Speech, Disabilities, and Church
- Loud microphones for sermons, choirs, prayers, etc.
- Quick speaking with complex language during sermons, sunday schools, children's meetings, etc.
- Very few visuals other than text (for example, in a sermon, they may use flash a scripture on a video or presentation, but they very rarely will have a visual of that scripture or scripture story)
- Required quiet attention of an hour or more with very few sensory breaks
- Loud music from organs, pianos, or instruments
- Lots of people in very little space, often families share pews or sit close together in chairs
- People tend to be more forgiving of those with special needs
- Teachers, Church leaders, Pastors/Reverands/Bishops/Preachers typically want to help
- Most churches have a very routine order to their services, classes, and activites
- For family members of Deaf individuals: you can provide American Sign Language classes to help your church members communicate with your family member. You can help them understand how to communicate through sign or writing, you can also help them understand how to get their attention, how to make sure that your family member understands, and talk about the wonderful culture that they are a part of.
- For family members of those with Autism Spectrum Disorders: You can wear headphones during services if the noise gets to be too much, you can hep the teacher learn how to make visuals for sunday school lessons to help the child or adult understand the lessons, ask the church to provide an aide for lesson times that can go with the individual and help them during lessons, ask the church to provide an area where the individual can go where it will be quiet should they require a break, and provide education to the church members of the specific struggles of your family member.
- For family members of people who stutter: You can provide education to the children about what stuttering is and what strategies they can use to help the individual (like waiting for them to finish speaking instead of speaking for them), you can allow the individual to participate in choirs or singing which will help them overcome their stutter during church and focus on their strengths.
- For family members of those with language difficulties: You can ask teachers and leaders to repeat important parts of lessons and stories before asking questions of the individual, supply teachers with pictures that correspond with lessons and stories to help the child understand the lesson, you can ask for the lessons beforehand to go over with your loved one before church to improve their familiarity
- For family members of those who struggle with articulation: help teachers and others in the classroom understand your family member's particular difficulty and also to clarify what was said by repeating it back and being clear when you don't understand
- Look at pinterest for some great boards with visuals, schedules, story pictures, etc
- For example: Great Pinterest Board for church visuals
Family members and those with disabilities can have a great time in their church family. Be open to how you can help those around you help you.
Here are some additional resources. I don't have every church (because I don't know them all), but I tried to get a fairly representative sample.
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