“There’s a student with a hearing loss in my classroom!” “I’m not listening!”

QUIZ on Deafness Let’s begin by erasing any preconceived ideas or misconceptions about Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people. For the next few minutes read each question and answer as honestly as you can—this is NOT for a grade. Think about what you may not know and what you think you may already know.

1. Deaf children talk differently than others, because something is wrong with their voice boxes. FALSE They cannot hear their own voices; therefore, it is difficult for them to phonetically pronounce words as they hear them.

2. Children with a hearing loss can hear some things. TRUE Depending on the type of loss they have, and if they are aided.

3. You can catch a hearing loss from a person with a hearing loss. FALSE There is NOTHING contagious about a hearing loss, except when a person is congested and cannot hear due to the common cold, the cold may be contagious only.

4. With a hearing aid, a deaf or hard of hearing person can hear as well as you. FALSE No a hearing aid only amplifies sound, but it still may be softer or distorted due to the type of hearing loss or type of amplification used.

5. People with hearing losses use Braille to help them understand. FALSE Visually impaired use Braille to read, deaf or hard of hearing use sign language to help communicate.

6. People with a hearing loss can understand everything through speech-reading or lip-reading. FALSE Not always true, Speech-reading/ Lip-reading is very much a skill that some may have and some may not. It sometimes takes much practice. Only 60-70% of speech can be understood on the lips.

7. If a deaf or hard of hearing student does not understand you, it is best to ask the teacher for help. FALSE No, ask the deaf or hh person to first repeat or clarify what they were saying. This is an insult when you speak to another person “through” the deaf or hh person.

8. People with a hearing loss can run and play like other people. TRUE YES…Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people can become professional athletes and compete in most major sports. Only if a deaf or hh person has other limitations that prohibit regular sports, then they can participate in Special Olympics.

9. Deaf or Hard of Hearing students can be smart. TRUE They can be very smart and in the Gifted Programs, if they qualify. Many Deaf /HH are very visual learners and may benefit in some classes because of this.

10. People with a hearing loss can never use telephones. FALSE This is very UNTRUE, especially nowadays with multiple ways to communicate via technology—they can use amplified phones, TTYs, Text-messaging, Relay services, and video phones.

11. Deaf or Hard of Hearing children can have successful careers when they grow up. TRUE YES! Many go as far as getting Doctorates and becoming high paid professionals, along with some have even become actresses or actors.

FACTS TO KNOW 1 in 1,000 babies are born deaf. There are many degrees of hearing loss. Parents make very personal decisions as to what form of communication they want for their child, you should respect this decision. Not all hearing impaired know or use sign language, nor can all read lips very well. The major problems faced by hearing impaired children is learning to communicate. Many deaf or hard of hearing are very intelligent; however, may have limited language acquisition and may need language remediation. Deaf people CAN drive and get a driver’s license. They just need special mirrors on their cars and a code on the DL.

IMPLICATIONS OF HEARING LOSS: Conductive Hearing Loss A Loudness disorder, created by some form of blockage that prevents sound form reaching the functioning inner ear. Sensorineural Hearing Loss A disorder that involves both distortion and loudness. It is a permanent loss that cannot be repaired surgically. Mixed Hearing Loss Loss that combines the characteristics of conductive sand sensorineural.

HOW DO WE HEAR???? Inner ear: the third section of the ear. We cannot see it. It contains the cochlea and the hearing nerve. Outer ear: the first section of the ear. It includes the pinna and the ear canal. Pinna: the part of the outer ear that we can see. It catches sound. Middle ear: the second section of the ear. We cannot see it. It contains 3 tiny bones.

HOW LOUD IS LOUD? Reading an Audiogram Normal Hearing Range: 0-25 dB Mild Loss: 26-40 dB Moderate Loss: 41-55 dB Moderately Severe Loss: 56-70 dB Severe Loss: 71-90 dB Profound Loss: 91 dB+ Hearing Loss is not usually described in percentages. The terms you may see or hear associated with hearing is degree or configuration (shape of loss) on the Audiogram. http://www.pacificaudiology.com/audiogram/uya.html

How sound travels. Sound moves in waves that we cannot see. Sound wave: How sound travels. Sound moves in waves that we cannot see. Frequency: the number of sound waves per second a sound makes. The frequency tells how high or low a sound is.

Hertz: A unit for measuring the frequency of sound.

FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ) 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000 LOW PITCH HIGH PITCH FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)

SOFT 10 20 30 40 50 HEARING LEVEL (dB HL) 60 70 80 90 100 LOUD 110 120

AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000 10 20 30 40 50 HEARING LEVEL (dB HL) 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)

AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000 10 20 30 40 50 HEARING LEVEL (dB HL) 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)

AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS Speech Banana- Area in gray where all speech sounds are heard

Hearing Aids and Amplification Hearing Aids and Amplification * Hearing aids only amplify sound, they cannot clarify it. There are many types of amplification, but the choice is based on the individual needs of the deaf or hard-of-hearing person. Most popular in schools: Behind the Ear (BTE), most common form for children in the school system. Newer models are digital and can be automatically adjusted to level of noise and environmental situations. Bone Conduction Aid—worn like earphones with a headband which lays upon the bone to stimulate the bone when noise is heard. Body Aid—rarely used any more, but worn by young children in a harness or vest and is attached by cords to ear molds, it generally provides high power amplification . Cochlear Implant--A complex form of technology that is inserted via surgery and is checked often through “mapping” at the audiologist office. ( a whole new field of information). You will often see the young ones with a processor that looks like a body aid.

Classroom Amplification Systems Technology is advancing daily!!!! FM Systems or Auditory Trainers Using microphones worn by teachers, they amplify the teacher’s voice through their personal amplifications systems or sound fields. A decision on which is most applicable is made by School Audiologist, Teacher of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and Classroom Teacher

COMMUNICATION IN THE CLASSROOM Students who come into your classes will most likely have an established form of communication (Oral or Total Communication—sign/oral), and may need a variety of accommodations in order to be successful on grade level. Per IEP. Using the information given to you may not only help deaf and hh students but other’s as well in your classroom (i.e. ADHD, LD students). An Itinerant Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing will usually be assigned to your student for either consultative services or direct services. Services may be needed to help the students and consult with you regarding any questions or issues you may have concerning your student’s needs. Contact Guidance, Staffing Specialist or the County’s Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program for more information.

Some Deaf/ Hard of Hearing use Sign Language.

How would I talk to someone who is Deaf/ Hard of Hearing? Look at their face. Speak normally-not too fast or too slow. Be Patient when they are speaking to you. Politely let them know if you don’t understand. Remember they are very smart people…. Just like you.

BIBLIOGRAPHY “There’s a Hearing Impaired Child in my Class” A Learning Packet about Hearing Loss for Public School Teachers by Debra Nussbaum, Audiologist Kendall Demonstration Elementary School Copyright 1988, Outreach, Pre-college Programs, Galludet University “Sound Hearing—Or… Hearing What You Missed” by S. Harold Collins Copyright 1989 Garlic Press Publishers