Schools to conduct hearing, speech and language and vision screenings
Mar. 5—FAIRMONT — The Marion County Schools Special Education Department will conduct hearing, speech and language and vision screening during the 2020-2021 school year.
Students enrolled in Marion County Universal pre-K and students enrolled in kindergarten will participate if previous screening results are not available. Referrals from teachers and parents, students entering West Virginia schools for the first time, and children failing previous screenings will also be screened. The purpose of the screening is for early identification of possible hearing, speech and language, and/or vision problems that could adversely affect a child's academic progress.
After screening, parents will be informed of the results as quickly as possible. If further assessment is necessary, testing results and recommendations will be sent to the parents within 30 days.
Hearing screening will consist of pure tone testing — assessment of auditory acuity — and impedance testing, an assessment of middle ear function. Procedures for the pure tone test involve a child listening to three frequencies in each ear and responding by raising their hand upon hearing the sound. Impedance tests require no response from the child because all measurements of middle ear function will be made by instruments.
Speech and language screening involves naming pictures, following directions and answering questions.
Vision screening tests for far and near point acuity, muscle balance and color blindness. The Keystone and Lea screening methods are used and both take only five minutes.
Parents who object to their child being screened for hearing, speech and language, or vision problems during the 2020-2021 school year should notify, in writing, Gia Deasy, Administrative Assistant, Special Services Marion County Schools, 1516 Mary Lou Retton Dr., Fairmont, WV 26554, within 10 days of the publication.
