Sensory · Hearing

What is it?

A hearing impairment is a hearing loss that prevents a person from totally receiving sounds through the ear. If the loss is mild, the person has difficulty hearing faint or distant speech. A person with this degree of hearing impairment may use a hearing aid to amplify sounds. If the hearing loss is severe, the person may not be able to distinguish any sounds.

What causes it?

There are four types of hearing loss: * Conductive: caused by diseases or obstructions in the outer or middle ear. * Sensorineural: results from damage to the inner ear. * Mixed: occurs in both the inner and outer or middle ear. * Central: results from damage to the central nervous system.

Incidence

On overage, one Australian child is identified with hearing impairment every day. 2-3 out of every 1000 school children have this diagnosis.

Medical Considerations

Hearing loss affects a child’s speech and language ability. Whether a student can use his or her hearing to understand speech or recognise sounds in the environment is influenced by many factors, including:

• Age of hearing loss onset.
• Age at which hearing loss is diagnosed and communication and educational support are initiated.
• Degree, type, and pattern of hearing loss.
• Consistency with which the student uses assistive listening devices
• The extent to which the family is involved in developing the child's spoken language and speech.

Characteristics

Each degree, type, and configuration of hearing loss can impact the development of language, speech, and communication and the student's educational placement.

Support

Some students fear stigma and that other students will treat them differently after they find out. In this situation be clear that you need to be able to communicate with the student and cater for their needs, but be discreet.

Further Information

Australian Hearing

Lesson Preparation & Materials

• Use strategies to assist the student in accessing information in class, such as providing notes and/or a buddy system.
• Provide a variety of visual aids to support learning.
• Provide written, step-by-step directions.
• Pre-teach vocabulary and allow access to materials prior to the lesson.
• Provide additional materials for consolidation if required.

Teaching Strategies

• Consider noise reduction materials eg. carpet.
• Incorporate visuals eg. overheads, chalkboard, charts, vocabulary lists, unit outlines.
• TV Captioning for audiovisuals such as television, videos, or movies.
• Access technology such as real-time speech to text translation.
• Frequently check for understanding.
• Provide sensory breaks following listening demands.
• Allow extra time to complete assignments and assessments.
• Encourage self–advocacy skills so students can discreetly ask for what they need.
• Establish eye contact before speaking or signing directly to the student.
• If a sign language interpreter is required organise training beforehand.
• Allow extra time for the student to process and respond to information.
• Present information in simple structured, sequential manner.
• Allow extra time for processing information.
• Repeat or rephrase information when necessary.
• Frequently check for understanding.

Feedback & Assessment

• Check with the student to determine the need for rest breaks.
• Support daily use of the student's prescribed amplification if used.
• Become proficient with amplification options if used eg. Personal hearing aids, devices and FM systems.
• Reduce quantity of tests or number of questions.
• Use alternative tests.
• Provide special provisions if necessary such as separate supervision and extra time.

Classroom Management

• Provide communication support during extracurricular activities, field trips and assemblies.
• Consider preferential seating arrangements.
• Obtain student’s attention prior to speaking.
• Enhance speech reading conditions eg. avoid hands in front of face.
• Clearly enunciate speech but do not over-exaggerate as it makes lip reading difficult.
• Educational interpreter (ASL, signed English, cued speech, oral).
• Investigate the use of flashing lights for classroom bells.
• Set up the classroom with attention to light source, room configuration and student placement. Consider sight lines (well-lit but free from glare) to the teacher, classmates and board as it is hard to read lips in certain light.
• Reduce ambient noise; reduce hard surfaces, such as floors and walls.

Peers & SLSOs

• Use strategies to encourage questions or discussion from peers.
• Organise a buddy system for notes, extra explanations/directions.
• Be aware of peer relationships and provide support when necessary. Some students with hearing loss may be unaware or misunderstand incidental information and social nuances.
• Promote social interaction and reduce isolation for students who use sign language by investigating Skype or videoconferencing of students in other schools.

Have I...

• Provided simple and explicit instructions?

• Arranged for special provisions in assessment tasks – separate supervision?

• Established a peer mentoring program or provided SLSO assistance?

• Provided a quiet study area within the classroom?

• Developed subtle signals between student and teacher?