A collaboration between Speech and Language Therapy and Hearing and Vision Education Services, marking Deaf Awareness Week 2026.
Cognus Therapies team run a programme of regular Evidence Based Practice sessions, and to mark Deaf Awareness Week (4–10 May 2026), an extra session was added to the calendar. Steph Broodbank, Speech & Language Therapist and Clinical Lead in Deafness, teamed up with Massimo Iuliano, Deaf Tutor and Audiology Technician, to co-produce and co-deliver this special edition:
“Deafness – its Impact and its Language (BSL).”
The session brought together 13 attendees from the Speech and Language Therapy team, with our Lead Teacher of the Deaf also joining to support the discussion with her own expertise and experience.
Together, we covered:
- A summary of a systematic review article, exploring deaf children’s own experiences of hearing in everyday life, and what it means for practice: Deaf children’s experiences of hearing in everyday life: a systematic review. Nightingale, R., Hollyer, A., & Mahon, M. (2025). Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 30, 446–456.
- Deaf awareness, including moving away from medicalised language like “hearing impaired” towards positive, identity-affirming terms such as d/Deaf.
- Practical communication strategies for supporting deaf children and young people, and when communicating with our d/Deaf colleagues.
- A British Sign Language taster, with attendees practising signs such as how are you, good, tired, thank you and sorry.
This evidence based session was complemented by Massimo sharing his own personal experience of deafness, providing a powerful and honest first-hand perspective alongside the clinical and research evidence – a great example of what can be achieved when the two come together, helping our professionals feel more confident and equipped to support deaf children and young people across our services.
Want to know more? Get in touch with Steph Broodbank, Speech & Language Therapist and Clinical Lead in Deafness, to discuss training possibilities and access supervision via cognus.therapies@cognus.org.uk