Early Intervention

Services for families of deaf or hard of hearing children:

WISE is a Program provider under Alabama’s Early Intervention System (AEIS), a division of the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Service. For children who are deaf or hard of hearing, WISE offers state-wide services. WISE has 6 Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists ready to provide intensive intervention and support for families using the Listening and Spoken Language approach. We are committed to ensuring that families have access to information regarding early auditory intervention for brain development, language development and the acquisition of reading skills. Parents work alongside therapists learning the strategies that will help their child learn to listen and speak. Therapy is individualized and fun and provided across the state!

Services for families of children with developmental delays and speech/language delays:

The WISE Early Intervention program also serves children from Birth to age 3 with developmental delays and speech/language delays. Therapy is conducted in the family home or the child’s daycare setting. Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) are designed to meet the unique needs of each family and may include physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy. Early Intervention services are offered at no cost to the family.

WISE offers Early Intervention services to families in the following counties: Jefferson, Shelby, Mobile, Baldwin, and Madison.

Please contact our service coordinators at [email protected].

Preschool

The WISE Preschool is the only school in the state dedicated solely to teaching deaf children to speak. WISE creates a learning environment that is similar to traditional preschool, while addressing the unique needs of children with hearing loss. We are committed to helping children develop their listening, language, and speech skills in a positive and fun learning environment. Children are placed in small groups based on their listening and language skills and instruction is provided by Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists.

Therapy Program

Auditory-Verbal Therapy sessions are provided during the week so that families may practice techniques to help their child at home. The focus of these weekly sessions is to help parents develop strategies and techniques that will assist their child in learning to listen and speak. Through coaching and practice, parents become the child’s primary teacher/therapist. Classroom activities are often repeated during these sessions so that parents can learn how to implement similar activities in the home.

School Outreach and Support

WISE offers a comprehensive School Outreach and Support program aimed at assisting children with hearing loss and the educators at the child’s neighborhood school. Our expertise on hearing loss and its impact on language and academic skills ensures that any challenges the student faces are addressed quickly.

Toddler Group

WISE offers a Toddler group for children 18 months to 3 years old. Typical hearing peers serve as language models in the classroom and also benefit from the language rich environment.

The group is led by licensed Speech-Language Pathologists and/or LSL therapists, along with skilled classroom assistants. The toddler groups meet in a noise controlled, language rich environment on the WISE campus and we strive to maintain a low adult to toddler ratio of 1:5.

Toddler group activities may include beginning literacy skills, circle time, pretend play activities, expressive art, music and movement, as well as gross and fine motor play. All activities are designed to promote socialization, turn taking, auditory and language development while fostering spoken language development.

The toddler groups meet two days per week for a two hour session.

Family NEST

Our team of veteran parents and young adult LSL graduates are eager to give back to families like yours. They understand firsthand the critical role and challenges you face, and are here to Nurture, Empower, Support, and Train you to be effective in meeting your child’s many needs. Additionally, NEST has committed professional support staff that are here to connect you with the right resources to ensure the best start for your child.

We know that the role of parents and caregivers is the primary determining factor in a child’s success. Our goal is to help each family feel prepared and empowered to tackle the challenges ahead of them. With NEST, parents become comfortable with taking a prominent role in helping their child develop spoken language and listening skills. Parents and caregivers are then confident to become their child’s best advocate. We sponsor a toy and book lending library to help families have materials to work with at home.

Graduate Student Training

WISE offers training, observation and practicum placement for graduate students in speech/language pathology. Students from the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Samford University, and the University of South Carolina have gained experience in our programs. Graduate students work alongside our clinicians as part of the requirements for earning a Master’s Degree. Our therapists also speak as guest lecturers during many University courses.

Kristine’s Kits

Kristine Henderson was a dear friend of WISE. She was the child of deaf adults and became fluent in American Sign Language at a young age. Kristine frequently served as an interpreter for her parents and her brother who was also deaf. When Kristine’s oldest son Chase was born with profound hearing loss, she and her husband made the choice for Chase to have cochlear implants and learn to listen and speak. Chase and Kristine attended weekly LSL sessions for many years and Kristine was committed to implementing strategies to help Chase at home. Chase recently graduated with honors from the University of Alabama with a degree in Accounting and his currently pursuing his Master’s degree. Kristine knew firsthand the challenges that families face in teaching children with hearing loss and language deficits. She was a strong advocate for all children with communication delays. Kristine passed away in 2020 after a long battle with cancer. Her family chose to honor her memory with the dedication of Kristine’s Kits.

WISE Huntsville

We are pleased to offer a family focused program working in collaboration with Alabama’s Early Intervention System, local school systems, and private and public entities which advance the education of deaf children who communicate through listening and spoken language.  

WISE Huntsville opened in February 2021 providing Early Intervention services and individual therapy sessions. Families also have access to the WISE Family NEST, School Outreach & Support, and Ambassador programs.

The goal for WISE Huntsville is to provide comprehensive expansion of all our programs, with a special focus on expanding LSL Therapy services and Preschool programs to this region of Alabama.

The WISE Huntsville Preschool camp launched during the summer 2021. WISE Huntsville Preschool operates Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 9:15- 1:15.

For additional information, please contact [email protected]