Yarra Valley Grammar

FOR 50 years Yarra Valley Grammar has been offering a mainstream schooling opportunity to young people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Ringwood school’s Hearing Unit was established in 1972 when the parents of four students banded together to establish the program, becoming trailblazers in this new approach.

Head of Hearing Unit Rachel Wilson said what began as the only dedicated Victorian teaching of the deaf facility, is now one of 25 across the state, providing the best technology and support for students.

With 35 students from kindergarten to secondary school, Ms Wilson said the program is structured to cater to each age group specifically to ensure the student receives the best care possible.

“With our youngest children we try to get them to put their hearing aids on at a young age, to build on those early self-advocacy skills,” she said.

“As the Hearing Unit students move into primary school, we are building their skills to become independent users of their devices and knowing what an ideal listening environment looks like for them.”

In those early stages of schooling Ms Wilson mentioned that students from the Hearing Unit, often will not undertake a language, rather they will use that time to work with Teachers of the

Deaf on their individualised goals to develop their literacy, language and vocabulary development.

Our ultimate aim is that we give students equal access to the curriculum as their peers and provide an environment in which they can achieve their personal best.

By years 10, 11 and 12, Ms Wilson said the aim is for the students to have well developed selfadvocacy skills. This is whereby students ask for what they require to help them learn best to set them up for success for when they eventually leave the safety of school.

Technology, such as personal listening devices, captioned audio/visual material and soundfields, normalises deafness among all students.

“The students feel happy and connected at school. They have a strong sense of belonging as the Hearing Unit is embedded in the culture of the school, they are just like any other student,” Ms Wilson said.

“Students have a positive self-identity about who they are, making them feel comfortable about themselves and their hearing loss.”

“The other students are very caring and very inclusive. It is an environment that is not only supportive for the hearing unit students but it teaches empathy and understanding for the wider community as well.”