HEARING
UR WAY
The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss
VERCOMINEGS BSTACL
ZOEY
GALLOPING INTO SPRING 2025
Spring 2025 / Volume 12, No. 1
4 Things We Love
Eva’s Bookshelf: Eva Inspiration Station: Tasha Ghouri Sibling Spot: Raquel
6 Overcoming Obstacles Featuring: Zoey
8 Special Features
Sophie’s Spotlight: Maya and Stella Education Station: Mrs. Berry
10 Fun & Games
Dear Sophie: Serenity
12 Sophie’s Spotlight Featuring: Payton
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HI FR M MEL! New Year 2024 was an exciting time for Hearing Our Way!
We celebrated our 10 year anniversary with an updated design and a brand new book. The response to The BIG Book of Hearing Our Way has been great so far, and we want to thank each and every one of you who purchased your own copy of the book. As always, we’d love to hear what you think of it!
Overcoming Obstacles
Our covergirl, Zoey, is someone who knows how to take the reins when it comes to self-advocacy. She enjoys working with her teacher of the deaf, understands the benefits of her FM system, and knows how to speak up when she needs accommodations. From horseback riding to competitive dance, Zoey never lets her hearing loss stop her.
And now we gallop ahead into a new year, and embrace a new season. What are you looking forward to this spring?
Things Mel Loves
Mel Paticoff Grossman,
I’ve been following Tasha for years, (we’ve featured her once before in the magazine and even included her in our book), but it’s been especially fun to see her bedazzled cochlear implant each week for the performances. It’s so important for viewers to see her wearing her hearing device with pride and proving to the world that people with hearing loss can learn to dance just like anyone else!
M.S.D.E. Editor in Chief
Founder and Editor-in-Chief Melanie Paticoff Grossman, M.S.D.E. Magazine Design Peggy Nehmen, N-Kcreative.com And special thanks to readers like you!
Our Inspiration Station features Tasha Ghouri, former Love Island contestant with a cochlear implant, who recently competed in a Dancing with the Stars-type competition in the UK.
Sponsorship and advertising opportunities, content submissions, change of address, and customer service: contact info@hearingourway.com. Hearing Our Way PO Box 13 Greenlawn, NY 11740 USA ©2025 Sophie’s Tales, LLC. All rights reserved. Hearing Our Way is a quarterly publication of Sophie’s Tales, LLC. Reproduction or distribution in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All comments and suggestions received by Hearing Our Way become the sole property of Hearing Our Way. By submitting writing, artwork, or photos, you grant permission to Hearing Our Way to publish content received in current and future publications without compensation or acknowledgment.
Every issue of Hearing Our Way includes listening, language, and self-advocacy strategies. Just look for the symbols! Listening strategies and hearing technology Speech, language, and communication Self-advocacy skill building
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HEARING OUR WAY
SOPHIE
You Are Strong! Set your mind to it, and you can achieve anything.
Ultratec.com
S PHIE'S SPOTLIGHT
Like Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked, Maya and Stella are friends at school who have their differences but are always there for each other, so we created our own remake of the Elphaba, Glinda rap just for them!
Two Good Friends There’s nothing about Maya and Stella’s friendship: they’re in the same grade at the same school, they work with the same teacher of the deaf (Mrs. Berry), they have the same favorite subjects (art and gym), and they read the same magazine they both love, (Hearing Our Way)! Of course, they also have their differences: Maya likes to play Pokémon cards and Minecraft. Stella is part of a family of people with hearing loss, including her dad and, recently, her sister, too. Maya wears silver hearing aids, but Stella’s are pink with colorful earmolds and stickers. Maya and Stella want other kids to know that they don’t need to be afraid or embarrassed to wear their hearing devices. In fact, Maya and Stella think wearing hearing aids is pretty cool!
Maya… Stella… Maya… Stella… I have hearing loss… and I have hearing loss! But who’s the boss? Well, it’s a toss. We love being friends at school, Maya’s funny, Stella’s cool. We were strangers, that’s no lie, but now we’re besties, ridin’ high. ridin’ high. It’s nice to have a friend like We both wear hearing aids with While working with Mrs. No longer alone, now
me, glee, Berry,
It’s WE.
Silver, silver, silver, STOP! Both are great, Art, art, art, Wait! Favorite subjects, Our advice, please, life’s not meant to be It’s tough, feel afraid, Stella, With each other,
pink, pink, pink, they really pop! gym, gym, gym, so don’t be late! remember, a breeze. you might but we love our hearing aids. Maya, what have we shown? we don’t feel alone!
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HEARING OUR WAY
Watch the original rap at HearingOurWay.com/resources and sing along with our new lyrics... or make your own!
EDUCATI N STATION
Hi, I’m Mrs. Berry,
an itinerant teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing in central Pennsylvania. I was inspired to become a teacher of the deaf (TOD) after watching my mom develop hearing loss as an adult. She was diagnosed with bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss and began wearing two hearing aids. Seeing her navigate her hearing loss inspired me to get involved in the deaf and hard of hearing community. At first when I went to college, I started studying to be an ASL interpreter. Over time, I realized I wanted to work more with kids, and I switched gears to become a teacher of the deaf. I earned my master’s degree in deaf education and became a certified teacher. I’ve been a TOD for nine years now! As an itinerant teacher, I teach preschool all the way up to seniors in high school! I enjoy finding fun ways to teach my students, such as playing games that don’t feel like “work” but actually are! For example, we do Listening Bingo or Self-Advocacy Jeopardy! I find that these are the best ways to practice listening and language skills and teach my students about their hearing loss and technology. Plus, it’s fun for me, too! I most want my students to learn that having hearing loss makes them unique, but they are not alone. That’s why I love to share Hearing Our Way magazines with them! I also try to connect my students with each other, even if they aren’t at the same schools. Each year, we try to plan an event outside of school for all the students and their families to get together. If you are thinking of becoming a teacher of the deaf, my advice would be to connect with others as much as you can, whether that be other TODs, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, or teachers. The wisdom and different resources these people have will help you tremendously while you are studying to become a TOD—and later on, too!
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DEAR S PHIE ing, Lakeside, California, and I like swimm the time with my family. In fact, we are playing with my dog, and spending with riding, going on walks, and hanging “Adams” family! I also like horseback my friends. and wear hearing aids in both ears. I have a sensorineural hearing loss younger, I survived cancer. I had to I also use an FM system. When I was me get better, but it also caused my be on strong medicine that helped hearing loss. pate in plays every year, and this My favorite class is theater. I partici t year it was Schoolhouse Rock. year it’s the musical, Matilda ! Las to so excited waiting for the cast list I audition for a part, and then I get d nee ma class I find that I don’t always come out. It’s a big surprise! In dra uses a big microphone. to use my FM because the teacher
Hi, I’m Ella! I am a sixth grader from
FUN &S GAME What did the horse say when it fell? I’ve fallen and I can’t giddyup!
I really love reading Hearing Our Way
!
Love, Ella
What do you call a horse that lives next door? A neigh-bor!
What’s black and white and eats like a horse? A zebra!
What did the mare say to her foal? “Hay, it’s pasture bedtime!”
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HEARING OUR WAY
Can you help the horse find its way through the maze? Draw a path from the horse to the grass.
Books Make the Best Gifts! There’s so much to love from over 40+ issues of Hearing Our Way—and now some of the best content is found all in one place! Packed with inspiring stories, educational resources, and engaging content new and old, this fun and easy-to-use book is the perfect addition for any kid or teen with hearing loss, parent, teacher, or hearing health professional. You’ll love this essential resource! The BIG Book of Hearing Our Way is a must-have book that delivers a powerful message:
hearing loss is a part of you, but it does not define you!
Inside you’ll find: ▪ Personal stories from young role models and celebrities with hearing loss ▪ Engaging activities designed to build self-advocacy and communication skills ▪ Exclusive new features, like an interactive journal, glossary, and board game ▪ Inspiring original artwork and poetry from kids and teens with hearing loss
Add this new keepsake book to your collection by ordering today: hearingourway.com/bigbook n S t a t io n Photography
Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin the In 2022, Troy Kotsur became Oscar for first deaf man to win an the film Best Actor for his role in Matlin CODA. His co-star Marlee to win was the first deaf woman in 1987. an Oscar for Best Actress
/AP
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision
From celebrities to influential trailblazers to everyday heroes, these are just some of the role models with hearing loss who have inspired us through the years.
people A pioneer and advocate for first deafwith disabilities, and the of blind person to earn a Bachelor Miracle Arts degree. The film The Worker tells her story.
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Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning Alex composer and musical director Evan Lacamoire (Hamilton, Dear Hansen, The Greatest Showman) has worn hearing aids since if he childhood. He often wonders the would be able to write music sound way he does if he didn’t hear in such a unique way. listen “My hearing loss makes me focus a little harder… I can really the world in on music and tune out overcoming around me… It’s about you a disability to the point where anymore.” don’t feel it’s a disability
Heather Artinian
practicing A Harvard Law grad and lawyer with a cochlear implant. in the She was featured as a child groundbreaking documentary Sound and Fury in 2000.
motivational speaker icon, fitness expert, and Lou Ferrigno, superhero the life-changing as The Incredible Hulk, made best known for his role implant at the age of 69. decision to receive a cochlear What made you Hearing Our Way (H W): from wearing decide to take the leap to getting hearing aids since childhood a cochlear implant? It took me a LOU FERRIGNO (LF):
“Bodybuilding helped me feel strong and powerful and taught me discipline.”
Graeme Clark
who An ear, nose, and throat surgeon cochlear pioneered the multi-channel the founding implant in 1978. This inspired manufacturer of of Cochlear Ltd., the first and Clark commercial cochlear implants, today. continues to lead research
HEARING OUR WAY
in elementary “When I was ashamed school, I was g loss, and of my hearin anyone I didn’t want it.” to know about
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When my child brought Hearin was younger, she classroom so g Our Way to the everyone could Now that she is a teen, it enjoy it. house, and comes to the I simply say, “Look you got today! !!!” Then I read what after she’s finishe it myself d.
Alex Lacamoire
Pione ers Helen Keller
H W Do HEARING You Use UR WAY?
Photo by Tea for Two
In s p ir a t io
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ever be able to wondered if I would words on the list. As hear the different mappings every I went back for more session, my scores two weeks, at every hearing the words improved, and I was I am hearing certain better and better. that I had never consonants like ‘s’ that I can hear heard before. Now improving my own those sounds, I’m more clearly. speech and articulating implant, With just one cochlear can hear ten times I already feel like I before. better than I ever heard ten years ago. I wish I had done this up for lost time. Now I am making
to get a cochlear long time to decide suggested it implant. A lot of people I wasn’t sure that I over the years, but out of it. When could really get much people with I would go to ComicCon, would come up cochlear implants I noticed that they to me to talk, and well! I was always seemed to hear very from my hearing looking for power more power! But aids—more power, hearing aids and even when I got new way up, it the all turned the volume What I was really still didn’t sound clear. Then I had a looking for was clarity. hearing. He did a lot friend who lost his a cochlear of research and received discrimination went implant. His word was what clarity —that back up to 98% for. It convinced me I had been looking to pursue the surgery.
Influ encer s
activation H W: How soon after benefits from the did you start to see the cochlear implant? is different LF: Everyone’s activation to hear was able of course. At first, I I could start to bell tones chiming. when she spoke, hear my audiologist me using a but when she tested it was hard list of different words, the words. I to distinguish between
any auditory H W: Are you doing to hear with the training to help learn cochlear implant? app and LF: Yes, I use the Cochlear my
I display the magazine in my office, take to schools to it with me show both my 504 and IEP students, leave extra copies in offices, give local physician extra school libraria copies to at our school ns, provide it advocacy group meetings, and events throug bring copies to hout the year.
We keep copie in our clinic s patients to for read and take.
to help train listen to TED Talks training brain. I think of auditory it’s just like working as an ear workout; The more exercises out with your body. off you will be, and you do, the better get. When you get the stronger you will 104 HEARIN you can’t just snap G OUR WAY a cochlear implant, It takes perfectly. hear and your fingers tion homework from you—dedica hear. learn to >> HOW 10th Sept and commitment—to 2024.ind
your H W: How did you develop learn to be self-advocacy skills and loss? so open about your hearing I was ashamed of my
We put copies school lobby in our so can browse families while
they’re waiting. The copies are often dog-e ared much loved! and
I share it with students at current our the deaf and school for graduates who are now in the setting. We mainstream also in our audiolo keep copies gical center.
Use code hearingourway for free shipping!
I use it with elementary my students. I school also send the link to the digita for parents l copies to read at home.
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hearing
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I create lesson articles. My s around the students and read it togeth I er, auditory compr and I ask vocabulary, ehension, and advocacy questioselfns.
I share Hearin g Our Way with profes sionals and parents throu gh a hearin g support group .
school,
LF: When I was in elementary loss,
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I adapt the magazine for aged studen differentts. students to I give it to older read I read it with independently, and young all ages, I discuss er students. With the stories comparisons and contra and do sts my students and the kids between featured.
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