| Barring severe or complete deafness, there are a | | | | all parties, including the student, fully understand the |
| multitude of things you can do to help your child | | | | situation. |
| succeed in the classroom. The reason is that fully deaf | | | | A less common, but incredibly helpful, solution to |
| children require the help of a sign language interpreter | | | | hearing problems is the use of an FM transmitter. The |
| or even their own separate learning environment. | | | | device uses radio frequencies to transmit audio from |
| However, there are accommodations that can be | | | | the teacher to the student. The teacher will wear a |
| made in the classroom for children who are able to | | | | small microphone and the student uses an ear piece |
| use a hearing aid or make use of lip reading. | | | | tuned to the teacher's frequency. These devices are |
| The simplest step that can be taken is to assure that | | | | particularly helpful, given that classrooms are often loud |
| the child sits in the very front of the classroom. Also, | | | | and noisy environments filled with student chit-chat. |
| the teacher should, obviously, be made aware of the | | | | Given that in-ear devices amplify all sounds entering |
| child's condition. The teacher must always remember | | | | the ear, children with auditory problems are sometimes |
| to enunciate clearly and speak loudly. For children that | | | | unable to discern the teacher's voice from all the other |
| utilize a great deal of lip reading, it's important that the | | | | noises. The FM device will allow the child to zone in on |
| teacher try to maintain eye contact with the child. It's | | | | the teacher, even in the midst of chaos. |
| also extremely helpful to the child if the teacher makes | | | | There are also two concerns that should be taken into |
| constant use of an overhead projector and the | | | | account when considering hearing solutions for your |
| chalkboard. This allows the child to focus on what's | | | | child. The first is whether or not the child should be |
| being written instead of always straining to make out | | | | placed in a special-needs school or classroom. This |
| what the teacher is saying. | | | | one largely depends on how bad the auditory |
| Another accommodation that is of great help to a child | | | | problems are. Sometimes a special school or teacher |
| with hearing problems is to have him or her paired with | | | | can better provide for the child's needs. Other parents |
| another student. This allows the child to ask the other | | | | prefer that the child remain in a "normal" school |
| student to repeat what the teacher said, either so that | | | | environment, so that he or she will be better socially |
| lips can be re-read or so that the instructions are | | | | adjusted. That leads us to the other concern: preparing |
| heard again. The other student will, thus, help the child | | | | your child for the inevitable discrimination he or she will |
| and let the teacher continue teaching at the same time. | | | | face in school and outside of school simply for having |
| Of course, helper students should be picked from the | | | | hearing problems. Always remember that people, both |
| more advanced students in the class, given that they | | | | kids and adults, make fun of anything or anyone |
| will have to divert some of their attention to the child | | | | outside of the norm. Therefore, it's important that your |
| with auditory problems and still be able to succeed | | | | child is as best prepared for the mean-spiritedness of |
| academically themselves. It's important to have the | | | | others as possible. |
| helper student's parents' permission and to make sure | | | | |