Auditory Verbal Preschool

Preschool for children who are deaf and hard of hearing ages two through five is offered to families free of charge Monday through Thursday, September through May.

Parent education and parent participation are emphasized in a rich, English language environment.

Social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth opportunities are nurtured and activities are planned that encourage children to use their amplified residual hearing, and develop speech and receptive and expressive language skills. The JTC Preschool uses the Reggio Emilia approach in which the path to learning is built around each individual child’s interests.  Children are educated based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment.

Every child meets daily with a speech and language teacher for individual training. Parents work in the preshcool one day per week and observe and/or participate in the sessions. Auditory-verbal techniques are used to demonstrate how to teach language effectively at home.

Parents also schedule weekly conferences with their child’s preschool teacher and biweekly meetings with their speech and language teacher.

Parent Class and Support Group are attended by all parents twice a month. In this way, parents are given the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to foster their child’s overall development, and to share with others the feelings, triumphs and obstacles their family is experiencing.

To enroll in the Preschool Program, parents must first attend the Parent/Infant Program on a regular basis.

Counseling

From the moment that a family enters John Tracy Clinic, members of the Consultation Services department are present to provide counseling, support, and resources.  We understand that the diagnosis of hearing loss in a child may precipitate significant changes in the life of a family.

Pulling from our combined expertise in the areas of marriage and family counseling, child development, and occupational therapy, we practice an approach that is family-centered and oriented toward the whole child. Some of the professional services that we provide include:

  • Support groups, to facilitate parents’ connections and the processing of feelings
  • Individual consultations that emphasize counseling, child development, recommendations, and resources
  • Developmental observations and screenings of children that are oriented toward the whole child, with recommendations and referrals for intervention

Parent Support Group
Parent Support Group allows parents of children with hearing loss to share the resources, triumphs, challenges, and feelings that are unique to families of children with hearing loss. During their journey, parents slowly gain a sense of self-confidence and hope for the future of their children.

Parent Support Group meets weekly on Friday mornings for families in the Parent / Infant Program and twice a month on Tuesday nights in conjunction with Parent Class. All of the services offered by John Tracy Clinic are FREE of charge to families.

Parent Support Group is in session during the academic year (September to May) and is offered twice a month on Tuesday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at our Los Angeles and Long Beach locations. Interpreters are provided during the academic year for family members who have difficulty with the English language. Adults only, please.

During Summer Sessions, support groups take place 4 days per week, in English for the regular international sessions, and in Spanish for the Latin America and Spain session.

Hearing Screening Training

John Tracy Clinic is offering training for Head Start/Early Head Start staff to learn how to screen the hearing of children birth through five years old. This program, called Tune In To Sound, offers nine hours (1 and 1/2 days) of training for teachers, directors, specialists, nurses, and other professionals who work with children from birth to six years of age.* Certificate of achievement is provided.

Customized Training includes:
-Why Hearing Screenings
-Audiology
-Anatomy and Physiology
-Otoacoustic Emissions
-Tympanometry
-Trouble Shooting equipment
-Special needs children
-Hands on Training in a preschool setting
-Play Audiometry

*Trainees must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma

To learn more about Tune In To Sound and for training dates and signup forms, please visit the Tune In To Sound website.

Community Hearing Screening

As a service to the community, John Tracy Clinic (JTC) conducts low-cost hearing screenings to children through age five in preschools and childcare centers throughout Southern California.  The screening identifies children who may have undetected hearing loss.  Results are reported to the parents.  If necessary, parents can consult their medical provider or JTC for further evaluation.

Why should I have my child’s hearing tested?
Good hearing is essential for the normal development of speech, language, social and pre-academic skills. Undetected, a hearing loss can cause significant communication and learning difficulties. A quick hearing screening will alert parents to a problem.

Will it hurt my child?
Our hearing screenings are quick, painless and very reliable.  We use state-of-the art equipment and perform screenings that are not routinely conducted in pediatricians’ offices.  In fact, a lot of ear congestion goes undetected during visits with your pediatrician.

My child has been tested before.  Do you recommend testing again?
Yes.  We recommend a hearing screening once a year.  Some hearing loss is gradual and can get worse over time.  Some hearing loss is temporary and can be caused by ear infections, inflammation or congestion.  It is an important part of your child’s overall health and school readiness.

How much does it cost?
JTC offers our preschool screenings for the low cost of $20.00 per child.  The full value of each screening is more than $95.00, so the fee we charge parents does not cover our costs.  As a nonprofit organization, we raise funds each year to bridge the gap between what we collect in fees and the true cost of our services.  In addition, to our nominal screening fee, we welcome donations of any size.

I have other children that I would like to be screened.  Do you have a center I can bring them to for screening? 
Yes, in addition to the screenings we conduct on preschool campuses, John Tracy Clinic screens children from age birth through age 5 onsite in Los Angeles.  Please call 213-748-5481 to make an appointment. 

Hearing Testing

John Tracy Clinic offers comprehensive pediatric audiological testing to parents at the Los Angeles location. We also offer hearing screenings to daycare centers and preschools in the Greater Los Angeles Area through our Community Hearing Screening Program. When parents suspect that their young child may have a problem hearing, the Clinic stands ready to help.

Comprehensive Audiological Testing

JTC tests children from birth to age five, with special expertise in testing infants and toddlers. Parents are given written reports that detail the results of the testing. If a hearing loss is identified, parents immediately meet with their audiologist and additional counseling or educational staff to explain the implications of the diagnosis and to offer possible continued support through John Tracy Clinic’s Educational Services.

Comprehensive audiological services include:

  • Newborn Hearing Screening
  • Hearing Screening (6mo.-5yrs.)
  • Tympanometry
  • Acoustic Reflexes
  • Otoacoustic Emissions
  • Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Natural Sleep
  • Behavioral Observation Audiometry (BOA)
  • Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA)

Read more about types of hearing tests here

John Tracy Clinic audiologists do not dispense hearing aids but will discuss amplification needs, testing methods and troubleshooting with parents.

The Clinic audiologists confer regularly with pediatricians, hospital personnel, implant centers, otolaryngologists (ENT) and the coordination centers of the California State Newborn Hearing Screening Program to ensure the best possible services to families.

Audiological appointments for children birth through five years old in the Southern California area can be made by clicking here or by calling 213-748-5481 to schedule an appointment Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Summer Sessions

An international summer program is offered annually at the John Tracy Clinic (JTC) in Los Angeles, CA for parents worldwide and their children with hearing loss 2½ through 5 years old. There are two three-week sessions conducted in English. (Information on the session conducted in Spanish can be found at here.) Parents attend a specially designed family learning program focusing on childhood hearing loss, auditory-verbal techniques, language development, emotional support and educational services. They also participate with their children in a demonstration spoken language preschool. Specialists provide audiology, counseling and consultation services. Summer sessions include:

•   Daily intensive parent education classes
•   Spoken language preschool program
•   Pediatric audiology assessments
•   Individual sessions for language, auditory learning and speech
•   Support groups with trained counselors
•   Recreation programs for brothers and sisters, grades 1st through 6th

Space is limited and enrollment is on a first applied, first accepted basis. Each family must pay for their transportation, housing, food, and summer program services. Apartments can be rented in nearby university housing and JTC will coordinate accommodations for families after they have been accepted. To learn more,  click here. You may also read a first-hand account written by a parent.  General inquiries and requests for applications can be made to 213-748-5481 ext. 252 or emailing pals@jtc.org. The link to the application form will be sent upon request when the application process opens. The online application must be accompanied with an audiology report from the past six months.

Professional Education

Teacher Education

John Tracy Clinic has over 60 years of experience in teacher and professional education. A graduate program leading to an accredited Master’s Degree and California Credential in Auditory-Verbal, Early Childhood Deaf Education is offered in collaboration with the University of San Diego. Two program options are available:

  1.  A one-year, onsite option designed for pre-service teachers
  2.  A two-year, online distance education option for working professionals

Recognized as one of the top 100 universities in the nation, the University of San Diego offers more than 60 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. The University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences has nearly 1000 students at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences’s Special Education programs are nationally recognized by the Council on Exceptional Children.

Founded in 1942 by Louise Treadwell Tracy, wife of actor Spencer Tracy, John Tracy Clinic is a pioneer in parent-centered, auditory-oral education for infants and preschool children who are deaf or hard of hearing. For over 50 years, the Clinic has prepared graduate-level professionals and has helped to address the chronic nationwide shortage of teachers of the deaf through partnerships in higher education.

Seminars and Workshops

Professionals may apply to participate in Clinic-sponsored seminars and workshops held throughout the year.

Infant Program

The Parent/Infant Program is designed to educate parents on how to help their child develop their auditory awareness and spoken language through everyday life experiences.

The program takes a comprehensive approach to nurturing and educating young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families, with an emphasis on instructing parents how to be their child’s mentor and advocate. The program is centered on the Demonstration Home which offers individualized parent and child sessions with a master teacher in a homelike setting. Other program components include Friday Family School, Parent Workshops and Support Groups. Audiology and counseling services are also available.

The program is offered at the main campus in Los Angeles and JTC’s Long Beach Center. Most children enrolled range in age from newborn to age three, along with a smaller number up to age six who have late identified, progressive or late-onset deafness. The children have varying levels of hearing loss, amplification and special needs.

Demonstration Home

Parents and their infant or toddler (0 - 3 years of age) with a hearing loss meet weekly in private sessions with a master teacher in a homelike setting on campus that includes eating, conversation, bedroom areas, and a bathroom. In this familiar environment, the family builds interaction skills that lay the foundation for all listening, language and speech skills their child will need to communicate with their family, school, and their community. In the Demonstration Home appointment parents are also introduced to resources and information that equips them to make decisions about their child’s education and future. Demonstration Home Program sites are located in Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Friday Family School

Families enrolled in the Parent/Infant Program are also encouraged to attend the three-hour center-based playgroup that is held year-round at the Clinic’s main campus in Los Angeles. These sessions take place in a nursery school setting and provide the opportunity for parents to meet and interact with other families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

With the increase in number of babies, the Clinic has added a session, called “Baby Land,” for parents and their very young, pre-walking infants. The first hour of Friday Family School is set aside for the children with a hearing loss and their preschool-age siblings and parents to learn together in a play group. During the next two hours, the parents alternate between class and support group, while the toddlers and infants remain with the teachers in the preschool classroom. The siblings stay with their sisters or brothers who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Parent Education

Parent education is critical to the successful development of a young child with hearing loss. As parents gain knowledge and information, they are better able to assist their deaf child in learning to communicate in a hearing and speaking world. JTC believes that parents are the most important educators of their deaf or hard-of-hearing child. Tuesday Night Parent Class Workshops and Support Group, offered in both Long Beach and Los Angeles, give parents and other family members the knowledge and emotional skills to foster their child’s communication and overall development and cope with their own anxiety, grief and stress.

Tuesday Night Parent Class Workshops

Tuesday Night Parent Class Workshops give parents and other family members the skills to foster their child’s communication and to encourage his or her overall development. The Clinic believes that parents are the most important educators of their child who is deaf or hard of hearing. Thus, our focus is to educate, guide, encourage and support parents.

A series of seven modules has been developed encompassing the general topics listed below. There are five lectures in each module and the courses progress from basic to advanced information.

  Audiology
  Language
  Auditory Learning
  Speech
  Cognition
  Literacy
  Educational Planning

Parent Class Workshops, which run in conjunction with Parent Support Group, are in session during the academic year (September - May) and are presented twice a month on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. at the Los Angeles and Long Beach sites. We provide interpreters for any family who speaks a language other than English. Parent Class is open to adults 18 years and older, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, baby-sitters, friends and any parent of a preschool child with hearing loss, including those not enrolled in our services.

Parent Distance Education

In addition to our onsite programs, John Tracy Clinic (JTC) offers Parent Distance Education Courses. This program provides an opportunity for parents of children ages birth to five with hearing loss to independently pursue language learning with their children according to their own pace and specific interests. Course materials cover exploring listening, building language, developing speech and enjoying learning. Enrolled parents may also access experienced educators and receive individualized suggestions. Courses are available in English and Spanish, and can be accessed online or via mail. This program is offered free of charge.

Available Courses
JTC currently offers three Parent Distance Education Courses tailored to the stages of early childhood development and specific associated language needs. These materials emphasize listening and spoken language but can be adapted for any communication approach including sign language.

Mini Course: Designed for use by families in the first few years after identification of their child’s hearing loss, this course summarizes initial information, provides considerations for decision making and gives suggestions on support. It has separate sections about hearing loss, communication and parent roles. Extended learning ideas help parents recognize what they know, consider how they feel and identify steps they wish to take.

Baby Course: Geared toward infants and toddlers (i.e., birth to two), this course discusses early hearing loss, infant-toddler development, parent-child communication and learning through play. Suggestions are given for emphasizing communication through natural routines. Parents can choose specific ideas to encourage beginning language and auditory learning.

Preschool Course: Developed with preschoolers in mind (i.e., ages two to five), this course provides parents with tools to foster language growth and facilitate family interactions. Modules discuss communication, thinking and social development. Suggestions are given for activities to encourage language, listening and speech. Parents choose ideas that fit their child’s developmental level and their family’s current concerns.

Access to Live Resources
Parents using our Parent Distance Education Courses will have access to Parent Advice Learning Support (PALS), a team of parent educators and hearing loss specialists who provide personalized guidance and individualized suggestions. 

Enrollment
To enroll in JTC’s Parent Distance Education Courses, please click here to enroll ONLINE or donwload this PDF to enroll VIA MAIL. JTC’s courses are designed to be developmentally appropriate for children who are age birth to five. If your child with hearing loss is older than five years, check JTC’s Ideas & Advice Blog for topics that might be adapted for children who are elementary school age.