“There’s a student
with a hearing loss in
my classroom!”
“I’m not listening!”
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 pronounce
words 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.
FALSE
No 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 lipreading.
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.
FALSE
No, 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.
TRUE
They can be very smart and in the Gifted Programs,
if they qualify. Many Deaf /HH are very visual
learners and may benefit in some classes because of
this.
10. People with a hearing loss can never use
telephones.
FALSE
This 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.
TRUE
YES! Many go as far as getting Doctorates and
becoming high paid professionals, along with some
have 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????
Outer ear: the first
section of the ear. It
includes the pinna and
the ear canal.
Pinna: the part of the
outer ear that we
can see. It
catches sound.
Inner ear: the
third section
of the ear. We
cannot see it.
It contains the
cochlea and
the hearing
nerve.
Middle ear: the second
section of the ear. We
cannot see it. It contains
3 tiny bones.
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
Sound wave:
How sound
travels. Sound
moves in waves
that we cannot
see.
 Frequency: the
number of sound
waves per second a
sound makes. The
frequency tells how
high or low a sound is.
 Hertz: A unit for measuring the
frequency of sound.
250
500
1000
2000
4000
8000
HIGH PITCH
125
FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)
HEARING LEVEL (dB HL)
0
10
SOFT
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
LOUD
125
250
500
1000
2000
4000
8000
0
10
HEARING LEVEL (dB HL)
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS
FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)
125
250
500
1000
2000
4000
8000
0
10
HEARING LEVEL (dB HL)
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR SOUNDS
FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND (HZ)
AUDIOGRAM OF FAMILIAR
SOUNDS
Speech
BananaArea in
gray
where all
speech
sounds
are
heard
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-ofhearing 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.
Some Deaf/ Hard of Hearing
use Sign Language.
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