Your Child’s Journey: An Ohio Guide for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Support
Expanded Core Competencies
Expanded Core Competencies (ECC) are essential life skills that children who are deaf or hard of hearing may need to be taught directly. By teaching ECC skills directly, you help your child build understanding and confidence in areas that other children often pick up informally. These skills support communication, academics, independence, relationships, education, and career readiness, helping children participate fully in all areas of life.
Many children learn these life skills incidentally—by listening to conversations, observing social cues, and through everyday interactions. In fact, up to 80% of what typical children learn comes from these unplanned moments. Deaf or hard of hearing children may not have full access to these incidental learning moments, due to not having full, automatic access to auditory information. Therefore, it is important to teach ECC skills intentionally, so that your child has the same learning opportunities as other children. Below, see some general examples of what incidental learning may look like in real life.
Examples of Incidental Learning:
- A child learns to hug others when they are sad, because they remember being comforted by hugs themselves.
- A child picks up a soccer move from watching a game.
- A child learns traffic rules from riding in a car.
- A child picks up Spanish from friends, by playing together at recess, or hanging out at the mall with friends who speak Spanish.
- The family talked about having Grandma over for a visit as they ate breakfast, but the dishwasher was running, and the coffee machine was whirring at the same time, muffling the conversation. Therefore, the child wearing hearing aids missed this information, and was surprised to see Grandma that evening.
The Eight Areas of the Expanded Core Competencies
The ECC skill set was developed to help deaf and hard of hearing children bridge the gap between everyday experiences and learning, by providing direct instruction in areas that are often learned incidentally. Click each competency to see an example for each.
Your child can explain their listening needs and independently manage devices like hearing aids or arrange interpreters.
Your child asks questions to clarify assignments and job tasks.
Your child can clearly express thoughts and feelings in the language they use, in a way others understand.
Your family learns ASL or cued language through a local agency, so they can communicate directly with their child in the mode they use.
Your child sets a vibrating alarm to wake up independently.
Your child reminds others to speak into their microphone without needing help.
Your child understands “tone” of voice through visual clues and conversational context.
Your child can explain how their hearing assistive device works, turn on closed captions, or use video phone communication service to make a phone call.
ECC skills can be introduced at any age and practiced anywhere, at home, in school, or in the community.
How Families Can Help
You do not need to be an expert, just intentional. Here are a few ways to support ECC learning at home:
- Model behavior: Talk/sign about what you are doing and why. Your child learns so much just by watching and hearing you.
- Create experiences: Go on outings, host play dates, do chores together, or plan fun projects. These everyday activities build real-world skills.
- Have conversations often: discuss books, shows, current events, or school topics. Ask questions. Encourage curiosity.
- Support and encourage: Praise effort, ask thoughtful questions, and provide gentle reminders. Your support builds confidence.
- Set high expectations: Believe in your child’s ability to succeed in activities you would expect from other children, such as making friends, progressing in education, getting ready for school independently, and joining the workforce.
Want to Learn More?
The Pennsylvania Expanded Core Competencies is a resource that breaks down each skill by age and developmental level. It is a helpful guide for both families and educators.
