"Who Can Hear A Snowflake Fall?"

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My opening question to everyone today is, “Who can hear a snowflake fall?”  

If we list all the ranges of sound that may or may not be heard by individuals
without hearing impairments or deafness, it should not surprise us that there
are many different ranges of hearing ability.   After all, it is a very rare senior
citizen who does not lose upper or lower registers of hearing, and many seniors
require hearing aids for every range. So let’s look at the definitions of hearing
impairment and deafness.

Deafness/Hearing​ ​Impairments Terminology:  

Students​ ​who​ ​are​ ​deaf​ ​or​ ​hearing-impaired​ ​require​ ​accommodations​ ​determined​

by​ ​three factors:​

• ​the​ ​degree​ ​of​ ​hearing​ ​loss,​ ​
• the​ ​age​ ​at​ ​onset,​
• ​and​ ​the​ ​type​ ​of​ ​language​ ​or​ ​communication system​ ​they​ ​use.​​

They​ ​may​ ​use​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​​communication​ ​methods​ ​including:

• ​​lip​ ​reading​, 
• cued​ ​speech,​ ​
• signed​ ​English​ ​
• and/or​ ​American​ ​Sign​ ​Language. 

Characteristics​ ​of​ ​Deaf​ ​or​ ​Hearing-Impaired​ ​Students:

● They​ ​may​ ​be​ ​skilled​ ​lip​ ​readers,​ ​but​ ​many​ ​are​ ​not.​ ​Only​ ​30​ ​to​ ​40​ ​percent​ ​of​ ​spoken
English​ ​is​ ​distinguishable​ ​via​ ​the​ ​mouth​ ​and​ ​lips​ ​under​ ​the​ ​best​ ​of​ ​conditions.  

● They​ ​also​ ​may​ ​have​ ​difficulties​ ​with​ ​speech,​ ​reading​ ​and​ ​writing​ ​skills,​ ​given​ ​the
close​ ​relationship​ ​between​ ​hearing​ ​and​ ​language​ ​development.  

● They​ ​may​ ​use​ ​speech,​ ​lip​ ​reading,​ ​​hearing​ ​aids​​ ​and/or​ ​amplification​ ​systems​ ​to
enhance​ ​oral​ ​communication.    

● They​ ​may​ ​be​ ​members​ ​of​ ​a​ ​distinct​ ​linguistic and​ ​cultural​ ​group.​ As​ ​a​ ​cultural​ ​group,​ ​
they may​ ​have​ ​their​ ​own​ ​values,​ ​social​ ​norms,​ ​and traditions  

● They​ ​may​ ​use​ ​American​ ​Sign​ ​Language​ ​as​ ​their first​ ​language​ ​with​ ​English​ ​as​ ​their​
​second language.

 Considerations​ ​and​ ​Instructional​ ​Strategies:

● American​ ​Sign​ ​Language​​ ​is​ ​not​ ​equivalent​ ​to​ ​English;​ ​it​ ​is​ ​a​ ​visual-spatial​ ​language
having​ ​its​ ​own​ ​syntax​ ​and​ ​grammatical structure.  

● Look​ ​directly​ ​at​ ​the​ ​student​ ​during​ ​a conversation,​ ​even​ ​when​ ​an​ ​interpreter​ ​is present,​ ​
and​ ​speak​ ​in​ ​natural​ ​tones.  

● Make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​have​ ​the​ ​student’s​ ​attention before​ ​speaking.​ A​ ​light​ ​touch​ ​on​ ​the
shoulder,​ ​a​ ​wave,​ ​or​ ​other​ ​visual​ ​signal​ ​will help.  

● Recognize​ ​the​ ​processing​ ​time​ ​the​ ​interpreter takes​ ​to​ ​translate​ ​a​ ​message​ ​from​
​its​ ​original language​ ​into​ ​another​ ​language. The​ ​student may​ ​need​ ​more​ ​time​ ​to​
​receive​ ​information,​ ​ask​ ​questions,​ ​and/or​ ​offer​ ​comments.  

 

Accommodations​ ​may​ ​include:  

● Seating​ ​that​ ​allows​ ​a​ ​​clear​ ​view​​ ​of​ ​the instructor,​ ​the​ ​interpreter​ ​and​ ​the​ ​blackboard  

● An​ ​unobstructed​ ​view​ ​of​ ​the​ ​speaker’s​ ​face​ ​and mouth  

● Written​ ​supplement​ ​to​ ​oral​ ​instructions, assignments,​ ​and​ ​directions  

● Handouts​ ​provided​ ​in​ ​advance​ ​so​ ​the​ ​student can​ ​watch​ ​the​ ​interpreter​ ​rather​ ​than​
​read​ ​or copy​ ​new​ ​material​ ​at​ ​the​ ​same​ ​time  

● Visual​ ​aids​ ​whenever​ ​possible,​ ​including captioned​ ​versions​ ​of​ ​videos​ ​and​ ​films    

● Using​ ​a​ ​small​ ​spotlight​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​a​ ​view​ ​of​ ​the interpreter​ ​while​ ​showing​ ​films​ ​and​ ​slides  

● Repeating​ ​questions​ ​and​ ​comments​ ​from​ ​other students  

● Note​ ​taker​ ​for​ ​class​ ​lectures​ ​so​ ​the​ ​student​ ​can​ ​watch​ ​the​ ​interpreter  

● Test​ ​accommodations​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​a​ ​word​ ​processor​ ​or​ ​an​ ​interpreter​ ​for directions  

● Providing​ ​unfamiliar​ ​vocabulary​ ​in​ ​written​ ​form,​ ​on​ ​the​ ​blackboard,​  ​or​ ​in​ ​a​ ​handout   

● Use​ ​of​ ​e-mail,​ ​fax,​ ​or​ ​word​ ​processor​ ​for​ ​discussions​ ​with​ ​the​ ​instructor   

● Visual​ ​warning​ ​system​ ​for​ the ​building​ ​the instructor uses

● A​ ​real-time​ ​transcription​ ​requiring​ ​instructor​ ​to​ ​use​ ​a​ ​microphone.​ ​The​ ​text​ ​transcript
is​ then ​visible​ ​on​ ​a​ ​computer​ ​screen​ ​for​ ​student.

Communicating​ ​with​ ​Students​ ​Who​ ​are​ ​Deaf:
   

How​ ​either deaf​ ​or​ ​hearing-impaired​ ​students​ ​communicate​ ​depends​ ​on​ ​their:  

● amount​ ​of​ ​residual​ ​hearing,  

● type​ ​of​ ​deafness,  

● language​ ​skills,  

● age​ ​at​ ​onset​ ​of​ ​deafness,  

● speech​ ​abilities,  

● reading​ ​skills,  

● personality,  

● intelligence,  

● family​ ​environment,​ ​and

● educational​ ​background.  

Students​ ​who​ ​are​ ​deaf​ ​or​ ​hearing-impaired​ ​communicate​ ​in​ ​different​ ​ways:

● speech  

● sign​ ​language,  

● finger​ ​spelling

● writing,  

● body​ ​language,  

● facial​ ​expressions,

● or​ ​a​ ​combination​ ​of​ ​any​ ​of​ ​the​ ​above.

Some​ ​students​ ​are​ ​more​ ​easily​ ​understood​ ​than​ ​others.

The​ ​key​ ​to​ ​communicating​ ​with​ ​each​ ​student​ ​is​ ​to​ ​find​ ​out​ ​which​ ​techniques​ ​work​ ​best.

The​ ​important​ ​thing​ ​is​ ​not​ ​​how ​you​ ​exchange​ ​ideas​ ​or​ ​feelings​ ​but​ ​that​ ​you​ ​succeed​ ​
in communicating​ ​with​ ​them.   

Communicating​ ​with​ ​a​ ​Person​ ​Who​ ​is​ ​Deaf​ ​in​ ​a​ ​One-to-One​ ​Situation:  

● Get​ ​the​ ​student’s​ ​attention before​ ​speaking.​ ​
A​ ​tap​ ​on​ ​the shoulder,​ ​a​ ​wave,​ ​or​​ ​another visual​ ​signal​​ ​usually​ ​works.

If you are unaware that a student may have a hearing impairment, do not assume
they are just ignoring you. It is a good idea to test them with an obvious loud noise.  
Drop a book, clap your hands, or make a noise that should cause a reaction.  
If it doesn’t, then refer them for further testing. It should not be a surprise to any of us,
that hearing is a complex sensory gift.  Few of us have perfect hearing, and although
none of us can hear a snowflake fall, we can still tell it’s falling by the sight of it floating down,
or the cold wet joy of it upon our skin.

Best wishes until next week,
Cheryl Lynn Peele

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