearing, hearing loss and cochlear implants. Teachers may have a child with hearing loss using either hearing aids or cochlear implants in their classroom. Some may be teaching a classroom of children with hearing aids or cochlear implants and want them to be better informed about their devices," said Darla Franz, MA, CCC-A, director of education and corporate communications at MED-EL North America. "Some children using hearing aids or cochlear implants grow up with little understanding of their own situation. We developed 'Mellie's Teaching Kit' so that teachers would have a fun way to teach the entire class about these subjects."
The kit is also appropriate for parents who are interested in teaching both a child with hearing loss and their siblings about hearing loss and cochlear implants.
Mellie and Her Cochlear Implants is a colorful book about Mellie, a young elephant and her family. It tells the story of the family's journey from the discovery that Mellie is deaf, through the process of cochlear implant candidacy, surgery, fitting and use of her cochlear implants. The wordless companion coloring book is ideal for parents and teachers to use along with the story book. For young children the colored pages can be used for children to re-tell the story. Older children can write the story on each page.
Additional online tools are available to support the "Mellie Teaching Kit" in MED-EL's "Kids' Corner" section of www.medel.com. Mellie is featured in animated slide presentations that teach about hearing, hearing loss and cochlear implants through her personal journey. Kids' Corner was designed for primary school-age children; however, it can be easily adapted for older students.
Topics or chapters included in Kids' Corner are:
- How hearing works--illustrates the journey of sound from the ear to the brain;
- About hearing loss--reviews hearing loss from damage to the outer, middle and inner ear;
- How well do you hear?--demonstrates different sounds on an audiogram by clicking on individual graphics, such as bees buzzing or an airplane;
- What is a CI?--covers the components of a cochlear implant and how it helps to replicate sound;
- How to get a CI--describes the steps necessary to receive a cochlear implant, including surgery; and
- What is life like with a CI?--looks at care of the device for active children.
For more information: 888-633-5325, www.medel.com, usamarketing@medel.com
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