Deaf Friendly Teaching Guide

Teaching can always be a challenge, but preparation is key!  Whether you’re teaching in:

  • Primary School
  • Junior School
  • Secondary School
  • And so on

It is vital to provide access and understanding for your students. So what do you do if you have deaf students?

Well, firstly, don’t panic, no dramatic changes are needed, and even just the basics of deaf awareness will be efficient enough to provide a great environment for deaf students.

Our friends over at National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) have created a very helpful video entitled ‘Tips for teaching deaf children with mild hearing loss”

 



5 Tips For Teaching Children With A Mild Hearing Loss



 1. Reduce Background Noise


–          Close any doors and windows that are not in use
–          Turn off any unused equipment


2. Ensure They Can Read Your Lips


If you’re hearing, what are some of the obstacles you face when trying to speak to someone?
Perhaps people walk away whilst talking to you and into another room, making it a challenge since you can’t hear through walls!  Maybe it’s the different range of accents or lack of ‘Insert spoken language here’?
 
Well, if you’re deaf, it is crucial you can read the lips of the speaker. To help do this, you can:
–     Ensure the room is well lit

–     Position any deaf students near the front so they can easily see the teacher


3. Make Sure You Get Their Attention

 
If you’re deaf, you don’t always know when someone is talking or when they are talking to you. As a teacher, you can help the student by:

–    Getting their attention before talking to them, a simple wave or tap on the table should suffice

 

4. Plenty Of Breaks


We all need this one!  We all get tired and lose our energy, needing small breaks to recharge our batteries. So for a deaf person, having to concentrate on a person’s lips without breaking eye contact can get tiring.  Even just a simple 5 minute break should be enough to get everyone back in the right frame of mind and ready to learn!

5. Make Use Of Technology


Audio equipment that helps to magnify the sound waves, enabling a deaf child equal access to the information being taught, is crucial in promoting and enabling equality in the classroom.

 


Key Points To Keep In Mind
– Those with hearing loss will miss up to 50% of what is said in class
– Less than 1/2 of students that are deaf will get 5 GCSEs A*-C
It is worth keeping in mind these points but also worth stating that with equal access to information, deaf children can excel in their studies.
 
Deaf people are just like:
– Intelligent
– Sporty
– Aspiring
– Open-minded
– And Cheeky!
As their hearing peers, the only difference is having that access to information!
 
We hope you found this information beneficial and interesting. Until next time 🙂

 

Related Articles:

Deaf Friendly Schools Guide