138 social skills
To help your child make friends and play with other children, help her
become aware of other people’s feelings, learn to share and cooperate,
and understand rules. She may also need help communicating with
other children.
Other children may become frustrated trying to play with a child who
does not understand the rules of their
game. They may start to leave the deaf
child out of their games. You can help by
Rina is so strong! I want her
on my team next time.
showing hearing children ways to play
that do not need words. You can explain
the rules to your child and show her how
to play the game.
The ‘social skills’ of the community
While teaching social skills to children is very important, that alone
is not enough. Children learn social skills not only from how we teach
them and treat them, but also from how they see people treating each
other in their community.
When we teach children to be friends
with children who are deaf, and
to respect those who are different,
we are helping them understand
that we value compassion.
We are teaching them that
helping others is everyone’s
responsibility.
When we teach children to play together in a
group, we are helping them understand that
we value solidarity and cooperation.
But we must take our own advice, and set an example by our own actions!
If our children see us ignoring or rejecting those who have different abilities
from ourselves, or those who look different, or who are poor, they will learn
a very different lesson from what we mean to teach them.
If we want our children to learn to respect themselves and others, they
When we are kind and
respectful to others,
children learn that this is
how people should treat
each other.
must see us putting these values
into practice. We ourselves must
show respect for people who are
different. All of us must also
work to create a community that
welcomes and supports all people,
and acts on the values that are important to us.
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (2004)