If you know that your child is having a difficult time in the classroom due to hearing loss, early intervention is key. They may be struggling to learn grammar, word order or vocabulary, and the last thing you want is your child falling behind. By law, your child is entitled to assistive tools to aid them in the classroom. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IEP (Individualized Education Plan) allows access to the best possible education for children with any type of disability, even silent ones. They can be provided with speech language therapy, or simply more assistance in the classroom from their teacher.
Know Your Child's Needs
Reinforcing communication strategies in the classroom is critical in order to ensure success and correct learning development. Talk with your child’s teachers to create a game plan on how to better the learning outcomes for your child. After the plan is created and carried out, observe and see if your child is benefitting and making good progress.
Tips:
Have your child sit in the front of the room – This way they are as close as possible to the source of sound and knowledge, their teacher.
Ensure that when the teacher is talking to the student, they are facing them and making direct eye contact.
Implement a FM System or Hearing Amplification System in the classroom – These are microphones worn by the teacher which then can be wirelesslyconnected to the child’s hearing aid or cochlear implant, allowing them direct signal from the teacher.
When watching a movie/film in class, request closed captioning for your child so if they are unable to hear, they can read the words.