Introduction
It has been suggested that victims with complications related to hearing can feel unhappy with their situations because some are neglected, and discriminated by the public, who refrain from associating with them. Significant adaptations should be made to provide access and equity to all children, including those with disabilities such as hearing impairment. There are main conditions that bring about hearing loss.
They include having difficulties separating voices, a reduced range of hearing. The latter condition can make loud sounds quite intolerable. Some people inherit hearing impairment from their parents. Another cause includes lack oxygen during their time of birth, which affects their hearing condition (Pagliano, 2005).
People who have lost hearing appear frustrated because they are assumed and neglected. In a learning environment, instructors should come up with several approaches to handle these challenges so as to create equality among all children regardless of their hearing abilities.
Teachers
Teachers can assist the hearing impaired children through lip reading. This is a process that helps a learner look at the lips of the instructor to facilitate communication. When learning becomes learner-centred, objectives of the lesson become achievable. This motivates students to have a fundamental teacher-learner rapport.
While attending to hearing impaired children, teachers should ensure that the learners’ attention is caught to avoid distraction. Attention enables learners to dominate the lesson, hence, the achievement of lesson objectives.
Teachers should avoid standing far away from the learners since that may make hearing difficult (Power, 2005). Some individuals believe that deaf students should be addressed loudly. However, this should be discouraged since it distorts the message, thus, affecting communication.
The teacher should identify a sitting arrangement that may enable learners to see the speaker and other learners so as to create harmony during the lesson. Learners who cannot see the instructor and their fellow students may feel out of the lesson.
Writing on the board while talking may affect such learners. This is because they depend on the visual expression to understand the information being passed. In addition, a teacher who may be facing the board lacks class control since some learners may lack attention (Brereton 2008).
Families
According to Brereton (2008) parents play a significant role in the growth and development of hearing impaired children. Families neglect and treat them as inferior according to their cultural beliefs. However, such children need visual and sign language skills to improve their communication.
Parents can seek treatment for hearing impaired children through hearing aids, cochlear implants, which are identified with children of hearing loss (Hyde & Power, 2006).
Families should develop a follow-up initiative that will enable them study their children’s progress in school. When learning involves parents and teachers, it becomes beneficial to the learner. A parent-teacher relationship will enable parents have a close overview of their children’s abilities.
Parents should accept that children who have hearing loss have a distinct identity and should be prepared to learn about the deaf. This can be achieved through open communication to teachers and other parents who have children with similar disabilities. Such parents will share their ideas on education, which will influence the handling of hearing impaired children.
Hearing impaired children should be allowed to interact during school hours where they can come up with games that suit their lifestyles. This will create confidence and boost their self esteem enabling them to soar high in education.
References
Brereton, A. (2008). Sign language use and the appreciation of diversity in hearing classrooms. Journal of International Research & Development, 28(3), 311-24.
Hyde, M., & Power, D. (2006). Some ethical dimensions of cochlear implantation for deaf children and their families. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 11(1), 102-11.
Pagliano, P. (2005). Using the senses. In A. Ashman & J. Elkins (Eds.). Educating children with diverse abilities (2nd ed.). Sydney: Pearson Education Australia.
Power, D. (2005). Models of Deafness: Cochlear Implants in the Australian Daily Press. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 10(4), 451-9.