Mama Lere – Programs and Services

This program serves children birth to 2 years and their family caregivers in both group and individual therapy sessions. We provide family-centered instruction through play techniques and strategies that promote listening and speaking. Using the child’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), families, teachers and therapists target listening, speech, language, communication and cognition goals.

During group sessions, families and their young children with hearing loss will interact with other families like theirs. Diagnostic individual sessions ensure appropriate usage of your children's amplification systems and development of listening and speaking skills.

As their children's primary teachers, parents receive guidance from therapists and teachers through practical instruction on developing audition, speech, language and cognition. Collaboration between the teachers, speech-language pathologists and audiologists is an integral part of the “My Family and Me” Parent Infant Program.

This program serves children in small classrooms. Daily instruction focusing on listening, language, speech, reading and math skills, and cognition to prepare for the preschool setting. These programs provide learning opportunities that maximize the development of spoken communication through the use of the auditory system. Each group includes typically developing children, if possible, to provide appropriate language models. Pathologists and parents develop goals and objectives together using Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP). The goal for each child is a smooth transition into their preschool program.

This small-classroom program provides daily instruction in listening, language, speech, reading and math skills, and cognition. We provide learning opportunities that maximize the development of spoken communication through the use of the auditory system. Each class includes typically developing children to provide appropriate language models. Pathologists and parents develop goals and objectives together using Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP).

The goal for each child is to return to their home district school as early as possible with communication and academic skills that are equal to their peers. The Preschool Programs follow the scope and sequence of the local school districts so to prepare children to enter their mainstream setting.

Each summer, the MLHS offers families a summer enrichment program. We believe summer is a special opportunity to engage in new and different experiences. Summer programs are also designed to meet Extended School Year Services for children with IEPs.

The before and after care program is an extension of the child’s day here at Mama Lere Hearing School.  We will emphasize all aspects of development in an individualized setting, helping your child bridge what they learn at home and school. The extended school program (ESP) uses a combination of each classroom’s curriculum and themes to plan our activities to coincide with classroom learning.

The academic tutoring program teaches reading and math skills, as well as important concepts that allow the child equal opportunities to participate in class discussions and learning. Each tutoring session emphasizes the development of metacognitive skills, as well as auditory, speech, and language skills that are important to academic success. 

Transition from one program to another can be challenging, especially for a child with special needs. The Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt has developed a family education program on transitioning from MLHS to a local school system. The program educates families about transitioning and empowers them to prepare their children and the receiving school for this transition.

If you are interested in participating in this activity or would like more information, call the MLHS at (615) 936-5262.

Mainstream support is determined for each child through the IEP and may include a variety of services. We develop a transition plan with parents and the school district to select an appropriate mainstream setting for each child. Some children receive itinerant services from MLHS staff members in their local school. These services also include preteaching of concepts and vocabulary, in-class support and individual therapy. MLHS staff can also provide in-service to the mainstream teachers and ongoing communication with all staff and parents.

Each child undergoes an assessment prior to admission into the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt. This assessment includes hearing, speech, language and developmental screenings. We share this information with you to determine if our listening and spoken language educational program is an appropriate match for you and your child.

Throughout the year, the teachers, speech-language pathologists and audiologists monitor your child’s developmental achievements and share this information with you. Using the assessments, as well as the family's and teachers’ observations, we complete and review a developmental report card every nine weeks during the school year based on Tennessee State Early Childhood or Kindergarten standards. This report card will provide a developmental picture of your child, relative to developmental norms.

For families seeking a customized, comprehensive evaluation for their child, the Mama Lere Hearing School at Vanderbilt can also provide these services to answer your specific questions about your child's strengths and areas of concern. Families from all over the world travel to Vanderbilt to seek our expert guidance of audiological, speech-language and educational needs.

To schedule a comprehensive assessment, contact the Mama Lere Hearing School.

Depending on the child’s IFSP/IEP and individual needs, we may recommend speech-language services. Your child’s treatment plan will have both long- and short-term goals focusing on audition, language, speech, communication and cognition. The amount of speech-language intervention depends on the child’s need.

Regardless how often your child receives these services, it is critical that the family participate in ongoing therapeutic treatment. Once-a-week therapy will not teach your child to develop listening and spoken language. During individualized therapy sessions, the therapist will help you to carry appropriate auditory-enriched activities into your child's normal environment.

The family plays a very important role in teaching a child to listen and talk. Our goal is to give you tools you can use with your child develop conversation skills.

Hearing aids, cochlear implants and other technologies play an important role in making sounds accessible to children who are learning to listen and talk. The Mama Lere Hearing School classrooms were designed by audiologists to meet standards for children with hearing loss. Furthermore, each classroom is equipped with a sound field FM system to ensure equal access to the teacher’s instruction during the academic day. An educational audiologist is available to troubleshoot any amplification equipment as needed. Our pediatric hearing clinic also offers outpatient audiological services for all ages, including diagnostics, hearing aids, cochlear implant services, assistive technologies and audiological habilitative evaluations to monitor progress with amplification.