Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | About Us (2024)

Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss began in 2011 with the goal of creating an ‘umbrella website’ for teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing. Supporting Success was built on the concept of making practical information readily available, resulting in the current resource-packed website.

Core Goals of Supporting Success are:

1. Provide persons who work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing the resources to fulfill our mission “to improve the futures of children with hearing loss.”
2. Maintain a growing bank of free informationrelevant to supporting child development and student success, including free Update newsletters with topical information sent to over 10,000 subscribers twice monthly
3. Provideproducts for salethat have been specifically selected to support the success of students with hearing loss, offered at a price equal to, or lower than, all other sources
a. Develop and publish resources when gaps are identifiedthrough Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss Publications
b. Provide information and instructional materials specifically for use with students who are deaf and hard of hearing via (1) Teacher Tools membership and (2) Teacher Tools Takeout marketplace
4. Provide relevant and practicalprofessional developmentspecifically for teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing and others who support school success of these students
a. Webcasts, Meet Ups and community contact via The Online Itinerant Professional Academy
b. Offer professional presentations upon invitation to school districts, regional programs, and relevant conference venues
c. Offer a biennial Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss Conference specific to the interests of itinerant teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing, at as low a cost as possible, with practical presentations to improve teacher knowledge and instruction
5. Strengthenknowledge on student rights for improved advocacyfor the purpose of improving student eligibility, communication access in school (including Streamer speech-to-text captioning), and appropriate levels of specialized instruction to allow students the opportunity to achieve at the rate and to the level of their class peers.

Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing are “ZEBRA EXPERTS!”

Where does the zebra analogy come from? The saying:

Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | About Us (1)

This saying is popular in the fields of business and medicine and refers to situations when something unusual occurs, it is more likely due to a common cause than a rare or highly unusual cause. Hearing loss is very low incidence compared to other causes educational challenge. When school teams see most children with learning issues they usually have some kind of learning disorder.

As indicated by this bar graph, only 1 out of 100 children qualified for specialized services receives services primarily due to being deaf or hard of hearing (source).

Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | About Us (2)

It is not unusual for school teams to observe a child’s performance and see inattention, difficulty following directions, inconsistent understanding and a slower pace of learning and think that – like most other students with special needs – the child has a learning or language disorder (horses).

This is NOT the case! Our students truly are “zebras” because their learning issues stem from ACCESS issues, and not an inherent learning disorder. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires schools to “ensure that communication for students who are deaf and hard of hearing “are as effective as communication for others” [ADA Title II 28 C.F.R. 35.160 (a)(1)] through the provision of appropriate aids and services “affording an equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others” [ADA Title II 28 C.F.R. 35.130 (b)(1)(iii)]

Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | About Us (3)

The use of the zebra symbol is as a reminder of the constant need to advocate for the access needs for students with hearing loss. It is also meant as something to invite the attention and curiosity of school staff who works with these students. All professionals who support students who are deaf or hard of hearing are encouraged to wear/use the zebra symbol!

“Given the opportunities to learn language and academic skills through appropriate and efficient modes of communication (full access), a learner with a hearing loss should progress in expected patterns of growth and achievement.” Bunch, G. & Melnyk, T. (1989). American Annals of the Deaf.

Over the past 45 years, shifting trends in educational policy have resulted an increase in mainstream placements for students with hearing loss. In 2006, 86.4% of students with hearing loss ages 6-21 were educated in regular schools. Initially, mainstreaming often meant that D/HH students attended separate classes in public schools. Today, such students spend most of their school day in classes with hearing peers, supported by itinerant teachers of the D/HH, interpreters, speech-language pathologists, notetakers/captionists, and resource room teachers. With the move to full inclusion, even students with substantial delays (more than 6 months) have been placed in a regular education setting without direct services from a teacher of the D/HH.

Those of us in the field of D/HH need to examine what is required to support the learning and full participation of students with hearing loss (not just in the classroom but in all aspects of the school experience). We need to first fully recognize and be able to explain how students with hearing loss are truly zebras and not horses. Using appropriate assessment information, we need to define what is required for our students to close learning gaps and progress at the rate of class peers. Remediation gaps will require consistent direct instruction to provide the skill building and practice in specific skills and hopefully prevent the gap from widening over time.

Why do we use ‘children with hearing loss’ rather than ‘deaf and hard of hearing’?

There are differing opinions that have changed over time regarding how to refer to the population of persons with hearing loss. The term “children with hearing loss” was purposely selected. The terms “Deaf” and “hard of hearing” do not necessarily coincide with audiometric hearing thresholds. As children enter adolescence who have functioned as hard of hearing there are a significant number who choose to identify with the Deaf community. The terms “Deaf” and “hard of hearing” relate to ‘personal identity’ and reflect cultural preferences. It is up to the individual to define their own identity.

Research from 2003 indicated that 56% of hard of hearing teens (11, 13, 15 years) identify themselves as having a “hearing problem” andnotas having a disability (hard of hearing or hearing impaired). For these children, their preference is to be identified as neither deaf, Deaf nor hard of hearing. Also, families of children who are early identified and receive early amplification and intervention are increasingly choosing listening and speaking as the preferred communication modality they use with their child (over 90% in some places). With this in mind, it is reasonable to assume that the numbers of children who do not identify themselves as either deaf or hard of hearing will increase.

Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | About Us (4)

The choice of “children with hearing loss” for this website isnotmeant as a slight to the Deaf community who feel that they have experienced no ‘loss’ nor is it meant to reinforce a medical approach to ‘fixing’ persons with hearing loss. In view of the phenomenon of increasing numbers of children identifying themselves only as persons with a ‘hearing problem’ and in recognition that the terms Deaf and hard of hearing are personal identity and cultural choices, it is a sign of respect for this personal choice that the term “children with hearing loss” is used throughout this website.

Kent, B. (2003). Identity issues for hard of hearing adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 in mainstream setting. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 8(3), 315-324.

Information about the Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss logo:

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The ‘hands up’ image in the background of the logo was selected to reflect our commitment to full participation by students with hearing loss; in the classroom, socially, and in their communities. The spiral behind the people was incorporated into the logo to indicate both the interactive nature of communication and the multitude of ways in which hearing loss may impact the life and learning of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing. The woman and child figure represents either a parent and child or a teacher and student. Within the people image, pointing to the ear was chosen to dually reflect both the beginning of the sign for ‘deaf’ and the potential emphasis on listening, thereby embracing both auditory and visual communication modes.

For more information about our team, ordering, and shipping practices please go to theContact Uspage.

Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | About Us (2024)

FAQs

How might you support a child who is hearing impaired? ›

To help them, face them when you talk, talk slowly and clearly, and don't yell. As long as they have their devices on, you can speak in a normal tone. Use lots of pictures, graphics, and text labels. Many students with hearing trouble are visual learners.

What are the 3 major approaches in teaching children with hearing impairment? ›

For students who are deaf and hard of hearing teachers use the following approaches: oral/aural approach, auditory learning, speech reading, and cued speech.

What are the educational outcomes of children with hearing loss? ›

Children with hearing loss have difficulty with all areas of academic achievement, especially reading and mathematical concepts. Children with mild to moderate hearing losses, on average, achieve one to four grade levels lower than their peers with normal hearing, unless appropriate management occurs.

How do we support hearing impaired? ›

Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally, without shouting or exaggerating mouth movements. Shouting distorts the sound of speech and may make speech reading more difficult. Say the person's name before beginning a conversation.

How can we support deaf and hard of hearing students? ›

Ensure the student has access to information: Face the class whenever you are speaking. Ensure all students in your class take turns when speaking. Avoid standing in front of a window. Avoid giving extra information while writing on the board.

What is the most important teaching factor for preventing hearing loss? ›

The best way to prevent noise-induced hearing loss is to protect your ears from loud noises: Move away from loud sounds or speakers. Turn down the volume when listening to music or watching TV. When wearing earphones or earbuds, you should be able to hear conversations around you.

What are four learning strategies that would be most effective for auditory learners? ›

Auditory learning strategies.
  • Utilize podcasts. Give students the options to read articles or listen to podcasts to learn about certain subjects.
  • Record lectures. ...
  • Q&A sessions. ...
  • Call on auditory learners. ...
  • Reward class participation. ...
  • Play background music during silent times. ...
  • Read aloud.
Aug 10, 2020

What are the 2 primary communication methods for children with significant hearing loss? ›

This option consists of two main communication features: ASL and the written form (sometimes the spoken form) of a language, such as English, and is one of the newer education approaches appearing as a recent trend of education for children with hearing loss.

What are four major impacts that hearing impairment can cause on a child? ›

Hearing loss in children can lead to:
  • Delayed speech and language skills.
  • Learning problems in school.
  • Feeling bad about themself.
  • Having trouble making friends.

What are the challenges for deaf children? ›

Deaf children are sometimes bullied or experience stigma, discrimination or inequality because of their deafness. In stressful situations, many deaf children are left anxious because no-one has adequately explained the stress inducing situation to them.

Which are effective teaching strategies for a child with hearing loss? ›

Tips for Teaching Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
  • Obtain the student's attention before speaking. ...
  • Clue the individual who is hearing impaired into the topic of discussion. ...
  • Speak slowly and clearly; but do not yell, exaggerate, or over pronounce. ...
  • Look directly at the student when speaking.

What are some sayings to help with loss? ›

Short Sympathy Quotes and Sympathy Sayings
  • “Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.”
  • “Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
  • “I wish you healing and peace.”
  • “I hope you feel surrounded by much love.”
  • “We are so sorry for your loss.”
  • “We are thinking of you during these difficult times.”
Dec 15, 2021

What is a good quote about hearing? ›

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.” “The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing.” “Sober up, and you see and hear everything you'd been able to avoid hearing before.”

What is a catchy slogan for hearing loss? ›

Give your ears a rest Hearing loss is a huge loss, protect your important tool Life is worth listening to, wear hearing protection Keep calm and protect your hearing power Hearing safety for your future Hearing protection is a sound investment Forgot your hearing protection?

What are the strengths of hearing impaired students? ›

Areas of strengths include free recall, visuospatial recall, imagery, and dual encoding. Phonological encoding and rehearsal appear to be strengths when these strategies are employed.

What are the strengths of deaf students? ›

Some students who are Deaf or hard of hearing can achieve similar results to their peers academically. Some students are strong visual learners, and are able to mentally hold and manipulate visual information (e.g. picture an object and rotate that picture in their mind).

What are some accommodations for students with hearing impairments? ›

While accommodations are individualized, some commonly used accommodations include:
  • Assistive listening devices.
  • Captioned media.
  • Extended time.
  • Glossaries or dictionaries.
  • Individual administration.
  • Frequent breaks.
  • Sign language interpreters.
  • Scribes to record signed or dictated responses.

How are deaf children supported in school? ›

There are several different types of supports that can help to ensure academic success for a deaf child. These include: Appropriate communication techniques. Some deaf children do have limited residual hearing and may be able to benefit from technologies such as FM listening systems and personal acoustic system.

What is the best communication method for students who are hard of hearing? ›

English (PSE) – A combination of ASL and Manual English. Usually signed in English word order and can be used simultaneously with voiced English. It borrows a great many signs from ASL. PSE is used by Deaf people and hearing people to communicate with each other in social and formal situations.

How you can create a positive learning environment for deaf students? ›

Here's what she said:
  1. Ensure comfortable lighting. ...
  2. Reduce visual noise. ...
  3. Sit people in a semi-circle arrangement where everyone can see everything. ...
  4. Only address people from in front and when you have their attention. ...
  5. Use visual supports to explain concepts. ...
  6. Provide notes and resources. ...
  7. Address the student, not the interpreter.
May 19, 2022

Why is early intervention for children with hearing loss important? ›

The earlier a child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing starts getting services, the more likely the child's speech, language, and social skills will reach their full potential. Early intervention program services help young children with hearing loss learn language skills and other important skills.

What are 3 ways to prevent hearing loss? ›

5 Ways to Protect Your Hearing
  1. Turn the volume down.
  2. Walk away from the loud noise.
  3. Take breaks from the noise.
  4. Avoid loud, noisy activities and places.
  5. Use hearing protection.

What are 4 factors of hearing impairment? ›

The most common causes of hearing loss are:
  • Aging.
  • Noise exposure.
  • Head trauma.
  • Virus or disease.
  • Genetics.
  • Ototoxicity.

What are the six most effective learning strategies? ›

These six strategies for effective learning are based on evidence-based research and the science of learning. We will explore: spaced practice, retrieval practice, elaboration, concrete examples, dual coding and interleaving.

What is the best learning environment for auditory learners? ›

Music, video clips and conversations are their ideal way of learning. Auditory learners tend to do well in a traditional school environment listening to lectures, and also contributing to discussions. Multimedia curriculum is also great for improving on their auditory learning skills.

What are the three main learning strategies? ›

The three basic types of learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. To learn, we depend on our senses to process the information around us. Most people tend to use one of their senses more than the others. The following will be a discussion of the three most common learning styles.

What are 5 effective communication tips to help someone with hearing loss? ›

12 Tips for communicating with Deaf patients
  • Book an interpreter. ...
  • Talk directly to your patient, not the person interpreting for them.
  • Make sure you have your patient's attention before talking. ...
  • Maintain eye contact whilst communicating. ...
  • Use normal lip movement. ...
  • Speak at a normal volume.

What is the best method of communication for a deaf child? ›

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL)

Since some hearing parents of deaf or hard or hearing children decide to introduce sign language to their children, these parents may choose to learn sign language along with their children. As with any language, repetition and practice is essential for mastery of that language.

What are the 3 different education options for deaf children? ›

Here are the most common choices:
  • a residential Deaf school, or.
  • a mainstream school, or.
  • a mixed approach in which you mainstream your child for a part of their schooling and then send them to a residential Deaf school for the remainder (or the other way around), or.

How does a hearing impairment affect a child emotionally? ›

It may lower a child's self-esteem and ability for self-expression. If undiagnosed, even mild hearing loss can decrease a child's ability to succeed at school, leaving the child and others to think he isn't trying, doesn't care or isn't bright. Poor scholastic performance only adds to the problem of low self-esteem.

What students with hearing impairments tend to have the most difficulty with? ›

While the ability to hear affects all aspects of academic achievement, perhaps the areas most affected are those involving language concepts. Vocabulary, language arts, sentence structure and idiomatic expressions are extremely difficult for a child affected by hearing loss to grasp.

Which is most likely the cause of the child's hearing loss? ›

Conductive hearing loss is the most common cause of hearing loss in infants and young children. It happens when something is blocking the outer or middle ear and preventing sound waves from reaching the inner ear.

What are two of the most common concerns parents of deaf children have? ›

The unique challenges for parents of deaf children, including communication difficulties, increased medical/audiological care, and educational challenges (Lederberg & Golbach, 2002), may contribute to high levels of parenting stress, though the results of numerous studies with parents of deaf children have been mixed.

What social skills do deaf children have? ›

Social skills that can be learned by children with hearing loss include making eye contact during conversations, saying hello, taking turns during a conversation, being aware of other's feelings, solving problems, maintaining a listening posture and responding to questions.

What is the social impact of hearing loss on children? ›

It causes delay in the development of receptive and expressive communication skills (speech and language). The language deficit causes learning problems that result in reduced academic achievement. Communication difficulties often lead to social isolation and poor self-regard.

What are the 5 phrases of loss? ›

Phrases Containing loss
  • dead loss.
  • it's someone's loss.
  • loss adjuster.
  • loss leader.
  • loss of life.
  • profit and loss.
  • loss ratio.
  • sense/feeling of loss.

What is the greatest loss quote? ›

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside while still alive. Never surrender." ~ Tupac Shakur | SRTK.

What is a powerful quote on listening? ›

You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.” – M. Scott Peck. “Friends are those rare people who ask how we are, and then wait to hear the answer.” – Ed Cunningham. “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk.” – Doug Larson.

What is a famous quote about hearing and listening? ›

“Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking." “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” “The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.”

Should you use short phrases when speaking to someone with hearing loss? ›

Ensure that you speak effectively

Use short, simple sentences. Do not exaggerate your speech or lip movements. Ask questions if you are not sure you understand what the patient is saying. Patients tend to agree with their health are workers, sometimes without understanding what has been said to them.

What is the slogan for ear and hearing care for all? ›

Let's make ear and hearing care for all a reality.

What is the quote about deaf ears? ›

When you speak and your words fall on deaf ears, know that the universe listens.

What are 3 options for deaf education? ›

Here are the most common choices:
  • a residential Deaf school, or.
  • a mainstream school, or.
  • a mixed approach in which you mainstream your child for a part of their schooling and then send them to a residential Deaf school for the remainder (or the other way around), or.

What are three approaches to deaf education? ›

Specifically, three instructional strategies are recommended for teachers: choral responding, response cards, and peer tutoring. These three strategies have been shown to increase active student responding in classrooms for children who are typically developing and children who have disabilities.

What are 3 nursing interventions that you can implement for hearing impaired patient? ›

Interventions:
  • Make sure you have the patient's attention. ...
  • Place signage in the room. ...
  • Use simple and easy-to-understand instructions. ...
  • Encourage the use of alternative communication techniques. ...
  • Help utilize hearing aids.
Feb 26, 2023

What are learning strategies for deaf children? ›

Teaching Strategies
  • Encourage students with a hearing loss to seat themselves toward the front of the lecture theatre where they will have an unobstructed line of vision. ...
  • Use assistive listening devices such as induction loops if these are available in the lecture theatre. ...
  • Ensure that any background noise is minimised.

What are the methods of teaching for deaf and dumb children? ›

Sign language:

It is that type of language which helps to educate the dumb and deaf i.e., those who can not hear and those who can not speak. There are special signs or symbols assigned to the alphabets or letters of the concerned language that the educator uses to translate or to convey the message to the learner.

What challenges do deaf students face? ›

Barriers to language and communication

These behaviors stem from the language and communication barriers that deaf children and young people we work with can face. Late diagnosis and a lack of access to hearing technology means they often have significant language delays.

How do you engage deaf students? ›

Deaf-friendly communication tips
  1. Find out how they like to communicate. ...
  2. Get their attention. ...
  3. Speak clearly. ...
  4. Face the person. ...
  5. Make sure your face is well-lit. ...
  6. Reduce background noise. ...
  7. Write things down. ...
  8. Use gestures.

What not to do when talking to a deaf person? ›

5 mistakes to avoid when communicating with a Deaf person
  1. Covering your mouth, turn around, look down or away while talking. ...
  2. Start talking without being aware of the surroundings. ...
  3. Keep repeating what you said using the same exact words. ...
  4. Shouting or exaggerating mouth patterns. ...
  5. Giving up.
Sep 5, 2022

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