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Welcome to Season 6 of Therapod Podcast: Beyond Words, where we explore how communication and language shape our lives from childhood through adulthood.

Hosted by Carolyn Gelenter, on this episode we are joined by Kathryn Gilgallon, Lead Teacher of the Deaf with over 20 years of experience. Kathryn shares her fascinating journey from studying marine biology to falling in love with Deaf culture, eventually moving from California to the UK to advocate for deaf children and their families.

A central theme of this episode is the critical distinction between medical deafness and Language Deprivation. Kathryn explains that because 80% of language is typically learned through incidental overhearing, deaf children are at a high risk of missing vital language foundations during their earliest years. We discuss the "social justice" of ensuring these children have early access to a language-rich environment, whether through spoken language, sign, or both.

Kathryn also offers incredibly practical Universal Design tips for making classrooms and homes more accessible, including:

• Acoustic Hacks: Using tennis balls on chair legs to eliminate scraping sounds and oil cloths on tables to dampen the clatter of toys.
• Environment Setup: Moving music corners away from book corners and utilizing rugs or plants to absorb background noise.
• Intentional Listening: Turning off background TVs and radios during meal times to make "overhearing" easier for everyone.

Finally, we challenge the "one size fits all" approach to education, particularly regarding phonics and reading. Kathryn highlights how visual support systems and Deaf pride (Capital D Deafness) provide a sense of identity and belonging that goes far beyond a medical diagnosis.

Tune in to learn how we can move away from "tick-boxing" and toward a world that truly respects and enables the diverse ways we communicate.

#DeafEducation #BSL #TherapodPodcast #DeafCulture #InclusiveDesign #SpeechLanguageTherapy #LanguageDeprivation #UniversalDesign