Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Lourdes Jimenez, Carrie MacDonald, Carol Wong EPSE 317 – 203 March 15, 2007

What does it mean to be deaf or hard of hearing The hearing impaired  ‘hearing impairment’ is a general term often used by professionals to describe hearing loss  hearing loss is measured in decibels (dB) – which is a range of frequencies from low sounds to higher pitched sounds  hearing loss has been organized traditionally into 5 categories which consider the range of sounds used in speech – these categories will help you understand better as a teacher at what level your student(s) is at

1. Normal hearing:  Students can detect all speech sounds even at a soft conversation level. The student's hearing would be plotted in the -10 to +15 decibel range on an audiogram. 2. Minimal loss:  Students may have difficulty hearing faint or distant speech. Peer conversation and teacher instructions presented too rapidly, particularly in noisy classrooms, are likely to result in missed information. Loss is between 16 to 25 decibels.

3. Mild:  Student may miss up to 50% of class discussions especially if voices are soft or the environment is noisy. Students will require the use of a hearing aid or personal FM system. Loss is between 26 to 40 decibels. 4. Moderate:  Classroom conversation from 3 to 5 feet away can be understood if the structure and vocabulary is controlled. Hearing aids and/or personal FM systems are essential. Specific attention will need to be directed to language development, reading and written language. Loss is between 4l to 55 decibels.

5. Moderate to severe:  Without amplification students with this degree of loss can miss up to 100% of speech information. Full time use of amplification is essential. They will probably require additional help in all language based academic subjects. Loss is between 56 to 70 decibels. 6. Severe:  Students can only hear loud noises at close distances. They require individual hearing aids, intensive auditory training and specialized instructional techniques in reading, language, and speech development. Loss is between 71 to 90 decibels.

7. Profound:  For all practical purposes these students rely on vision rather than hearing for processing information. If you have a student in this category, he or she is usually a candidate for signing systems and specialized instructional techniques in reading, speech, and language development. A loss of 91 decibels or more is described as profound.

Common Misconceptions Not all hearing impaired people:  use sign language  lip read or speech read  use understandable speech  wear hearing aids  can see well enough to compensate for their hearing loss

Behaviours to Look For: A child who is deaf or hard of hearing may:  have tantrums, scream, hit and break things  cry, or whine  sometimes when the child is feeling angry and frustrated the child may get red in the face, have bulging eyes, and even popping veins  the child will most likely always want your attention

Behaviours (cont)…  you may notice the child expressing only one emotion – anger  the child becomes easily overwhelmed by feelings, and blames others for those particular feelings  the child brings up issues at times when you cannot attend to them

Effects  hearing loss can have a major impact on a child’s ability to understand and produce speech, but hearing loss does not eliminate a child’s potential to develop intelligence spoken language skills  the development of vocabulary, grammatical and idiomatic English, or the understanding of abstract ideas are examples of areas which may be delayed due to hearing loss – with severe hearing loss one must take action and present specific strategies to aid in social skills development  some may have difficulty in initiating and maintaining friendships or evidence of low self esteem

Effects (cont)…  the population of children who are deaf or hard of hearing is quite diverse: children who are deaf or hard of hearing differ widely in their home environments, the cause and extent of hearing loss, language development history, and the existence of complicating factors (eg. Mental retardation, motor or visual limitations, learning difficulties).  With early intervention amplification and regular high-quality interactions with people at home and school, a child who has a profound hearing loss can potentially develop excellent speech skills

DVD “Signing Made Easy – How to Talk to a Person Who Can’t Hear”

Aids Useful In-Class Aids:  Overhead Projectors  Closed Caption Decoders  FM Systems: microphone for teacher and receiver worn by student. Hearing aids:  Will not restore hearing  Will amplify all sound  Must be in excellent working condition  Must be worn consistently

Role of the Teacher The teacher responsible for a student with special needs is responsible for designing, supervising and assessing the educational program for that student. Where the student requires specialized instruction, this is best done in consultation with resource personnel available, with the parents and with the student.

Modifications  Students must be able to see your face at all times to be able to speech read and obtain meaning clues  Speak naturally  Consideration must be given to seating arrangements in order to provide maximum information within the natural flow of classroom activities –Consider background noise when choosing the child's seating placement.  Vocabulary lists – include definitions of new terms and concepts used during the day  Outline of class agenda on board

Modifications (cont)…  Add carpeting, area rugs or drapes to the classroom.  If you don't have carpeting, attach tennis balls to the bottom of chair legs to stop chairs from scraping on the floor (cut a 1" X on the balls and pop it onto each chair leg).  Focus on reducing background noise as much as possible (i.e., loudly ticking clocks, air conditioning units, open door to hallway, noise from open windows, etc.).  Add other noise absorbing materials such a cork board to the walls.

Modifications (cont)…  Make sure videos are captioned.  Use fully lit classrooms.  Arrange student's schedule so that academic subjects are taught in the morning.  Provide written school announcements.  Strategically situate classrooms away from noise, i.e. adjacent traffic, road construction, playgrounds, cafeterias, music/band room, gymnasium.

Schooling Options 1) Public or Private Schools: mainstreamed or inclusion 2) Residential Schools

Residential Schools  Specialty school where children either live or attend during the day.  Provide role models  Majority are fluently signing  Socially competent peers  Level playing field  Structured to the needs of students  May have to live away from home

Public (or Private) Schools  Children attend local school with a varying degree of resource assistance.  Mainstreamed: also attending specialty classes  Inclusion: all aspects  IEP calls for partial mainstream  Partial segregation/ superficial integration  Parents may have greater role in child’s education

Mainstreaming Forms  The child can be placed in a hearing classroom with some additional support.  The child can be placed in a hearing classroom and receive daily contact with a resource teacher who works specifically with deaf students.  The child can be based in a specialized class while taking some academic classes in the hearing classrooms.  The child can spend a majority of her time in the specialized classroom and be mainstreamed into gym and art classes with hearing classmates.

Mainstreaming (cont)… The child who does best in a mainstream situation is usually one who has (284)  Residual hearing enabling her to follow spoken language in individual and group situations  Speech that is understandable to hearing peers and teachers  Average or better intellectual skills  Good self-control  Patience  Assertion skills allowing her to ask questions, obtain explanations, and demand support when needed.

In a Mainstream Class… Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may experience:  Interruptions in communication  Missed conversations between teacher and other students  Distractions  Difficulties in constantly following the teacher’s speech

It’s a PRIVELEGE!!! It is a privilege to have a hearing impaired student in your class for a number of reasons:  the teacher and class unite in an effort to make the hearing impaired student feel accepted as a necessary part of the class – which is sometimes followed by the class being enthusiastic to participate and learn!!  teachers and students become more sensitive to one another

Resources  Gallaudet University leads the world in undergraduate liberal arts education, career development, and outstanding graduate programs for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students. The University also enjoys international renown for its research on the history, language, and culture of deaf people.  Zatzman Orlansky, Janice. Mainstreaming the Hearing Impaired Child. Teaching Resources Corporation, Massachusetts,  Medwid, Daria & Denise Chapman Weston. Kid-Friendly Parenting with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. Clerc Books, Washington,  Heller Klein, Diane & Elizabeth Watson Parker. Spoken Communication for Students Who Are Dear or Hard of Hearing: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Butte Publications, Inc. USA, 2002.

 Medwid, D. & Weston, D. (1995). Kid – Friendly Parenting with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Treasury of Fun Activities Toward Better Behavior. Washington: Gallaudet University Press.  Dennis, K. & Azpiri, T. (2005). Sign to Learn: American Sign Language in the Early Childhood Classroom. Minnesota: Redleaf Press.  Marschark, M., Lang, H. & Albertini, J. (2002). Educating Deaf Students: From Research to Practice. New York: Oxford University Press.   Royster, Mary Anne. Games and Activities for Sign Language Classes. Silver Spring: National Association of the Deaf, 

Activity – Facial Charades!! Activity – Facial Charades!! PLEASE DIVIDE YOURSELVES INTO TWO GROUPS