Hearing Tips & Resources - District (2016)

How to Use A Sign Language Interpreter Effectively – For Teachers

Speak Clearly. The interpreter needs to understand what you are saying. Only permit one person at a time to speak.
Speak at a normal pace. If you know you talk very quickly, try to slow down a bit. The interpreter needs time to translate your spoken words. Remember the interpreter is a few words behind you.
Look and speak directly to the student, not the interpreter. Please do not say to the interpreter, “tell Johnny” to do something.
The interpreter translates everything you say.
Give the interpreter an opportunity to take a break.
Remember the interpreter is your colleague, too.

Communication Tips

Tips for Parents

Decrease the distance between you and the listener. Hearing aid microphones only pick up speech within five feet.
Don’t eat, drink, or chew gum while speaking.
During conversation, turn off the radio, television, and other distractions.
Wait until passing noises subside.
Save important talk for quiet environments.
Be sure the listener is ready to hear you.
Face him so he can see your lips
Lighting should be above or in front of you, never behind you.
Face him and talk directly to him so the volume of your voice doesn’t fluctuate. Don’t move around.
Speak louder and enunciate clearly, but don’t exaggerate sounds and don’t shout.
Rephrase, don’t repeat.
Introduce topics clearly, as well as transitions. For example, “Johnny (pause), I want to talk about your homework.”
Expose your child to as many learning experiences as you can so that he will learn vocabulary and understand concepts when he encounters them in school.
Communicate with your child. Learn the communication mode of your child if it is sign language or Cued Speech. When communication breakdowns occur, draw, write or refer to real objects.

Tips for Teachers

Have the student sit near or in front of you so that he/she may lip-read or make use of residual hearing.
Face the class when speaking to facilitate lip-reading. Talk normally. Do not shout. Avoid chewing gum, food, biting a pencil or covering your mouth while talking. Rephrase your statement if it is not understood the first time.
Move away from noisy areas or source of noise. Close classroom door to reduce background noise.
Deaf/Hard of Hearing students need visual access to information. Use written language to supplement auditory information. Write assignments on the board. Maximize the use of media, such as captioned videos and smart-boards.
Write key words, especially new vocabulary on the board. Write the words and definitions in a prominent place or distribute a vocabulary list. Beware of idioms and unusual use of sentence structure or vocabulary (e.g. multiple meanings, slang, etc.)
Timing is important. When using charts, maps, handouts, or writing on the board, pause to allow the student an opportunity to look at the material, then resume speaking. He/She cannot look at written materials and speech-read at the same time.
Videos are extremely difficult for Deaf./HOH students to understand due to difficulty lip-reading and invisible narrators. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR Instructional Technology Coordinator (ITC) TO HELP YOU SET UP CAPTIONING FOR VIDEO PRESENTATIONS.
Repeat P.A. messages (or write them down) for the Deaf/HOH student. Having a posted copy of P.A. announcements in the classroom is extremely helpful.
In a class discussion, keep the pace slow enough for the Deaf/HOH students to be able to seek out and observe the speaker. Enforce hand-raising rules, point to the speaker. Notify the Deaf/HOH student when you are changing the topic.
Repeat questions asked by other students before giving the answer.
If the student agrees, select a willing peer to take notes and provide copies. A reliable student should be selected, not necessarily a friend of the Deaf/HOH student. The notes can be exchanged after class.
It will be difficult for the Deaf student to hear when the class works in small groups in the same space. The deaf student’s group should be allowed to work in a quieter location.
Do not have students take turns reading aloud from their books when a deaf/HOH student is in the group.
An interpreter will accompany some Deaf/HOH students. The interpreter will be interpreting everything the teacher and other students say. Remember to look direct at the Deaf/HOH student and not at the interpreter.

Resources:

The following links to information and resources on services for students with hearing and/or vision impairments are excerpted from the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) website, Specific Disabilities/Sensory Disabilities. VDOE’s guidance documents should be provided to teachers and parents of these students. School divisions have permission to provide paper copies as well as alternate formats.

Guidelines for Working With Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Virginia Public Schools
Other specific resources that should be available to teachers and parents include the following:

Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (VSDB) – The VSDB is located in Staunton, Virginia and provides a day program and outreach services, as well as a residential setting exclusively to students who are deaf, have a hearing impairment, blind, or have a vision impairment, and who are deaf-blind. VSDB’s admission policy is available at the above Web site.

Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) – The VDDHH provides standards for educational interpreting services and other services to reduce the communication barriers between persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families and the professionals who serve them.

Virginia Project for Children and Young Adults With Deaf-Blindness – This office provides technical assistance, training, distance education and networking information to families, service providers and individuals who are deaf-blind/dual sensory impaired.

Technical Assistance Center for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – This center provides training and technical assistance in the area of hearing impairment and deafness. Assistance is available to local public school systems as well as early intervention and preschool programs through the Virginia Network of Consultants for Professionals Working with Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (VNOC).

Accessible Instructional Materials Center-VA (AIM-VA) – AIM-VA’s extensive library has developed an alternative system of providing accessible educational media under standards set by federal law (NIMAS) to students who meet the federal
requirements for print disabilities and who are eligible for accessing educational media under individualized Education Programs (IEPs), as required under Part B of IDEA. AIM-VA, in conjunction with partnering agencies, provides required accessible educational materials to students with an IEP and training for staff, at no cost to Local Education Agencies in a timely fashion.

Guidelines for School Division Policy Regarding Service Dogs in Virginia’s Public Schools

VDOE-Deaf-blindness Eligibility

Virginia Communication Plan

Strategies for Teaching Mathematics to Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Online Communication Lessons

Cued Speech
Cued Speech E-learning

Oral
John Tracy Clinic

Organizations serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing People and Families

National Cued Speech Association
23970 Hermitage Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44122-4008
216-292-6213 V/TTY; 800-459-3529 V/TTY
www.cuedspeech.org
This organization champions the use of Cued Speech and supports effective communication to promote literacy and language development

Alexander Graham Bell Association
3417 Volta Place N.W.
Washington, DC 20007
202-337-5220 V; 202-337-5221 TTY
www.agbell.org
This organization promotes the use of listening and speaking to encourage oral communication for persons with hearing loss.

John Tracy Clinic
806 West Adams Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
800-522-4582 V/213-747-2923 TTY; 213-749-1651 FAX
www.jtc.org
The John Tracy Clinic was founded by Louise Tracy, the wife of Spencer Tracy, to help families with children with hearing loss around the world. All of their services are free. They have a correspondence course which has been translated into many languages and is personalized for each child and family.

American Society for Deaf Children
3820 Hartzdale Dr.
Camp Hill, PA 17011
717-707-0073 V/TTY; 866-895-4206 toll free
www.deafchildren.org
An organization of parents helping parents by providing support, encouragement and information to families raising children who are deaf and hard of hearing. The ASDC has a newsletter and sponsors conventions every other year.

Hands and Voices
P.O. Box 371926
Denver, CO 80237
866-422-0422 toll free
www.handsandvoices.org
A parent-driven support organization for families of deaf children that is nonbiased about method of communication. Has information articles; local chapters.

Publishers/ Published Materials

DawnSignPress
6130 Nancy Ridge Dr.
San Diego, CA 92121
858-625-0600V; 858-625-2336
www.dawnsignpress.com
This company sells videos, coloring books, and books for deaf and hard of hearing children, their families, and teachers, with an emphasis on materials in ASL.

Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-651-5488 V/TTY; 202-6515489 Fax
https://gupress.gallaudet.edu
Publishes scholarly and general interest books about deafness, as well as children’s books under its Kendall Green publications imprint, and sign language and textbooks under the imprint Clerc Books.

Harris Communication
15155 Technology Dr.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
800.825-6758 V;800-825-9187 TTY; 952-906-1099 FAX
www.harriscomm.com
This catalog company offers books, videos/DVD’s, and accessories for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Educational Resources

Raising and Educating Deaf Children
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
52 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5604
585-475-6700 V/TTY
https://www.rit.edu/ntid/educatingdeafchildren/
Raising and Educating a Deaf Child website – International experts answer your questions about choices, controversies, and decisions faced by parents and educators.

https://www.ntid.rit.edu/sea/– The NTID’s “Supporting English Acquisition” website; to assist educators of students who are deaf or hard of hearing to promote their students’ English language acquisition and literacy development.

Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
800 Florida Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 651-5855 (TTY/Voice)
https://www3.gallaudet.edu/clerc-center.html
The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center is supported by the U.S. federal government and disseminates information on model programs for education of deaf/hard of hearing children across the country.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
52 Lomb Memorial Dr.
Rochester, NY 14623-5604
585-475-6700 V/TTY
www.ntid.rit.edu
The only technical college in the world exclusively for deaf students. Academic support services include interpreters, tutors, and note takers. Has “Vestibule Summer” which invites eleventh grade deaf students to explore career and college options.