The Katherine Hamm Center Difference
Why Hamm
The Katherine Hamm Center Preschool helps each child discover their voice by promoting the deep relationship between spoken language, reading and all other learning.
Curriculum
In the Hamm Center Preschool, children who are deaf or hard of hearing join children who have typical hearing in a rich environment of listening and spoken language.
Hamm Staff
Recognizing critical brain development occurs in the earliest years, Hamm teachers apply research-based strategies to promote early language and pre-literacy with even the youngest students.
Day in the Life
Children's joyful curiosity is encouraged as they develop confidence and construct brains built for listening, conversation, reading, thinking, empathizing and problem-solving.
Auditory-Verbal Therapy
The Hamm Center partners with families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing to help further develop strong foundations for communication and reading through listening and spoken language.
Open The Door To Your Child’s Future
Children are never silenced at the Atlanta Speech School. Instead, an environment of mutual respect instills in them an expectation of real connection and fulfillment.
The Katherine Hamm Center serves deaf or hard of hearing children and their families so they can develop essential language skills and pre-literacy foundations. Even for typically-hearing children, reading is not a natural or automatic function of the brain. According to evidence-based research, circuits specific to reading must be built before a child can learn to read. The Atlanta Speech School holds construction of the reading brain as the connecting thread that runs through all our schools and programs.
In addition to academics steeped in Listening and Spoken Language, our Hamm Center preschoolers participate in enriching activities that include music, PE, occupational therapy/physical education, art, media and social-emotional time during Sunshine Circles and Kindness Camp. Classroom teachers collaborate with enrichment teachers to integrate and bolster language development.
Our Voices
At the Atlanta Speech School, “find your voice” is to design your own future.
Unwavering focus on each child's voice began with our founder, Katherine Hamm, extending her experience teaching her son Ben, who was born deaf, to every child in need of her specialized services.
We are proud to continue her legacy with each year's new class of listening, talking, and reading graduates.
Naticia Zocca, Parent
“In coming to the [Katherine Hamm Center], through the early intervention program, initially we thought okay, so we want to mainstream, how fast do we do this? But, the longer we stayed, we actually ended up asking how long can we stay? She started learning the beginning foundations of reading when she was just 3 years old, and now she’s 5 and she can pretty much read anything. She’s essentially reading on a first grade level.”
Michelle and Michael Robateau, Parents
"Our daughter Michaela has grown so much at the Speech School, we noticed an increase in language after her first day! Sending her here was the best thing we could have done for her. Not only has she grown academically, her confidence has soared."
Erin Spence, Parent and Staff
“Being both a parent and staff member of the Atlanta Speech School is such an amazing experience. I have the unique opportunity to not only work alongside such knowledgeable and creative people but watch them pour into my own children and all of the Speech School students daily! Enrolling both of my daughters in the Katherine Hamm Center was such a fantastic experience for our family; they have both developed a life-long love of learning thanks to the amazing teachers and staff! I have loved watching my girls, their peers, and myself grow thanks to the Speech School.”