For School Boards:

How can our school board access services for a child with hearing loss?

MOSD has a supraregional mandate from the Quebec Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports (MELS) to provide services to the English School Boards for their children with hearing loss. A child who is entering a school board at age 4 or 5 is usually already diagnosed with a hearing loss, though some children may have a loss which is only diagnosed later, for example in the case of a child with a progressive hearing loss or an acquired loss due to illness or trauma.  Children suspected of having hearing loss can sometimes be tested in the audiology department at MOSD, depending on the indicators in the particular case.  Children are also tested at hospitals and private clinics.

MOSD offers an array of services depending on the needs of the child and the distances involved.  Boards at a distance are more likely to be offered Indirect services (link).  Students attending schools closer to Montreal may receive the services of a specialist teacher of the hearing impaired as well as audiological, psychosocial and technological services through our mainstream programs ( link)

Some children with more severe losses or with more needs may benefit from attending a specialized class at the MOSD.  These classes are located within a regular public school so that partial mainstreaming may occur.  At MOSD, the goal is for children to attend their neighborhood school, as soon as they are ready and with appropriate support.  The MOSD classes serve as a bridge to the mainstream.  Academic programs link

How are services funded?
MOSD services are offered through yearly contracts with school boards. A child who had been recently diagnosed can receive services for part of a year if the board is in agreement. A child who is classified as having a hearing impairment (“44”) may require a little support or a great deal of support and specialized teaching.  Discussions between the board, the school, the family and MOSD can ensure that the appropriate program and services are made available. Contact the MOSD for further information at info@montrealoralschool.com (link)

For personnel in regular schools:

What are some possible signs of hearing loss in children?

• Often does not respond when spoken to or is surprised when he finally does hear
• Needs people to be closer to him in order to understand
• Often asks “what?” or seems puzzled
• May have some pronunciation problems;
• May give inappropriate answers to basic questions; responses may seem off topic
• May not participate well in class
• May have trouble paying attention or staying on topic
• May seem to depend a lot on visual cues

I have a child in my class who may have a hearing loss. What should I do?

If you suspect that a child may have a hearing loss it is essential to pursue this. An undiagnosed hearing loss can cause a child serious problems.  Usually a general practitioner, family doctor or pediatrician will refer a child for a hearing test at a hospital or clinic. Children with many risk factors can occasionally be tested at the MOSD.

I have a child who wears hearing aids  (or a cochlear implant) in my class.  What can I do to help him in the class?

The classroom situation is a noisy one for the child with hearing loss who needs the best acoustic environment possible in order to use his residual hearing and make use of his amplification.  Students may also use an FM system to help them hear better in noise and over distance.   FM link here.  A specialist teacher of the hearing impaired or a speech/language pathologist or audiologist can help you to determine adaptations that can be made in your classroom to improve the listening environment. Even with these adaptations, there will likely still be challenges to listening and learning in a regular classroom. For specific suggestions, click here.

Volunteering

I might like to volunteer at the MOSD; what could I do?

We’d love to hear from you!  There are a number of ways that a volunteer can help.

Some volunteers work in the classes or nursery with a particular group or teacher with tasks such as helping with science themes, listening to children read, helping with 1-1 tutoring, leading a lunch activity, playing games for social support. 

Some volunteers offer after-school help with homework, perhaps in French or math.  Others serve a more social role, helping the student learn more about their neighborhood, visiting the library, going to movies etc.

Other volunteers may choose to help the MOSD as an organization by working on events,  fundraising, or doing clerical work.

If you have a skill that you’d like to share please let us know.

How are volunteers matched?

Potential volunteers come to an intake session at MOSD and are interviewed.  Their availability and preferences in relation to ages of students and types of activities are taken into consideration in making a match.

What is the time commitment?
This can be variable depending on the tasks, however in general we ask for a minimum commitment of 90 minutes a week for the school year, though we recognize that some university students may need to finish in April.