By: Karen F.

Canlapan, LPT, MAED-TLE

Teacher III
1 The Basics of Hearing Impairment:
Learning Characteristics

2 Dealing with a Hearing Impaired

Student in an Inclusive Classroom

3 Practical Teaching Strategies

Communicating with Hearing

4 Impaired Students
 DATA:PREVALENCE

There are 360 million persons

in the world with disabling
hearing loss

This is 5.3% of the world’s population - 32

million of these are children. Disabling
hearing loss is defined as:
• adults (15 years and older): hearing loss
greater than 40 dB in the better hearing ear;
• children (0 – 14 years of age): hearing loss
greater than 30 dB in the better hearing ear.
 DATA:PREVALENCE

• Approximately 0.5-5 of every 1000 infants are

born with or develop in early childhood
disabling hearing loss
• Early detection and
management is important
in providing appropriate
support for deaf and
hearing-impaired babies
that will help them enjoy
equal opportunities in
society.
 DATA:PREVALENCE

• Nearly one out of every

three persons over 65 are
affected by hearing loss.

• Age-related hearing loss can be managed

effectively through a variety of means,
including hearing aids
 HEARING IMPAIRMENT AND DEAFNESS

• A person who is not able to hear as well as

someone with normal hearing – hearing
thresholds of 25dB or better in both ears – is
said to have hearing loss.
• ‘Hard of hearing’ refers to people with hearing
loss ranging from mild to severe.
• ‘Deaf’ people mostly have profound hearing
loss, which implies very little or no hearing.
HEARING LOSS: How Sound is Measured?
HEARING LOSS: Degrees of Hearing Loss
HEARING LOSS: Degrees of Hearing Loss
CLASSIFICATION OF HEARING
IMPAIRMENT.
1. According to the age at onset of deafness
• Congenitally deaf – born deaf
• Adventitiously deaf – born with normal hearing and
became deaf through accident/illness

2. According to language development

• Prelingually deaf – born deaf oer lost hearing
before speech and language were developed
• Post lingually deaf- lost hearing after
development of spontaneous speech and
language
CLASSIFICATION OF HEARING
IMPAIRMENT.

3. According to place of impairment

•conductive hearing loss – hearing loss due
to the interference in the transmission of
sound to and through the sense organ (outer
or middle ear)
•Sensory-neural hearing loss – due to the
abnormality of the inner ear or the auditory
nerve, or both
•mixed hearing loss - combination of both;
sometimes called a flat loss
CLASSIFICATION OF HEARING
IMPAIRMENT.
4. According to degree of hearing loss

Classification Degree of Hearing Loss

27-40 dB
Slight
41-55 dB
Mild
56-70 dB
Moderate
71-90 dB
Severe
91 dB or more
Profound
 CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS
• The causes of hearing loss and
deafness can be divided into
congenital causes and acquired causes
 CONGENITAL CAUSES
• Congenital causes lead to hearing loss being present at
or acquired soon after birth.
• Hearing loss can be caused by hereditary and non-
hereditary genetic factors or by certain complications
during pregnancy and childbirth, including:
• maternal rubella, syphilis or certain other
infections during pregnancy;
• low birth weight;
• birth asphyxia (a lack of oxygen at the time of
birth);
• inappropriate use of ototoxic drugs during
pregnancy; and
• severe jaundice in the neonatal period, which can
damage the hearing nerve in a newborn infant.
 ACQUIRED CAUSES
• Infectious diseases
• Chronic ear infection
• Collection of fluid in the ear (otitis media) can cause hearing
loss.
• Use of ototoxic drugs at any age, such as some antibiotic and
antimalarial medicines for example, can damage the inner ear.
• Head injury or injury to the ear can cause hearing loss.
• Excessive noise
• Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is caused by
degeneration of sensory cells.
• Wax or foreign bodies blocking the ear canal
Among children, chronic otitis media is the
leading cause of hearing loss.
 Half of all cases of hearing loss are
avoidable through primary prevention.
 PRIMARY PREVENTION
• Immunization
• Early screening and treatment
• Improving antenatal and perinatal care
• Referring babies with high risk factors
• Reducing exposure (both occupational
and recreational) to loud noises
• Healthy ear and hearing care practices
ASSESSMENT OF HEARING LOSS
In the absence of an AUDIOMETER, the following simple
tests may be administered:

- Noise Maker - Whisper

Test Test

- Watch-Tick Test - Ballpen-Click

Test
- Command Test - Calling Name
Test
 Significant Observations
1. Watches face, especially the mouth of the
speaker when talked to
2. Makes use of more natural gestures, signs,
movements to express himself
3. Shows strained expression when listening
4. Cocks ear/tilts head at an angle towards the
source of the sound
5. Pays more attention to vibration and vibrating
objects
6. Often asks for repetition of questions or
statements
 Significant Observations

7. Fails to respond immediately

8.Has blank facial expression when talked to
9. Often unable to follow oral
directions/instructions
10.Is less responsive to noise, voice or
music
11.Shows marked imitativeness at work/play
12. Has difficulty associating concrete with
abstract ideas
13. Has poor general learning performance
The Basics of
Hearing
Impairment:
Learning
Characteristics
 “ Hearing impairment is not only the
handicap of not being able to hear. It
encompasses emotional problems, problems
in socialization, in learning disabilities…”
Helen Keller says…
“ The problems of deafness are deeper
and more complex. It is a much worse
misfortune for it means the loss of the
most vital stimulus, the sound of voice,
that brings language, sets thoughts astir
and keeps us in the company of man. “
 1.Vocabulary Deficits
• May see a word but
not be able to
understand its
meaning
• Vocabulary develops more slowly in
children who have hearing loss. The gap
between the vocabulary of children
with normal hearing and those with
hearing loss widens with age
 2. Improper Use of Words and Their
Meanings
• Difficulties with figurative
language (such as alliteration,
similes, metaphors,
personification, and idioms)
• Difficulty understanding abstract
concepts
• Has difficulty with concepts of
time, space, quantity, size, and
measurement
• Word knowledge may be below
expectancy
3. Asks questions and/or responds
inappropriately
• Is slow to respond
during verbal interaction
or following verbal cues
• may also closely watch
their peers to
emulate behavior and
body language
(echopraxia)
4. Inappropriate use of grammar
when talking or writing
• Has problems understanding
rules and patterns for
sentence formation
• Grammar follows different
syntax and order

Teacher, Why no class? Have sun.

PAGASA said typhoon where?
5. Has difficulty breaking words into
sounds and syllable
• Poor spelling skills
• Has problems understanding rules and
patterns for word formation
•Word substitutions
may occur frequently
in reading and writing
6. May isolate themselves from
social situations
• Hesitates or refuses to participate in activities
where speaking is required
• Is inattentive and has difficulty with
concentration
• May not initiate or maintain eye contact
• May become easily frustrated
 IMPACT OF HEARING LOSS

1. It causes delay in the development of

receptive and expressive communication
skills (speech and language).
2. The language deficit causes learning
problems that result in reduced academic
achievement.
3. Communication difficulties often lead to
social isolation and poor self-concept.
 Dealing With
Hearing Impaired
Students in an
Inclusive
Classroom
What is Inclusive Classroom?

An inclusive classroom is a general

education classroom where students
with and without learning differences
learn together. Inclusive classrooms
are welcoming and support the diverse
academic, social, emotional, and
communication needs of all students.
FIVE TIPS FOR TEACHERS OF
STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT

1. Use Captions
2. Make use of available technology
3. Use visual stimulus
4. Consider classroom arrangements
5. Keep unnecessary noise to a
minimum
 PRACTICAL
TEACHING
STRATEGIES:
How Do Children with
Hearing Impairment
Develop Concepts?
Deaf people are VISUAL learners
 Eye Movement

Regressive- to
Jumps
(saccades) check/confirm
Jumps
(saccades)
Pauses Pauses
(Fixations) (Fixations)

Take in important
visual
information
TEACHER’S CHALLENGE:
Help children
become more
rapid and
automatic in
unlocking the
meaning of
words
TEACHER’S CHALLENGE:

Enrich the
child’s
language
“experience”.
Factors influencing comprehension

motivation
interests
vocabulary
Reasoning ability
skills
Prior knowledge
Communicati
ng
with the
Hearing
Impaired
Students
 SIGN LANGUAGE

Sign language is a visual means of

communicating through hand signals,
gestures, facial expressions, and body
language.
It's the main form of communication for the
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community, but sign
language can be useful for other groups of people
as well.
 The Sign Language Continuum

1 2 3 4 5
1. Non-verbal 2. Sign Language 3. Signed English
Communication
-natural gestures, mimes, facial - follows English syntax
-concept-oriented
expressions
- syntax: most important - used by hearing persons
- used by Deaf without formal
concept first who learned sign language
education

4. Finger Spelling 5.Simultaneous

Method
- letters of the alphabet thru hand - speech in conjunction with
signs manual communication
 The Nature of the Language of Signs
1. It is a language of natural gestures and
pantomimes
2. Signs are made within the signing area:
top of the head and just above the
waist
3. The sight-line is an imaginary line
between the signer and the observer
4. The body of the signer greatly aids in
manual signs (ex: tenses, tone,
gender)
5. When the basic sign is initialized, it
 The Nature of the Language of Signs
6. Reduplication of signs denotes
plurality or continuous action
7. Signs are directional
8. Synonyms are signed lightly or
forcefully according to the intent of
the word
9. Antonyms are signed mostly in
reverse of the synonym
10.Very large signs are equivalent
to shouting
 Communicating By Signs
1. Get the deaf person’s attention before
signing
2. Keep your hands and face toward the deaf
person with whom you are speaking
3. Keep your signs and finger spelling
smooth and flowing with appropriate
pauses and rhythm
4. Adjust your signs and finger spelling within
the language level of the deaf with whom you
are communicating.
 Communicating By Signs
5. Put across the proper amount of facial
expressions, body movements and
emphasis
6. Don’t get upset or confused when you
find that there are multiple variations in
a given sign
7. Be patient with the deaf when their
signs appear to be brutally frank
in their expressions.
8. Enjoy signing!
 “Children with a hearing loss are normal
children who do not hear well. Though this
handicap may have a profound effect on
their overall development, they develop
ways to compensate and may sometimes
have a unique way of assimilating what they
see and learn…
So don’t forget to enjoy your teaching
experience. And by the end of the school
year, you will have made a friend for
life.”
-Amanda Mangiardi, SPED Teacher
Sign language is a visual means of
communicating through hand signals,
gestures, facial expressions, and body
language.

It’s the main form of communication for

the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
community, but sign language can be
useful for other groups of people as
well. People with disabilities including
Autism, Apraxia of speech, Cerebral
Palsy, and Down Syndrome may also
find sign language beneficial for
communicating.
Let’s have the following simple and
common used words in sign language.
1. I
2. You
3. He
4. She
5. Mother
6. Father
7. Grandmother
8. Grandfather
9. Friend
10.Enemy
11.Family
Let’s have the following simple and
common used words in sign language.
1. Hello
2. Bye
3. Yes
4. No
5. Please
6. Like
7. Thank you.
8. Good
9. Bad
10.Sorry
11.Happy
12.Beautiful Ugly
Let’s have the following simple and
common used phrases in sign language.

1. I love you
2. I like you
3. I am happy
4. Good morning
5. Good afternoon
6. Good evening
Let’s have the following simple and
common used questions in sign language.

1. What is your name?

2. Where do you live?
3. How are you? I am fine.
4. How old are you?
5. Who is your mother?Father?
6. When?
Let’s Practice