Deaf and HOH students
in the mainstream classroom
During my summers off in college I was
very lucky to work as an aide for an oral school for hearing impaired
children. This school specialized in
oral communication for students who were Deaf or HOH, and who used devices such
as cochlear implants or hearing aids. I
am very grateful for the opportunity I had there and I am very excited to share
what I learned with you.
When students who are Deaf or HOH are
included on your caseload there are certain questions that need to be answered
before we begin.
-
Do
they use a cochlear implant, hearing aide, or no device?
*If the student has a
unilateral implant what is the hearing capacity of the unimplanted ear?
-
Does
the student know how their device works?
-
When
was their hearing loss identified?
-
When
did they being using their device?
-
Were
they in any type of speech therapy prior to the services you will provide?
Once
these questions have been answered it can help you plan for the student’s
needs. If the student is older they may be responsible for the care and
operation of the device. The majority of
the time student’s with devices will not need to worry about the functioning of
their device at school, but it is always good to check. If the student uses a
hearing aide, are you responsible for storing extra batteries?
I
have noticed over the years that younger students tend to be more excepting of
those with devices, where as older students may be more stand-offish at first.
It is important to touch base with students to see how they feel about their
device and if they are comfortable talking with others about it. There are a few things you can do to help
students answer questions from their classmates and feel more comfortable about
their devices at school. For my students who are more comfortable with their
devices I have them speak to the class about it. My older students do a
PowerPoint about hearing loss and their device. I have had teachers that will
allow the presentation to be used as a graded assignment. Two birds one stone! We create the presentation together and do a
mock question and answer session so they feel prepared. If a student is more timid about their
device, start slow. Have them bring a friend or two to speech. You can tell the student’s guests about their
device and allow them to ask questions that the student can answer.
Now
that you have some information about your student you can start to create their
plan. If the student came to you with an IEP already in place, review the
goals. It may be worth a call to the
former SLP, if possible, to touch base about recent progress and any good
information about how the student learns.
If your student does not have an IEP and you must create goals, here are
some typical areas that students who are Deaf and HOH work on in the mainstream
setting:
-
Articulation:
use a mirror when you can and pictures to help connect sounds to objects.
Speech Buddies are a great tool to give them bio-tactile feedback if you have
access to them.
-
Auditory
Discrimination
-
Auditory
Memory
-
Vocabulary
-
Advocacy
Skills: Teach them it is ok to ask for repetitions or to have a quieter
setting.
·
These
skills should be targeted either as part of their IEP or informally so students
understand that asking for help is just a part of learning and they are no
different than any other student who may have a question in class.
These
students may also need testing accommodations such has: alternate setting,
extended time, alternate presentations, etc.
It
is also a good idea to touch base with the student’s teacher and answer any
questions they may have, as well as, give them some tips:
-
Give
the student preferential seating ( in the front of the room, ‘good’ ear closest
to the speaker).
-
Check
in with the student frequently to check for understanding of material.
-
For
projects and activities, partner the student with those who are patient and
willing repeat information.
-
Allow
the student to work in a small group in the hall, where is may be quieter. Do
not send them to work by themselves. This can create feelings of exclusion.
-
If
the student uses an FM system, make sure it is set to the correct channel
-
Use
visuals whenever possible.
-
Ask
the student if they feel they would benefit from a note taker in classes.
Here
is a link to a packet with lots of good information to refresh your memories
from good ole’ grad school. http://www.handsandvoices.org/pdf/mainst_cal.pdf
