All children deserve the chance to excel in school, regardless of challenges like hearing loss. While parents usually serve as a child’s primary advocates, teachers and school administrators can also take steps to proactively support hard of hearing kids in the classroom. Whether it involves providing access to additional resources, setting up classrooms to maximize acoustics, or utilizing FM systems, many options can help children achieve their academic and extracurricular goals.

Why Kids Need Access to Sound

In a standard learning environment, the ability to hear makes it easier for children to keep up with lessons, participate in classroom and social conversations, and fully engage in sports and events. For students with conductive, mixed, or single-sided hearing loss, day-to-day challenges often include the following:

• Hearing an educator’s voice clearly over the chatter of classmates or echoes in auditoriums
• Contributing to in-class discussions
• Participating fully in lunchroom, gym, and playground activities

While having a hearing aid like a bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) improves access to sound, it might not be enough in every situation. Fortunately, there are steps parents and educators can take to make learning and fun more accessible.

Ideas for Parents of Hard of Hearing Children

The following are suggestions for parents to set their kids up for success.

Share your child’s hearing test results with the school.

This includes a current audiogram and speech-and-noise test results, which together provide a more complete explanation of the child’s hearing capabilities. These tests serve as a baseline view of the type and degree of hearing loss (from the audiogram) and how the child functions with their hearing (from the speech-and-noise test). Utilizing these results together aids educators in figuring out the best approach to meeting a hard-of-hearing student’s needs. 

Keep the lines of communication open.

Maintain regular communication with teachers and administrators, not only during scheduled conferences, but on an as-needed basis. Children, especially young ones, may be unable to express the challenges fully or accurately that they’re experiencing in school. Parents are best positioned to help them manage their hearing loss and provide insight into the struggles they have encountered previously or are currently experiencing.

Also, parents should regularly touch base with their child about how school is going. Letting kids know their opinions and concerns are valued and taken seriously will encourage them to be honest and share their first-hand experiences, good and bad. 

Ask for accommodations.

Many parents and educators don’t know what a child has the right to receive with regards to support and accommodations at school. The best way for parents to learn about these is from their hearing care professional, other families who have already dealt with the same issues, or trustworthy online resources.

For example, if an FM system, use of a microphone, or something else would make it easier for a child to keep up in school, then ask for it. Educators can’t provide what they don’t know is needed or might not even know what assistive devices are available.

Tips for Teachers and Administrators

Educators can use the following to improve the learning experience for students with hearing loss.

• Repeat or rephrase lesson content when asked
• Enunciate when speaking and maintain a level volume
• Incorporate written instructions or visual cues into lessons
• Make sure facial expressions and mouth movements are visible by facing the class during lectures and discussions
• Ensure the classroom has adequate lighting
• Enhance classroom acoustics by closing doors to minimize hallway noise, use carpets and wall coverings to reduce echoes, and position kids with hearing challenges away from sources of noise (e.g., air conditioning vents).
• If provided, follow the guidelines laid out in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) plan
• Using an EduMic or similar microphone that streams audio directly into the child’s hearing processors

Help Schoolkids with Bone Conduction Devices Succeed

Supporting children with hearing challenges, particularly those who use a BAHS like the Ponto™ System, requires parents and educators to work together. Together, they can create a supportive and inclusive environment and empower students to achieve their educational goals regardless of hearing ability.