Becoming ‘Deaf’ Aware in the class room and at Reception Communication Tactics: This short training session will improve your communication skills and confidence to help break down the barriers faced by people who are Deaf or have a hearing loss.

Aims By the end of this session you should be able to … Identify solutions to situations where people who are Deaf/hard of hearing face communication barriers a better understanding of the impact of a hearing loss on language and learning. Recognise and respond to the different ways Deaf people communicate. Demonstrate how to engage and communicate with Deaf people.

Nope – I can’t hear ya!

Understanding Sound. Sound is an invisible vibration that travels in waves. Sounds can vary in loudness and pitch. We measure loudness using decibels (dBs) We measure pitch using frequencies (Hz) So speech is a combination of articulated high and low sounds that can be loud or quiet.

The ‘sciency graphy’ bit… Look closely at the graph- what does it tell you about… Everyday sounds Speech sounds Use this knowledge to think about the job your ears and brain have to do to listen.

How deaf? Mild deafness: 20-40 dB Would hear a baby crying or music from a stereo but may be unable to hear whispered conversation. Moderate deafness: 41-70 dB Would hear a dog barking or telephone ringing but may be unable to hear a baby crying. Severe deafness: 71-95 dB Would be able to hear a chainsaw or drums being played but may be unable to hear a piano or a dog barking. Profound deafness: >95 dB Would be able to hear an articulated lorry or aeroplane noise but not hear a telephone

An Audiogram The red line is the test for the right ear The blue line is the test for the left ear Say what you see. What do you think the grey shaded area represents?

Understanding Deafness There are different types of deafness- depending on the part of the ear affected It can be in one ear or both It can be acquired or be from birth (congenital) It can be temporary or permanent There are differing degrees of deafness Deafness does not fit into one category 2 people with the same degree of hearing loss may experience sounds differently! Levels of hearing/deafness can change over time It can accompany differing needs/disabilities DEAFNESS IS ALWAYS ‘INDIVIDUAL’ “Being deaf just means being different.”

I SAID CAN YOU HEAR ME!!!!!!!

Yes I’ll have some cornwall please Challenges Deaf people may not hear all the words that are spoken AND all the individual sounds within a word. Deaf people may have a limited vocabulary because they do not hear different words being used in conversations around them and may not be confident that they have heard a new word correctly. Think they have understood fully and not realise that they have missed out on important information! Where is Newquay? Yes I’ll have some cornwall please In Cornwall?

Glasses correct vision…Hearing Aids correct hearing? Hearing aids do not restore typical hearing levels. Hearing aids work by making the sounds going into the ear louder. It is important to remember all noise, including background noise, is amplified making communication difficult in noisy environments. Digital hearing aid Cochlear implant

Unlocking Listening. Digital hearing aids and cochlear implants are programmed ( across a range of frequencies) to ‘match’ closely the variations in the child's hearing for each ear. They are highly technical pieces of sophisticated equipment- they can break, work inconsistently, malfunction, cost a lot of money, and can be misused.

Watch my lips.

OMG!- a Deaf person in MY class! Top Ten tips for successful communication … Work together- ‘mini team’ Share planning Seating Background/Lighting and distance Quiet working conditions Visual and vibrational distractions? Clear lip patterns & speech Fingerspell? Facial expression and gesture Check understanding Repeat/rephrase

Keep Calm and Carry on! Deaf people are given many opportunities to mix socially with hearing within and outside the classroom. Strategies used to help include deaf people will benefit ALL learners. There are a team of ‘specialist’ staff in college to guide and support you.

The key to unlocking the potential within each individual learner lies in all of us working closely together. We each have unique strengths, knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of Deaf peoples needs and the best ways of supporting them on their learning journey. We all contribute to providing a rich and stimulating educational setting in which Deaf people flourish. Where we strive to give every learner the opportunity to experience success and to achieve as high a standard as possible.