University to Welcome Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech on Campus

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech’s Philadelphia site will relocate to Saint Joseph’s University’s Hawk Hill campus, providing opportunities for experiential learning and interprofessional programming between both institutions. A renovation of 5414 Overbrook Avenue will provide a customized space for Clarke students to learn and play.

Since their founding in 1867, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech (Clarke) has prepared children who are deaf or hard of hearing to succeed in mainstream schools and the wider world. Rather than employing sign language as a means of communication, the national nonprofit teaches its students how to listen and talk.

Children served by Clarke use hearing-assistive technology, such as cochlear implants and hearing aids, to access sound, and Clarke’s specially trained teachers of the deaf, audiologists and speech-language pathologists help them develop listening, literacy and spoken language skills to maximize their learning.

“We’re at the nexus of education, special education, technology and healthcare,” said Judy Sexton, head of programs and schools and interim president for Clarke. “Our goal is to get our students into mainstream schools by kindergarten or first grade and then provide support for them in those mainstream settings.”

Clarke’s mission aligns with Saint Joseph’s programs in special education, deaf and hard of hearing education (MS), communication science and disorders (BA), and early childhood/elementary education (BS, MS), as well as the University’s plans to launch a graduate program in speech and language pathology in coming years.

“We look forward to exploring mutually beneficial programming in the coming months when Clarke joins us on Hawk Hill.” said Joshua Power, BS ’05, EdD ’16, dean, School of Education and Human Development. “This partnership expands opportunities for SJU students to participate in experiential learning while serving the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community at Clarke.”

Possibilities could include student-teaching placements, classroom presentations and observation, or development of a speech clinic. The partnership is also an opportunity for the two schools to jointly address the national teacher shortage.

“There's also a shortage of teachers of the deaf, and those students who are exploring early education, communication disorders and speech language pathology are often the students who, if they know that becoming a teacher of the deaf is a career opportunity, will explore it,” Sexton said.

Following the move of Saint Joseph’s ELS program to the University City location, which better suits its programmatic needs, Clarke will reside on Saint Joseph’s Hawk Hill campus. Both programs add rich diversity to the campus community and expand academic opportunities.

Learn more at clarkeschools.org.