School Essentials
Getting Ready for School
Teachers have a great impact on any child’s ability to learn. Working with children with hearing loss requires a support network of individuals in order to develop an appropriate educational plan. Members of this support network include: the parents, classroom teacher(s), itinerant resource teacher, speech and language therapist, audiologist, hearing instrument specialist.
Teachers should:
- continually observe and monitor the progress of the hearing impaired child
- develop a list of staff responsibilities
- provide in classroom training on hearing loss, how to use both hearing aids and assistive listening devices such as FM
- making sure regular visits are made by the teacher of the deaf
- visually inspect both hearing aids and FM systems
Coping strategies for self image and social acceptance:
- identifying the hearing loss and helping the student understand his\her hearing loss (dependent on age)
- helping other students understand hearing loss
- develop a coping strategy program
- identifying what attributes make the hearing impaired student a valued classmate
Recommended equipment to have in the classroom:
- battery tester
- hearing aid stetoclip
- air blower to remove debris and moisture from the tubing
- extra batteries for both hearing aid and FM system
Classroom tips:
- remember to speak naturally and clearly without over emphasizing lip movements
- make sure the teacher’s face is clearly visible — face the class, not the blackboard when speaking
- request an in class instruction on how to use hearing aids
- ask other children if they have heard or understood making sure not to focus on the hearing impaired child
- seat the pupil for optimal listening and visual cues not at the front or back of the classroom
- make sure there are no bright lights shining in the students face. This may make it hard for the hearing impaired child to see visual cues
- introduce a buddy system or note taker to help with topics that are missed
- understand some pupils will use hearing loss as an excuse for incomplete work
- noise made by moving chairs and desks may interfere with a child’s ability to hear. Soft tennis balls may be cut and stuck on to the legs of chairs and desks to absorb the noise made by rubbing against the floor
FM SYSTEMS
Hearing in a classroom environment especially with a hearing loss can be tremendously difficult. An FM system can work with or without a child's hearing aids to enhance the speaker's voice for better speech understanding.
The person speaking (e.g. teacher) wears a mini microphone that is usually worn 6 inches below the mouth. The pupil wears a form of transmitter either body worn or ear level depending on the system. The pupil may sit anywhere in the classroom and hear the teacher's voice as if it were 6 inches away.
All FM systems basically reduce the distance voice has to travel which also dramatically reduces background noise and echo.
Types of FM systems
- Body worn wired system: This system has both a body worn transmitter and receiver. The speaker (e.g. teacher) would wear a body worn transmitter which is linked to either a lapel microphone or boom microphone. The pupil would also wear a body worn receiver which links to the hearing aids via a "y" cord and audio shoes which plug into the bottom of the hearing aids.
- Wireless FM system: This system usually has a transmitter which is worn by the speaker (e.g. teacher) but the pupil has no body worn receiver. The receiver(s) plug directly into the audio shoes which in turn directly plug into the hearing aids. The pupil wears no body worn electronics.
- Free Field FM system: With this device, the teacher's voice is projected through speakers strategically placed in the room. This system enhances the teacher's voice making listening easier for all pupils in the class. Free field systems have been used successfully for pupils with mild hearing loss, listening difficulties and attention problems.
Union Hearing Aid Centre – 416.364.2264 – 1.866.269.8880 – info@uhac.ca