The sense of hearing is a significant ability and those who have the ability to hear often do not appreciate its benefits. The true importance of hearing is realized by the ones who do not possess the ability. For young children and students who have lived their lives in deafness, education and learning can certainly seem challenging. Since the ability of hearing is something that cannot be improved or brought about in most cases, the teachers must implement special teaching methods in classroom of students.
Teaching the deaf or hard of hearing students does require a certain amount of modification and behavioral changes to the traditional teaching standards. However, including modern techniques into the teaching system would help both the teachers as well as the deaf students.
As important as it is to have a kind of educational system that fits the needs of the deaf students, it is equally important that the environment of the classroom is suitable.
- Deaf students often get tired and distracted from learning since they have to concentrate visually all the time. It is important that the class consists of timely recesses in order to keep the deaf students from tiring themselves out.
- The deaf are often good visual learners. An attractive environment with engaging notice boards, charts and informative posters around the classroom will benefit the students. Visual means of teaching such as pictures, diagrams and word maps are vital in assisting deaf students to learn better.
- While doing an audio video presentation in the classroom, the deaf students may not be able to understand everything clearly. It is necessary that subtitles are included in the videos to assist the deaf students in understanding and learning.
Even though the classrooms may be creative and engaging for the deaf, it is of equal importance that the teaching techniques are also best suited for the deaf students.
- Sign Language: Since sign language is the typical mode of communication for most deaf students, the presence of a sign language interpreter is necessary. The study material can be provided to both, the deaf students as well as the interpreter, so that the interpreter can convey to deaf students what the class teacher is teaching all the students.
- Lip Reading: A majority of deaf students learn to lip read and learn to respond in sign language or sometimes even in speech. The deaf students can benefit by sitting close to the teacher in order to lip read their sentences, which would allow better understanding of lectures.
- Group Activity: The disability of hearing is an isolating feeling in itself and solitude in the classroom deteriorates their learning abilities and self-esteem. Hence, it is important that every opportunity of group work and collective activity is utilized to create an inclusive environment, both for the deaf and hearing students alike. The process of group activity in project works will help the deaf students open up as well as drastically increase their learning capability.
Many deaf students have achieved the best quality of education by the implementation of such measures in the classrooms and learning centers. As the deaf community moves towards an equal position in the society, a strong educational foundation is the basic necessity.