Title: Hearing Impairment: Teaching Strategies for an Inclusive Classroom - BrightHub Education
Headings: Hearing Impairment: Teaching Strategies for an Inclusive Classroom
Hearing Impairment: Teaching Strategies for an Inclusive Classroom
Page content
Considering Inclusion
Hearing Impaired Children In The Mainstream Classroom
Communication Strategies
Embracing Acceptance
Encouraging Self-Advocacy Skills
References
This post is part of the series: Inclusion and Disabilities

Content: It is important for everyone to wait until the student with hearing loss knows who to turn their attention to, before beginning to speak. Embracing Acceptance
One way to encourage feelings of inclusion and confidence when teaching children with hearing impairments in the regular classroom, is for teachers to familiarize themselves with fingerspelling or basic sign language. School districts that have the means to offer hearing children an extracurricular course in sign language can help to foster communication and friendships for students with hearing difficulties. Peers and school staff can access online simulators to gain an understanding of what it might be like to have a hearing loss. It would be helpful if they learned that hearing aids amplify every noise in the classroom, not just the teacher’s voice. This might help them to keep extraneous noise, such as tapping pencils and side conversations, to a minimum. It is often helpful for the student with hearing loss, their parents or an educator to teach basic communication strategies to peers, at the beginning of the school year. Additionally, peers will benefit from learning about the technology they may see throughout the school year. Understanding equipment like hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems will eliminate any fear or anxiety about these devices, increasing the chances of positive interactions with the students who use them. Encouraging Self-Advocacy Skills
When students with special needs attend general education classes, it is essential that they learn how to get their needs met early on.