Submitted by Janelle Parker, NC Teacher
Imagine being a child with hearing loss at summer camp.
Your best buddy from next door is going too.
You went to camp together last year. You know the games. You know the routine. You are excited because you will have your person there.
Then camp starts.
Groups are split by age.
Your buddy's birthday falls just after the cutoff.
Your buddy ends up in the younger group.
You do not.
Suddenly, you are in a different group without your person.
Your buddy is still at camp. You just do not have your buddy beside you anymore.
Now you are learning new names, listening to unfamiliar voices, following new routines, and trying to join conversations with children you do not know as well.
Last year, if you missed part of a conversation, your buddy helped fill in the gaps.
This year, you are starting over.
For a Deaf and Hard of Hearing student, this type of social transition can change how easy or difficult it feels to connect.
Transitions like this happen in school too.
A substitute teacher. A new lunch group. Different classmates. Changing routines. A move to middle school. A new counselor.
Sometimes the challenge is not only the change itself.
It is losing the familiar person, routine, or communication pattern that helped things feel easier before.
The good news is that summer can offer chances to build skills that support smoother school transitions before fall arrives.
Why Are Social Transitions Harder for Some Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students?
Social transitions often bring unfamiliar voices, changing routines, and fast paced group conversations.
For some Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, this can increase listening effort.
Adults may notice a student becoming quieter, more tired, or less socially engaged during transitions. Sometimes this is not a lack of interest. It may reflect increased listening effort or communication breakdowns.
A student who pulls back socially may be working very hard just to keep up.
Planning ahead can help reduce some of the communication load during transitions.
This may include talking through what to expect, planning for busy situations, building in quieter moments, and using the communication tools and supports that work for the student.
Students may use hearing aids, cochlear implants, captions, interpreters, sign language, remote microphone systems, visual supports, or other communication tools and strategies that support access.
These supports matter in many settings, not just in the classroom.
What Can Help During Busy Social Transitions?
Planning for transitions can also mean planning for quieter moments.
Imagine ending a long day of camp activities, unfamiliar voices, and group conversations.
Some students may need a break from the listening demands.
That does not always mean leaving the activity completely.
For example, at a family reunion, it might look like setting up a quiet craft area for the children. Art activities are often calming, low stress, and can provide a natural break from the busiest conversations while still allowing children to remain part of the event.
The same thinking can help during school transitions too. A quieter activity after a substitute teacher day, a busy field trip, or the first week of a new routine may help some students recharge.
Preparation for transitions is not only about schedules and school supplies. Communication access, quieter moments, and self advocacy matter too.
Why Does Self Advocacy Matter During Transitions?
Social communication access and self advocacy are important skills to practice in a variety of settings.
Summer can create natural opportunities to build these skills before fall transitions begin.
A noisy family gathering. A new camp counselor. A community activity with unfamiliar peers.
These situations can create chances to practice:
- asking for repetition
- explaining communication needs
- requesting supports
- speaking up when communication breaks down
- problem solving in new social situations
The same self advocacy skills used during a family event may also help with a substitute teacher, a new classroom routine, or an unfamiliar lunch table at school.
Self advocacy is a skill students may need both in school and outside of school.
How Can Adults Pre Load Upcoming Transitions?
Preparing for transitions does not have to be complicated.
Families and school teams can help students think ahead before a change happens.
This might mean talking through upcoming situations, discussing camp or activity expectations, or thinking about what parts of a new routine may feel different. Some students may benefit from meeting teachers, counselors, or staff ahead of time. Others may benefit from looking at photos from a prior school year or role playing “What could you say or do if this happens?” situations.
Knowing what is coming can help reduce uncertainty and build confidence.
Different Ages, Similar Transition Skills
For younger students, transition support may include role play, visual reminders, simple routines, and adult coaching. Practicing communication and self advocacy skills during play dates, camp activities, family events, or community outings can help build confidence before school transitions.
For older students, transitions may involve greater independence, changing peer groups, busier schedules, and more complex social situations. Summer can be a good time to talk about listening fatigue, communication access, and strategies for managing transitions across different settings.
What Can Adults Do to Support Smoother Social Transitions?
Small supports can make a big difference during everyday transitions.
Adults can help by thinking about communication access in busy settings, building in quieter moments when needed, and creating opportunities for students to practice self advocacy in real life situations.
It is also important to remember that becoming quieter, pulling back socially, or seeming more tired during transitions may reflect listening effort and communication demands rather than lack of interest.
Social transitions happen throughout the year.
The skills that support successful transitions can be practiced in many everyday moments.
Small experiences during summer may help students enter future school transitions with stronger communication skills, better self advocacy, and greater confidence.
Transitions are only one part of accessibility. For more practical ideas, school strategies, and sensory disability topics, explore the other articles on the Equalize Services blog: Equalize Services Blog