In Part One of this series, I introduced the concept of Theory of Mind (ToM) and why children with hearing loss are at risk to struggle with this particular aspect of cognitive development. Now, let’s dive in to what we can do to help build ToM abilities in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. We’ll start with my favorite thing to do in Auditory Verbal Therapy — read a book!
Comprehension of any story depends on Theory of Mind (to understand the story, you need to keep track of the characters’ feelings, motivations, etc.), but these books have elements that make them particularly ripe for “mind-minded” discussions.
Books with an *asterisk* after the title can also be accessed with an Epic account for use in teletherapy.
Kayla likes to solve mysteries and makes lists of “Things We Know” and “Things We Don’t Know.” Her dog, King, often solves the mystery first thanks to his sense of smell, but because he doesn’t speak English, he has to try lots of tricks to get Kayla to follow the clues.
Elizabeth A. Rosenzweig 