By: Teja Pritchard 

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hosted youth programs to enhance communication skills and confidence this summer. 

Communication Explorers 

The Communication Explorers program offers specialized support for children with hearing loss, fostering essential communication skills for ages 3 to 6. The program is coordinated by clinical assistant professors Jaqueline Carder and Meaghan Foody.  

“[Communication Explorers] focuses on enhancing communication skills through individualized treatment plans, which are implemented in both group and one-on-one therapy sessions,” said Jaqueline Carder. “The primary goal is to enhance communication skills by using exciting, age-appropriate activities tailored to each child’s needs.”  

The approach to combine intensive language exposure within the context of fun, weekly themes, while offering children with hearing loss a space to socialize and play with each other, has played an important role in building their confidence and providing foundational skills vital for thriving in school and everyday life. 

“Early intervention helps children develop age-appropriate communication skills, whether through listening and spoken language, sign language, or a combination of both,” Carder emphasized. 

The program also provides hands-on learning opportunities to graduate clinicians under the supervision of licensed speech-language pathologists, music therapists, and audiologists. 

“It is a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort that not only supports children with hearing loss, but provides valuable clinical training for graduate students,” said Carder. “It exemplifies how early, engaging, and family-centered intervention can make a lasting difference in a child's life. All communication modalities are welcome!”  

UI-SHINE  

The UI-SHINE program (University of Iowa Summer Program for Youth Who Stutter or are Deaf/Hard of Hearing in an Inclusive, Nurturing Environment), coordinated by clinical professor Anu Subramanian, Meaghan Foody and assistant professor Naomi Rodgers, provides daily therapy and engaging activities for children 7 to 17 who stutter or are Deaf /hard of hearing, working to build community, communication confidence and self-advocacy skills.

“The participants attend four days of the program with individual therapy sessions each day,” said Subramanian. “Additionally, there are support groups and recreational activities all focused on increasing positive identity related to their diagnosis and finding a community of people similar to them.”

The program creates a space for children with low-incidence disorders to meet others with similar experiences—an occurrence that is uncommon.

Providing this program where they get to spend time with others who have similar life experiences, share challenges and successes, and build strong communication skills is powerful and meaningful for all,” Subramanian said.

Due to Grant Wiederin’s fund-raising efforts, campers attended the event for free. Wiederin’s personal connection to the cause inspired his generous gift.

“As a person who stutters, I understand the profound impact of feeling isolated and alone. It was not until I was 19 years old that I first met another person who stuttered, and that experience was incredibly validating,” Wiederin said. “Witnessing how this camp positively transforms the lives of its campers is truly a privilege, and I am honored to contribute to a cause that fosters self-acceptance and a sense of belonging.” 

UI-SHINE is a program dedicated to helping clients with individualized goals, but its core mission goes beyond that.

“Our overarching goal of the program is to create a welcoming, inclusive space for all the kids to explore their identities, the impact of their disorder on their lives, and to build their communicative confidence," Subramanian concluded.