According to our textbook, a hearing impairment is a general term used to describe disordered hearing. There are many different degrees of hearing impairments for example, a conductive hearing loss, a sensorineural hearing loss, mixed hearing loss, central hearing disorder, and functional or non organic hearing loss. The degree of hearing loss can be mild to a person having no hearing at all. An audiologist helps people determine the degree of severity of their hearing impairment. The audiologist's evaluation is key in deciding what treatment is necessary to best help the person who is hearing impaired. Hearing loss can be congenital or acquired after birth.
Another topic related to hearing impairments is Education Achievement. Unfortunately most children that have hearing impairments have low academic achievement ratings, and the average amount of years below grade level are three to four grade levels. Math and reading are two subjects that are specifically troubling for those who have hearing impairments and oftentimes, people ages 16-18 have a knowledge base in math equal to that of a 7th grader and a knowledge base in reading equal to a 4th grader. Because of this, assessment of individuals with hearing loss at a young age is very important; it puts together an accurate picture of cognitive, communicative and personal characteristics(Simeonsson & Rosenthal, 2001). All of this information helps teachers and parents together to make an individualized plan to help the child develop academically and socially. Many times children are mistaken as having a learning disability, when actually they may have a hearing impairment. Fortunately, the right educational plan and use assistive technology can significantly improve the quality of educational and everyday life for one who is hearing impaired. Over half of children with hearing impairments are educated in a regular classroom, while smaller percentages
of pupils are in separate classrooms, separate schools or residential facilities. The idea of including children with hearing impairments in the regular school atmosphere as much as possible will help their self esteem, and help the children who aren't hearing impaired be more accepting and compassionate with those who have special needs.
Here are a couple of links that pertain to this material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfN1RPVuz10
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Hearing-Impaired-Students-Strive-to-Overcome-Challenges-in-School-245961281.html?device=phone#.U-QEF97RvXk.mailto
Another topic related to hearing impairments is Education Achievement. Unfortunately most children that have hearing impairments have low academic achievement ratings, and the average amount of years below grade level are three to four grade levels. Math and reading are two subjects that are specifically troubling for those who have hearing impairments and oftentimes, people ages 16-18 have a knowledge base in math equal to that of a 7th grader and a knowledge base in reading equal to a 4th grader. Because of this, assessment of individuals with hearing loss at a young age is very important; it puts together an accurate picture of cognitive, communicative and personal characteristics(Simeonsson & Rosenthal, 2001). All of this information helps teachers and parents together to make an individualized plan to help the child develop academically and socially. Many times children are mistaken as having a learning disability, when actually they may have a hearing impairment. Fortunately, the right educational plan and use assistive technology can significantly improve the quality of educational and everyday life for one who is hearing impaired. Over half of children with hearing impairments are educated in a regular classroom, while smaller percentages
of pupils are in separate classrooms, separate schools or residential facilities. The idea of including children with hearing impairments in the regular school atmosphere as much as possible will help their self esteem, and help the children who aren't hearing impaired be more accepting and compassionate with those who have special needs.
Here are a couple of links that pertain to this material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfN1RPVuz10
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Hearing-Impaired-Students-Strive-to-Overcome-Challenges-in-School-245961281.html?device=phone#.U-QEF97RvXk.mailto