Hearing Impairments

A Petcha Kutcha presentation by Lilly Woodbury and Evan Dick

Legal Definition: A hearing impairment is a hearing loss that prevents a

person from totally receiving sounds through the ear.

Mild: A person with this degree of hearing impairment may use a
hearing aid to amplify sounds. They may have difficulty hearing faint or distant
speech.
Severe: A person may not be able to distinguish any sounds.

Laymans Definition: A hearing impairment is a hearing loss where

sounds cant make it through the persons ear.

Prevalence Rates: 738,000 people in the United States have severe to

strong hearing loss and 8% of those people are under 18; so around 150,000 children
have strong hearing loss. 14% of US children have low or high-frequency hearing loss

Four Main Types:

Conductive: Caused by diseases or obstructions in the outer or
middle ear that usually affect all frequencies of hearing. A hearing aid generally
helps a person with a conductive hearing loss.
Sensorineural: Results from damage to the inner ear. This loss
can range from mild to profound and often affects certain frequencies more than
others. Sounds are often distorted, even with a hearing aid.
Mixed: Occurs in both the inner and outer or middle ear.
Central: Results from damage to the central nervous system.

Methods of Communications:
American Sign Language (ASL): This is the primary
language of people who are deaf. It consists of a combination of hand movements
and positions to express thoughts and phrases.
Finger spelling: This is a manual form of communication in
which the hand and fingers spell out letters of the alphabet to form words.
Lipreading: This is a difficult skill used only by about 10% of
people with hearing impairments. Therefore, don't assume that a deaf person to
whom you are speaking can lip read. Even if a person cannot lip read, however,
being allowed to see the speaker's mouth provides helpful visual cues.
Written communication ("Pad and Pencil"): This is a
fairly simple way to communicate with a person who is deaf. Remember,

however, that sign language is the primary language for most persons who are
deaf; English is a second language, so keep your words simple.
Oral communication: Some hearing impaired students attempt
to learn spoken language. While it will be challenging success is possible and
should be accepted.

Warning Indicators:

Turn up the volume of the TV excessively high?

Respond inappropriately to questions?
Not reply when you call him/her?
Watch others to imitate what they are doing?
Have articulation problems or speech/language delays?
Have problems academically?
Complain of earaches, ear pain or head noises?
Have difficulty understanding what people are saying?

Seem to speak differently from other children his or her

age?

5 Most Essential Facts:

Present information in a written format not just out loud
Vision is important; captions on all videos, diagrams, visual aids.
Know if a student can lip-read or not, then place yourself
accordingly
Use visual cues as much as possible and be sure you have hearing
impaired students are focused on you.
Provide assistance with any proof reading on writing assignments.

Characteristics of the Hearing Impaired In The

Classroom:
Student may not be able to make friends due to lack of common
communication
Student will have a hard time following along in class
Speaking will be extremely difficult for them, reading becomes
difficult as well due to lack of spoken words to relate to
Student may become easily agitated due to frustration in not being
able to hear.

Teaching The Hearing Impaired:

 Smile and maintain eye contact during the time you are talking to
the student. They always need to be able to see your lips if he/she has learned to
read lips. If a sign language interpreter is present, talk directly to the person who
is deaf, not the interpreter.
If at all possible use complete sentences. Good language
development is dependent upon correct grammar. Restricting communication to a
single word or short phrase deprives them of proper learning and will hinder the
process further
Speak slowly and clearly, but do not exaggerate.
If a word is not understood, try another word. Demonstrate if
possible.
Use sign language only if you're qualified. Otherwise, incorrect
information may be conveyed.
There is no need to shout. Hearing aids only make sounds louder
not help the student understand the language better. A hearing aid does not mean
the student can hear normally.
Use pad and pencil if all other techniques to communicate have
failed. This isolates the student so try it only as a last resort.
In groups seat the children in circles, so the one with a hearing
impairment can see all the other students.
Watch the hearing impaired student for unspoken communication
such as facial expression or body language.
If a student with hearing loss is attempting to communicate but you
cannot understand them, ask them to repeat themselves. The desire to
communicate encourages them.
References
"Teaching Strategies for Hearing Impaired Students." : Disabilities Services: Retention and Student
Success. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.
Hunt, Nancy, and Kathleen Marshall. Exceptional Children and Youth. 5th ed.
Wadsworth: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Bouzid, Yosra, et al. "Using Educational Games for Sign Language Learning - a
Sign Writing Learning Game: Case Study." Journal of Educational Technology
and Society 19.1 (2016): 129-41. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Feb.
2016.
"Hearing Loss in Children." Symptoms of. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
"Hearing Impairments - Project IDEAL." Project IDEAL. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.