Books are one of the simplest tools for building early language, and how you use them matters as much as which ones you pick. Use this checklist to set up book sharing that works for Deaf and hard of hearing babies and toddlers: clear, uncluttered pictures; real-life photos; and materials children can touch and explore. It also prompts you to model reading in sign and spoken language, coach families to pause, wait, and respond to their child, and tie shared reading to everyday routines and the goals in the child's early intervention plan. Use it to make every book a language-rich moment.
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A checklist providers use to stock an early intervention playgroup with books, toys, visual supports, and sensory materials that turn everyday play into language-building for Deaf and hard of hearing children.
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A checklist administrators use to set up center-based playgroups that are visually accessible, bilingual, and family-centered, covering compliance, staffing, room design, and family engagement.