When the boys first started losing their hearing, (Bryce's was gone but Brayden was losing it), I heard all sorts of things. I heard about the percentage of deaf children born to hearing parents. I heard about few parents learn to sign. When this happens, the kids suffer from a lack of language. It broke my heart to this. Learning a new language isn't easy but usually change isn't easy. I was and am determined to learn sign language. It may take me my whole life but I will try.
It has been amazing to see Brayden continue to succeed at school. It's really a bit ironic that the year he got GT teachers was the year he lost his hearing. We've had him tested and he seems to slip through the cracks and not qualify. I don't mind him missing extra work but I'd love for him to have teachers that are trained to work with gifted and talented children. I felt worried when we got an official diagnosis with him. Here he would be challenged and I wasn't sure that he was going to do well. We actually were expecting his grades to drop as his hearing loss progressed.
His IEP has a few modifications for him but they are few. He doesn't take spelling tests because how do you give a test to a kid that can't hear. You can't really write it down for him. So, he does the spelling homework but not the tests. He also has most things in print so he can read them. Read alouds just don't work for him. He has two amazing teachers that are very willing to work with us. They're patient and compassionate and two of the biggest blessings this year.
As we considered whether Brayden should continue at his school or go to Bryce's school, his grades really were the predictor. He kept thriving and his grades didn't change much so they couldn't justify moving him. They said although he would learn signing he would be challenged in other ways, meaning he would probably be bored. I'm glad we decided to keep him at his school.
This kid has somehow maintained the A Honor Roll. I'm proud of him!!! 
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