The educational implications of hearing loss vary according to;
- The type and degree of hearing loss
- When the hearing loss and diagnosis occurred
- If the loss is in one ear or two
- Whether the loss is constant
A hearing loss may impact on a child’s ability to:
- Access information in a noisy classroom environment
- Hear and understand new vocabulary
- Understand new concepts particularly if they are language based
- Interact within a group discussion activity
- Develop phonic skills for literacy.
- Make friends due to difficulties with social interaction
How can you help at home
- Set up a good routine for checking and wearing hearing aids
- Talk through work at home and check your child has grasped new vocabulary and reinforce the vocabulary by using it at home.
- Read with your child in a quiet environment away from the television so they can hear more clearly –draw their attention to sounds they may not hear in a word.
- Practise spellings at home and point out visual patterns. Point out sounds they may not hear.
- Encourage your child to talk about their school day –if they are repeatedly complaining about the level of noise and being unable to hear discuss this with the class teacher or the advisory teacher from the Hearing Support Service.
