More UK Deaf children are attending mainstream school because of experts in Deaf school closures. Children with hearing problems can usually feel isolated at school and the learning experience at times may be hard for them. When it comes to education, deaf children encounter unique challenges. Also, it is observed that teachers, families, and children conquer difficulties and find innovative ways to learning for deaf children.
Students with hearing loss, also their teachers and parents can make use of specialist support resources and services. These are available from the age of diagnosis also to the end of high school. The service is offered to all students who have a hearing loss whether it is moderate, profound, or severe hearing loss. Various strategies and equipment can be used for different children.
Problems that may encounter by children are the following:
- Paying attention since they may be easily distracted
- Understanding or hearing what’s being said to them far from away or noisy room. Sometimes it is known as selective hearing.
- Following conversations and spoken instructions
- Acting out since they are frustrated
- Coping up with classroom work
- Developing language and speech, including vocabulary and grammar
- Missing small words
- Reading, spelling, and being able to acknowledge the various sounds in words
- Being confident in social settings and getting along with other children
- Becoming easily tired
- Missing necessary information when the conversation is not conducted with them
Some school-age services offered to children with hearing loss
- Speech Pathology: Sound Development
- Sessions offered by a Speech Pathologist are customized to a family’s individual and child’s needs. These can be centered on the improvement of skills in speech, social skills, language, listening, and pre/literacy. These can include consultative and collaborative sessions with other health professionals. And to offer hearing intervention and information.
- Sound Development: Family and child counseling
- Sessions are offered by a family and child counselor and customized to a family and child’s individual needs. These can be focused on the improvement of behavior management, social skills, or counseling support.
- Communication Development Assessment
- Offers a comprehensive evaluation of literacy skills and a child’s language. Depending on needs and age, core, and extra assessment areas can include use and understanding of language. Also, in literacy, speech and writing, and social skills.
Tips to aid students with hearing loss
- Look for ways to be in touch more effectively with the child
- Develop a secret signal with the student to specify when he or she is having trouble hearing.
- Help the student engage with others in the class
- If the student uses sign language and is in a lower grade level, let the student teach the class one word in sign language per day.
- Consider hearing assistance technology
