Special Educators - Current & Past Questions

Current Question:

Q. I'd like to find a source that lists side by side the pros and cons for both ASL programs and oral mainstream programs so I can present this information to parents in a straight forward impartial way. Where can I find something like that especially as it applies to learning reading and writing skills?

Also where can I find stats that describe what the typical reading/math levels for ASL program graduates? How many ASL graduates with moderate to severe losses go on to college verses those students that graduate from oral programs with similiar losses?

A. While we are unable to answer your question directly, we recommend that you read and contact the following sources to assist you.

Gallaudet Demographic Studies on website http://gri.gallaudet.edu/

"Performance Aspects of Mainstreaming" by Ann E. Geers, in Hearing-Impaired Children in the Mainstream , edited by Mark Ross, York Press 1990

"Factors Predictive of the Development of Literacy in Profoundly Hearing-Impaired Adolescents," Ann E. Geers and Jean Moog, Volta Review February/March 1989

Contact Donald Moore at Gallaudet Research Institute
 

Past Questions:

Q. I am teaching a severely hearing impaired child in the fall, and I am trying to prepare an action plan in order to help her in my class. Her IEP states she will wear her FM system in class
every day. This is something she has failed to do in the past. Her parents are frustrated because she continually "loses" or "breaks" her system. 

My job, as teacher, is to make sure she uses the FM system, and I feel she probably doesn't like to wear it because it makes her "different" from the other children.

I would like info that will help me make her fifth grade year the most successfull ever, be proud of her differences, help other students understand she is a normal person, and prepare her
for the future. 

I also know she has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) but I wonder if this is more because she doesn't know what is going on aroud her, so she acts up, or truly can't do work because she
doesn't understand. 

I will have 30 children in my room, so I need a plan that will help her without taking away from the others.


A. Valerie Frigo, Mainstream Coordinator, The Moog Center for Deaf Education responds: 

First, let me say how wonderful, as a teacher, your attitude is to this student with special needs. Rather than feel burdened by the "extra" responsibility of having a child with differences in your class, you seem delighted and are willing to do what the child needs to have a successful year. Thank you! 

FM systems are difficult for children of this age to wear because, as you so astutely pointed out, it makes them different. Losing or breaking the FM is not unusual at this age. There are a few things to consider. 

1.The most important is how much benefit is the child receiving from the FM and is it enough for her to notice. (I am a strong proponent of FMs and believe they benefit hearing-impaired students in the mainstream tremendously.) We have the most success with an older child wearing again FM if she realizes how much it helps her. I have some students who are really lost without their FM and so they don't notice the "differentness" of the FM as much as of them being left out by not hearing. One way to find out how much it is helping her is by audiologic testing. Another approach is to ask her about how much she thinks it helps her. When she does loses it or it's broken, does she do ok? Is she easily frustrated? She is old enough to be able to talk about the benefits and how much more she can get with the FM and how much she would miss without it. It would be ideal if she felt like she was given a choice and chose to wear it because it really helped her.

2. If the FM system is an older one, with a loop, or wires, then the chances are it does break quite often. It could be that it is time for a new one in which case she could get "boots" that fit on the bottom of her hearing aid and there are no wires. The boots just make the hearing aid a little bigger but definitely take away the obvious and cumbersome loop or wires. Perhaps the school district or parents can look into getting her a more appropriate FM system that she will not resist wearing and that will not breakdown frequently.

3. One way that we have had success with helping the child feel proud of her differences is by doing a peer in-service for the other students in the class where they learn about hearing loss (or other differences) but stress the similarities all the students have. Also, in the peer in-service I demonstrate the FM system, let the other students listen to it and tell them that they will wear it too when they give reports or speak in front of the class. All the students think the FM is cool and many have said they wanted one too. So having the other students become familiar with the FM, to wear it and hear it, helps the hearing impaired student accept it.

4. Is it ADD or not hearing? That is a hard question to answer. Many hearing-impaired student also do have diagnosed ADD, in addition to their hearing loss, but some hearing impaired kids may be labeled with ADD as a result of not hearing what is going on, not knowing appropriate ways of getting attention and poor behavior management. This student may well be diagnosed with ADD but she may also not understand what is going on in class, especially without the FM and during class discussions, so her behavior may be a result of several factors. If she has been diagnosed by a doctor and is taking medication then you must trust the doctors diagnosis. But you can also consider that she may also not be attending because she is not understanding, in which case many things can be tried. We suggest checking the hearing-impaired student's comprehension quite often during class (privately or in a group, as you would any other student) by asking open-ended questions. If you ask a yes or no question you will not really know if the student understands. But if you ask, "What are you supposed to do?" or "What is your homework?" you will know by her response if she is understanding directions and following class discussions.

In summary, the best recommendation I can give is to get to know the student by meeting with her one-on-one often. Ask her about the FM, if she can understand you, if she can understand the other students, what you can do to help her, setup a private signal system for her to tell you if she is confused or didn't hear something, in other words, become her confidante. If you establish this relationship early on and you approach these issues proactively then you hopefully will be able to help her while not taking away from the other 29 students in your class. Again,
thank you for your concern and asking for help. If you have any more specific questions I would be happy to answer them. 

Q. In our state there is educational assessment testing in 5th grade. My daughter has been in the mainstream, she is in 5th grade in a learning support classroom. The teacher says that she is at 4th grade level. Do you recommend that she take the state assessment or not? The school claims that no learning support students take it because of self esteem.

A. It is hard to give an definite answer without knowing the exact level at which the child is functioning. In general, if the school's policy is that students in the "learning support classroom" don't take the tests, I would follow the school's recommendations. I have heard arguments for students taking the tests as well as for students not taking them. Some important things for parents to think about is why do you want the student to take the test? What purpose would it serve? What would it show? As long as the student is getting other speech/language, achievement, and cognitive tests on a regular basis to evaluate present level and progress, then taking the state mandated tests may not serve a purpose. It is also critical to remember if parents do decide to have their child take the state test that appropriate accommodations be provided to the child.

Q. Our grandson, is profoundly deaf in his left ear. The school system says he is having problems "processing information" but REFUSES to believe it could have anything to do with his deafness. Isn't it possible due to the fact he is deaf in his left ear and is mainly having problems with "verbal directions" this could be part or all of the problem?

A. Yes. It is entirely possible that the "processing problem" is due to hearing loss. Contact your grandson's audiologist. Sometimes an FM system can be of help in educational environments. We are unable to give you more specific advice without more details of his situation. The audiologist should be able to offer assistance and suggestions.

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