“there’s a student with a hearing loss in my classroom!” “i’m not listening!”
TRANSCRIPT
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 pronouncewords 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.
FALSENo 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.
FALSENo, 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.
TRUEThey can be very smart and in the Gifted
Programs, if they qualify. Many Deaf /HH are very visuallearners and may benefit in some classes
because ofthis.
10. People with a hearing loss can never use telephones.
FALSEThis 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.
TRUEYES! Many go as far as getting Doctorates
and becoming high paid professionals, along
with somehave 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????
Pinna: the part of the outer ear that we can see. It catches sound.
Outer ear: the first section of the ear. It includes the pinna and the ear canal.
Middle ear: the second section of the ear. We
cannot see it. It contains 3 tiny bones.
Inner ear: the third
section of the ear. We
cannot see it. It contains the cochlea
and the hearing nerve.
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
Frequency: the number of sound waves per second a sound makes. The frequency tells how high or low a sound is.
Sound wave: How sound
travels. Sound moves in waves that we cannot
see.
10
0
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDSFREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)
125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000
HEA
RIN
G L
EV
EL
(dB
HL)
20
10
0
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDSFREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)
125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000
HEA
RIN
G L
EV
EL
(dB
HL)
20
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.
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