The Hard of Hearing Student

1
The Hard of Hearing Student Inservice
So you have a student with a hearing loss in your
classroom.what do you need to know?
2
Overview
Here's what you'll learn

• Understanding a hearing loss
• Teaching Strategies
• Teaching Tips
• Communication
• Hearing Aids

• Cochlear Implant
• FM Systems
• Caption Media
• Support Services

3
Definitions Overview
Will he understand me?
I Cant Sign!
ASL
Oral
I want him to feel welcome and a part of my
class!!
What if he asks me a question?
4
What is a hearing loss?
SENSORINEURAL A sensorineural hearing loss occurs
due to sensory or nerve damage in the inner ear
(cochlea).

• hereditary
• non-hereditary
• illness during pregnancy
• at birth (lack of oxygen)
• meningitis
• loud noise

cochlea
5
UnderstandingHearing Loss

• Degrees of Hearing Loss

6
Normal Hearing Loss
The student can detect all speech sounds even at
a soft conversation level. The students hearing
would be plotted in the -10 to 15 decibel range
on an audiogram.
7
Definition of Losses

• Minimal Loss (16-25 dB loss)

The student may have difficulty hearing faint or
distant speech. Peer conversations and teacher
instructions presented too rapidly, particularly
in noisy classrooms, are likely to result in
missed information. Loss is charted at between 16
to 25 decibels.
8
Definition of Losses

• Mild (26-40 dB loss)

The student may miss some or all of class
discussions especially if voices are soft or the
environment is noisy. The student will require
the use of a hearing aid or personal FM system.
Loss is between 26 to 40 decibels.
9
Definition of Losses

• Moderate (41-55 dB loss)

The student can understand classroom conversation
from 3 to 5 feet away, if the structure and
vocabulary are controlled. Hearing aids and/or
personal FM systems are essential. Specific
instructional attention must be directed to
language development, reading and written
language. Loss is between 41 to 55 decibels.
10
Definition of Losses

• Moderate to Severe (56-70 dB loss

Without amplification, the student with this
degree of loss can miss up to 100 of speech
information. Full time use of amplification is
essential. The student will probably require
additional help in all language-based academic
subjects. Loss is between 56 to 70 decibels.
11
Definition of Losses

• Severe (71-90 dB loss)

The student can only hear loud noises at close
distances. He or she requires individual hearing
aids, intensive auditory training and specialized
instructional techniques in reading, language and
speech development. Loss is between 71 to 90
decibels.
12
Definition of Losses

• Minimal (16-20 dB loss)

• Mild (26-40 dB loss)

• Moderate (41-55 dB loss)

• Moderate to Severe (56-70 dB loss)

• Severe (71-90 dB loss)

13
Definitions Overview

• Students Who are Hard of Hearing
• Have individual communication needs and styles
• Have hearing aids that can not bring back perfect
  hearing
• Have difficulty differentiating where sounds come
  from
• Have difficulties because hearing aids amplify
  everything

14
What does this mean?
Difficulty in forming and maintaining friendships
or evidence of low self esteem are common effects
of the isolation experienced by many students who
are hard of hearing.
Two students with similar audiograms do not
necessarily have the same language skills and
learning needs.
15
Speech Language

• Articulation may be imperfect in one or any
  combination of the following

• Omissions such as
• s in bus
• st in stop
• r in tree
• Distortions such as
• twuck for truck
• mosh for match

• Substitutions (using one sound for another) such
  as
• wed for red
• thoup for soup
• lellow for yellow

16
Socialization Communication

• Hard of Hearing Students may
• Hesitate to Ask for Clarification
• Dominate Conversations
• Isolate Themselves

17
Myths About Hearing Loss

• Everyone can speechread
• Hearing aids are the solution
• Speechreading gives 100 understanding
• Everyone knows sign language
• You can hear when you want to

18
Strategies

• Teaching Strategies Tools
• Visual Aids
• Tips for Visually Friendly Teaching
• Repeating Other Students Comments and Questions
• Speaker Cues
• Teacher Cues
• Use of Vocabulary and Concepts

Handout
19
Visual Aids

• Charts
• Graphs
• Maps
• Photos
• Captioned films
• Written outlines or summaries
• Overhead projectors

20
Tips for Visually Friendly Teaching

• Avoid talking while facing the board.
• Stay in central location to allow speechreading
• Use normal facial expressions and gestures
• Do not exaggerate words
• Repeat key words or rephrase
• Oral tests are difficult, modify when possible

21
Repeat Student Comments

• The student may miss the presentation content
  while trying to identify the speaker.
• The student may not see the speaker well.

22
Speaker Cues

• Teacher indicates who is speaking
• The hard of hearing student may not be able to
  pinpoint the sounds with a hearing aid.
• Cueing helps the student follow conversations and
  lectures.

23
Teacher Cues
Cueing the context or topic helps the student
make correct predictions about transitions,
presentations, lectures or conversations.
24
Vocabulary and Concepts

• Keep in mind that many deaf and hard of hearing
  students have missed some language development
  because of their hearing loss.
• Some students can get stuck on a certain word or
  concept and miss everything thereafter.
• You are encouraged to teach vocabulary and
  concepts based on resources available.

Handout
25
Teacher Tips

• Varied Instruction

Handout
26
Successful Communication Tips

• Varied Instruction - The manner in which a
  teacher presents a lesson can directly impact a
  student's ability to learn it. The following may
  assist students to become more actively involved
  in lessons
• Hands-on Activities
• Cooperative Learning
• Conferencing
• Independent Work
• Class Discussions

27
Teacher Tips

• Varied Instruction
• Learning Styles

28
Successful Communication Tips

• Learning Styles - The teacher may assess the
  following
• Do students ask questions when they do not
  understand?
• Do students ask appropriate and specific
  questions?
• Would a notetaker be helpful?

The teacher can assist the deaf or hard of
hearing student in developing strategies for
learning.
29
Teacher Tips

• Varied Instruction
• Learning Styles
• Classroom Interactions

30
Classroom Interactions

• The student usually wants to blend in with the
  rest of the class.
• Does not want to be singled out.
• Student may need to be taught to take
  responsibility for initiating interaction.

31
Teacher Tips

• Varied Instruction
• Learning Styles
• Classroom Interactions
• Peer Interactions

32
Peer Interactions

• A hard of hearing student has a greater
  possibility that someone will feel left out due
  to uncertainty as to how to communicate.
• Analysis of peer interactions can help teachers
  understand the social skills and needs of all
  students.

33
Teacher Tips

• Varied Instruction
• Learning Styles
• Classroom Interactions
• Peer Interactions
• Expectations

34
Expectations

• Teacher may expect the Student to fail
• Students may not expect the teacher to understand
  him/her.

TOO HIGH?

• Frustration for both student and teacher

TOO LOW?
35
Communication
Repeat
Visual Attention
Non-Verbal
Rephrase
36
Visual Attention

• Be sure to have the students visual attention
  before talking to him/her.
• Wait until he/she is finished looking at the
  visual teaching aids, notes, or overhead before
  speaking again.
• Seat the student near the person speaking, facing
  away from bright light sources.

37
Non-Verbal Communication

• Use normal facial expressions and gestures.
• Do not exaggerate words.
• Avoid covering your mouth or face while talking.

38
Repeat and Rephrase

• If student does not understand you, repeat
  patiently and emphasize key words.

Repeat

• Still does not understand? Rephrase using simpler
  language.
• Demonstrate what you mean if possible.

Rephrase

• Have student repeat back directions and important
  concepts to confirm understanding.

Repeat
39
Youre Not Understood?

• If you do not understand the student, ask him/her
  to repeat.
• Repeat what you did understand and then ask the
  student to continue.
• Do not pretend to understand if you dont.

40
Strategies

• Physical Environment
• Provide Preferential Seating
• Classroom Arrangement
• Acoustic Considerations

41
Preferential Seating

• Seat the student where he or she can see
  everything he or she will need to see in the
  classroom.
• Seat the student away from noise sources, i.e.,
  doorway, pencil sharpeners, fans and windows.

42
Classroom Arrangement

• Try arranging the seats in a semicircle or a full
  circle for group discussions so the student can
  better follow the discussion.
• Try to stay in one location instead of walking
  around.

• Speak away from the board so the student can see
  you clearly.
• Try not to stand in front of a window or light.
• Keep in mind the students visual communication
  needs,

Handout
43
Acoustics

• Closing classroom doors cuts down hallway and
  exterior noises.
• Hearing aids work best if you are within 3 feet
  of the student.

• Hearing aids amplify sounds, including background
  noises. The student may experience difficulty
  identifying foreground sounds if background
  noises interfere.

44
Successful Communication Tips

• Acoustics and Background Noise - Materials which
  absorb sound can minimize the effects of
  background noise. Examples of such materials
  include
• carpets
• rugs
• heavy drapes
• corkboards
• acoustic tiles
• dropped ceilings

45
Strategies

• Acoustic Environment
• Hearing Aids
• Personal FM Devices

46
Hearing Aids

• Tips
• Hearing aids cannot be shared
• among students.
• Unlike glasses, a hearing aid does NOT make one's
  hearing normal.

47
Hearing Aids

• Most students wear behind the ear hearing aids.
• The student is the primary person responsible for
  keeping it working, i.e., working batteries,
  clean earmolds.
• The parent and itinerant teacher will do daily
  checks to be sure it is working.

48
Cochlear Implant
A cochlear implant does NOT make ones hearing
normal!
Handout
49
Cochlear Implants

• Possible benefits of Cochlear Implants
• The ability to detect conversational speech and
  environmental sounds at a comfortable loudness
  level.
• The potential, but not guaranteed, ability to
  identify every day sounds, such as car horns,
  doorbells, and birds singing.

50
Cochlear Implants

• More Possible benefits of Cochlear Implants
• The possible ability to distinguish among
  different speech patterns.
• The ability to identify words from a set of
  alternatives without speechreading.
• The potential ability to recognize and/or
  understand speech without speechreading.
• After training and experience with the device,
  the possible ability to improve speech.

51
Cochlear Implants

• A cochlear implant consists of three parts

• Receiver

• Headpiece

• Speech Processor
• (two types One worn on the ear, the other
  on the belt)

52
Cochlear Implant Cautions

• Safety on the playground

• Safety in the classroom

-avoid metal play areas i.e., slides -rough
sports can cause injury to head area, use caution
-spray computer screens with anti-static
spray -be careful of any static electricity which
will disable the processor.
53
FM Systems

• Personal FM System

-Transmit radio waves to receiver -Student wears
a boot on his/her hearing aid.

• Sound Field System

-Bring sound closer to the listener. -Student may
use a speaker box
54
Assistive Listening Devices

• Are binoculars for the ears
• Increase loudness of specific sounds
• Minimize background noise
• Reduce the effect of distance
• Override poor acoustics
• Work for large areas, restaurants, television
  viewing

Handout
55
Assistive Listening Devices

• ALDs solve 3 problems
• Minimize background noise
• Reduce the effect of distance between the person
  with a hearing loss and the sound source
• Override poor acoustics

56
Assistive Listening Devices

• ALDs are
• cordless
• work well, generally speaking
• work with or without hearing aids
• can experience interference
• come in large group use or personal versions

57
Assistive Listening Devices

• Specifics of FM Systems
• Work indoors and outdoors
• Cover several hundred feet
• Pass through walls
• Are often used in classrooms
• Are highly portable
• Are subject to interference
• Have multiple frequencies allowing many users in
  the same area

58
Inside the Classroom

• Captioned Media Program
• Closed Captioning on Videos for Children
• CMP currently has 4,000 different titles to
  choose from
• Titles focus on a wide range of topics
• Role models for children with
  hearing loss

Handout
59
Captioned Media

• Most televisions built after 1993 come with CC.
• All videos after 1993 must be captioned.
• Speak with your itinerant teacher for the deaf to
  get the video catalog to check out captioned
  videos for your units. There is no charge for
  postage, these are free!

60
Support Services

• Itinerant Teacher for the Deaf and
• Hard of Hearing
• Speech/Language Specialist
• Educational Audiologist
• Counselor for the Deaf

61
Itinerant Teacher for D/HH

• One-on-one or small group settings
• Reinforces language concepts, vocabulary from
  curriculum
• Auditory training

62
Itinerant Teacher for D/HH

• Liaison between general ed teacher and parents
  when necessary
• Provides direct and/or indirect instruction to
  the student
• IEP dictates amount of time student is seen

63
Speech/Language Specialist

• Provides diagnostic, instructional, and
  consultative services for the student as
  determined by the IEP.
• He/She may assess speech production, speech
  reading and listening skills.

64
Speech/Language Specialist

• They work in cooperation with the general and
  sped teacher in planning and implementing
  strategies to develop communication, language and
  related academic skills.
• Speech and oral language services may also be
  provided.

65
Educational Audiologist

• Assists the teachers in analyzing instructional
  listening dynamics and recommending modifications
  for school environments.
• Educates school personnel and parents in making
  instruction more accessible to students with
  hearing loss.
• Recommends the use of hearing aids, cochlear
  implants, classroom amplification and assistive
  listening devices.

66
Educational Audiologist

• Analyze classroom noise and acoustics, and makes
  recommendations for improving the listening
  environment.
• Provides and fixes the FM systems the student
  will use.

67
Counselor for the Deaf

• Contracted by district
• Sees students 1-2 times a month
• Understands deaf issues and deaf culture
• Counsels parents if needed

Handout
68
Conclusion
Want to learn more?
Questions?
Feel free to contact Suzann Mauler Pupil
Services 490-3244 sfmauler_at_psd.k12.co.us
69
Ready or Not!
Enjoy the experience!
Ask for help
Have Fun!
Good Luck!