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This is the second part of my episode on the cognitive health of deaf children. My guest is Donna Jo Napoli, Professor of Linguistics and Social Justice at Swarthmore College, author of fiction and science books, and co-director of Rise Videobooks. The first part focused on early language and cognitive development. This second part focusses on what Donna Jo and her colleagues are doing to improve the reading skills of deaf students. More information about Donna Jo, her books, the research we discussed, and RISE Videobooks is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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More than half of all deaf students who graduate from high school have reading skills at or below fourth grade level. Research indicates that low literacy makes it difficult for individuals to obtain or maintain any employment, let alone the kind of employment that affords independence, a house, and a family. For well over a decade, Donna Jo Napoli – my guest this episode – and her colleagues have been publishing articles on why deaf students seem to have this literacy deficit. As you will learn, Donna Jo places the blame firmly on a care system that emphasizes technology and convenience over techniques that actually support early language acquisition and social and emotional development. Donna Jo is a Professor of Linguistics and Social Justice at Swarthmore College, the author of fiction and science books, and the co-director of RISE Videobooks. In this two-part episode, Donna Jo and I discuss what can be done to improve the cognitive health of deaf children. This first part focuses on early language and cognitive development. The second part focusses more on what Donna Jo and others are doing to improve reading skills. More information about Donna Jo, her books, the research we discussed, and RISE Videobooks is at talkingaboutkids.com.

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Recently, Lucy Foulkes, a Research Fellow in the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, wrote an opinion piece for The Guardian newspaper titled, “Mental-health lessons in schools sound a like a great idea. The trouble is, they don’t work,” in which she asserts, “the only information we should teach en masse is where a young person should get help.” My guest today to discuss this article and get beyond its provocative title is Kevin Runions. In addition to being a friend of Talking About Kids, Kevin is an academic researcher, an independent consultant, and a globally-recognized expert on the important components of school climate, like bullying initiatives and mental-health lessons. Spoiler alert: Keven and I do not believe that the research Lucy cites supports her conclusion. More information about Kevin, including how you can engage him to improve school climates where you live, is at talkingaboutkids.com.