Deafness

Carly Cooper Special Need	Deafness and Hard of Hearing
Characteristics	Common Characteristics: Speech delays – Children with hearing losses at very young ages may be unable to communicate because they cannot understand or imitate spoken language. Children without hearing loss can name familiar objects, respond to names, and follow simple commands by 15 – 24 months. Communication difficulties – Children with hearing loss my develop speech and language around the same time as their peers, but may still have trouble communicating with others, such as responding inappropriately to questions or having difficulties articulating themselves. Behavioral problems – Due to frustration that can accompany hearing loss, many children exhibit behavioral issues, such as lashing out and temper tantrums. Inattention – Many children with hearing loss are subjected to inattention because they are unaware that someone is attempting to communicate with them or the communicator is not effective; therefore, losing the child’s attention. Other Characteristics: Social/emotional skills – Some children with hearing loss experience difficulties with their social and emotional skills; this is due to communication difficulties. Often it difficult for these children to recognize emotion in themselves and others. Also, interaction with other children can be limited causing a slow progression with social skills. Lower achievement scores – Some students with deafness or hard of hearing have lower test scores in comparison to their peers without hearing loss. The most common factor that accounts for this is the form of assessment. Language skills may play a part in achievement too. Selective hearing – Children with hearing loss may only be able to hear certain sounds or pitches; therefore, responding to calls or sounds on an irregular basis.
Misconceptions	1. Everyone with hearing loss uses sign and lip reading - Not all students with hearing losses use sign or even know how to sign or lip read; the teacher must be able to communicate without depending on signing. 2. People with deafness are less intelligent than those who can hear - Deafness is not linked to cognitive ability. 3. Talking louder to a person with a hearing loss will help them understand - People with hearing losses are able to hear only certain pitches, if any, so talking louder will only increase their ability to hear the pitches they were already hearing before. This will not make up for the pitches they were unable to hear before. 4. People with hearing loss tend to be older adults - Deafness and hearing loss is seen at birth and is common among all ages. 5. People with hearing loss are rude and pushy - Deafness and hearing loss can prevent students from hearing or understanding what is occurring; often students are trying to get the attention of adults because they did not catch what was asked, not because they are being inconsiderate. Be sure to make eye contact with these students frequently and offer to repeat directions. 6. Hearing aids restore hearing completely -Hearing aids and cochlear implants do not restore hearing; instead they give useful representation of the sounds in the environment and help to understand speech. Although your student may use a hearing aid, other communication tactics still need to be implemented. 7. People with deafness cannot speak Deafness does not affect a person’s vocal chords. People with deafness or hard of hearing often have trouble speaking because it is more challenging to hear the sounds of others and themselves.
Resources	-National Association of the Deaf – www.nad.org -National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - www.nidcd.nih.gov -Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services – www.deafhhs.org -www.michdhh.org -Deafness Research Foundation -Hearing Health magazine -Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: Content, Strategies, and Curriculum by David A. Steward -Language and Literacy Development in Children Who Are Deaf by Barbara R. Schrimer
Curricular Modification(s)	-Incorporate visual models/aids frequently, as this is a primary way children experiencing deafness or hard of hearing learn -Include extra group or partnered work to promote socialization -Make sure you have the student’s attention before speaking; look at the student while instructing -Provide written supplement of oral instructions, assignments, and directions -Major focus on language development, as it is the main requirement for success in all other subject areas and comprehension in the classroom -Slower pace at times due to the language barrier -Model how to complete certain tasks rather than just discussing how to do them -Make assessment accommodations when necessary