Question
How can I respond to a child who is deaf or hard of hearing?
Answer
Find out from the parents the degree of child's hearing loss and what that means for the child. Ask the child's parents how to use and care for the hearing aid or their special equipment. Support the child socially. Be sure you have the child's attention before giving instructions. Face the child and speak in full sentences. Use visual cues such as pictures or gestures as you talk.
When teaching children who are hard of hearing or deaf, you can learn a few simple signs to support the child in your classroom. They don't have to be extended sentences, but simple ones as hello, welcome, and well done. You might learn signs for some of the routines that will help the child from one transition to another, such as going to eat, rest/nap time, or bathroom. That could really be beneficial for the child.
Make use of available technology, use lots of visual stimuli, and keep unnecessary noises to a minimum. Speak to children at a normal rate. When you have a child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing, look at the deaf student, not an interpreter. If you have an interpreter who comes to your classroom, always make eye contact and point to your lips and talk to the interpreter, but always have eye contact with the child. Remember that the interpreter will be a few words behind the speaker and it is always important to speak very clearly, but slowly.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Working with Children with Disabilities: Inclusion Works!, in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association, presented by Piret Leonetti, EdD.
