Pictures Exchange Communication System (PECS)
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PECS is a systematic way to teach children how to communicate with someone else by handing them a picture of what they would like to say/want. This originally was created for children with autism, but it can also be a useful tool for nonverbal children as well.
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The intent of this implication is to provide an alternative means of communication for a children, to enhance cognitive skills to display their thoughts (Bruce & Borders 2015).
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To be adjusted to children with hard of hearing, the instructor can sign the word(s) on the picture, while mouthing the word to allow for comprehension to take place.
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Hall et al., (2001) suggests that teachers support hard of hearing students by frequently checking to ensure the child understands information provided in class. Educators can provide an alternative suggestion in assigning a hearing peer to assist the hearing impaired child, to be an active participant in school activities, for those times the teacher is preoccupied with other students. This in turn, will capture the essence of children who have a hearing impairment to form a close bond with their peers.
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Educators, families, and peers need to, “learn to read” the facial expression of the child in order to have feedback about his/her understanding of material presented. PECS can help in identifying these facial expressions as the children can continue to outline their emotions, through hand signing and pointing to the desired picture.
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In regards to pictures, allow the children with the hearing impairment to be part of story time. Through incorporating a story with bright, clear pictures, and gestures it gives clues on to what the tone of the story implies. This can allow children with the hearing impairment to be included within classroom discussions.
Amplification Device (Hearing Aids)
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Hearing impaired students face many challenges in our audio saturated world. Educators need to be aware and sensitive to those challenges when developing school programs. Failure to be sensitive, results in challenging learning dynamics causing frustration for the hearing impaired student, that could lead to classroom management problems for the teacher (Marschark, et al., 2011).
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Environmental noise is one of those challenges that schools need to address more seriously because it interferes so much with support for hearing-impaired students. Teacher awareness comes from maintaining close communication with the student, the parents, the speech pathologist, and community agencies. This communication is imperative in developing proper support services for the child.
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Electronic hearing aids have three parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker as they are placed on the bone directly behind the ear or inserted. “Plastic tubing carries the amplified sound to a part of an amplification device that is fitted to the individual ear” (Allen et al., 2011, p. 151).
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The student with a hearing device will use more energy in having to concentrate on sound from a direct source like a teacher, while blocking out environmental noise like the humming of lights or air conditioners.
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A student with hearing loss will therefore expend much more energy coping than a student without hearing loss.
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Schools haven’t thoroughly addressed environmental noise in the classroom, as “too many classrooms have been found to be excessively noisy and not appropriate for the learning of a hearing-impaired child using amplification” (Hall et al., 2001, p. 147).
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Background noise proves to have the greatest effects on the hearing ability of children with mild hearing losses. Therefore, teachers need to be acutely aware of their teaching environment and adapt accordingly if possible. Adaptations can start with basic things like ensuring heating and air conditioning systems, fans, and lights are all working properly to alleviate unnecessary vibrations or hums in the class.
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“The teacher should be fully informed about a hearing-impaired child’s performance standards and potential” in order to develop a program with realistic goals for the child to achieve (Hall et al., 2001, p. 147).
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Speech and language therapy is also used with hearing aids as the speech and language pathologist work one on one with the child as well as, the families and educators to develop strategies to bring out communication. An example would be lip reading, allowing the child to physically practice jaw movements while communicating with the pathologist as they exaggerate mouth movements (Speech and Language Kids, 2017).
American Sign Language (ASL)
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The most common strategy in emphasising communication with children who are deaf or hard of hearing is the American Sign Language (ASL). When speaking, words are produced by using voice and mouth to make sounds, however for people who are deaf, the sounds of speech are not heard and only the movement.
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Parents and educators who are able to make the decision to use ASL with their children, will need to attend ASL as a second language classes, before their child can begin the language acquisition process. All of this is happening simultaneously with the pressures and responsibilities of normal life at home and at school.
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Despite the good intentions of many hearing parents, it is doubtful that the child with a hearing impairment will enter school with the same language skills as his or her hearing counterparts (Shantie & Hoffmeister, 2000).
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In a classroom setting, there is usually a trained educator(s) or even an interpreter in ASL to communicate with the children that are deaf and hard of hearing.
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Working with families the educator, needs to be sensitive to the social, academic and emotional challenges, thus an emphasis in lipreading as the educator can be face to face when interacting with children and to be at their level.
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With the advancements of technology, individuals can learn sign language through various of resources. The ASL App is a free software that can be downloaded on any Android or Apple device that was created by individuals that are deaf. This application will show the parents, educators and peers different ASL gestures to maximize learning by all children and teachers (Click here to find out more information about the app).
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Having the entire class learn ASL can benefit the student with the hearing impairment by allowing communication with everyone to feel included and not isolated by the disability. As well as, while the typically developing children are learning another language, this creates a sense of understanding and acceptance through supporting their peers, having the same educational opportunity.
FM System
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This is another amplification system that helps reduce background noise. These devices work like a radio stations. They can be connected to the typical hearing aids and the child may wear a small plastic necklace in which in return the teachers clip a microphone to their clothing, to directly transmit their voice into the receiver worn by the child (Allen et al., 2011, p. 152).
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While using the FM System, it is important that the educator uses brief, and complete sentences while talking in a clear and slow pace. It is important that peers, educators and parents to to sit across from the child while talking to encourage lip reading (Allen et al., 2011, p. 152).
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Due to the downside of technology, there may be complications with the amplification system. Educators need to communication with parents to ensure that the amplification device is tested regularly, fits the child’s ear, and confirming the child can hear sounds to allow the child to be an active participant in the classroom.
Cochlear Implants
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An electronic computerized device surgically implanted into the inner ear (cochlear) that transmits sound to allow the brain to interpret. A sound processor worn behind the ear, captures sounds and turns it into digital code powered by a battery (Allen et al., 2011, p. 153).
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The implant then converts sound through a coil on the outside of the head, and sends electrical impulses to the cochlea to stimulate the cochlea's hearing nerve, then towards the brain for interpretation (Shantie & Hoffmeister, 2000). It provides the ability to function and communicate socially and academically in school and home setting.
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Unfortunately there are not always sources of funding readily available when your child’s hearing loss is diagnosed and the child needs to start wearing hearing aids as these may be experience. In Ontario, parents with children with a disability can receive a grant to cover some disability costs and a portion of approximately $24,000 to get this surgery done (Sheppard, 2011). Some schools and audiologists, have loaner hearing aids that can be used until parents figures out the income to afford the funds for the hearing aids (Shantie & Hoffmeister, 2000).
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Children who receive a cochlear implant should not restrict not using ASL and should continue to practice many forms of language in providing alternatives to communication (Allen et al., 2011, p. 153).