With the improvement of thought recognition software that can express what someone is thinking in text, one group of children are learning to use this technology to communicate with others.
Hard-of-hearing children are beginning to get more options for learning at school. Teaching them how to use these new technologies brings up many questions for teachers, though. How do they go about introducing them? The institutions where they study have improved learning for deaf children alongside their peers but sometimes have unique needs. Socialization through traditional means will probably always be essential for them, whether sign language or other forms of communication. Even though some people may think differently, deaf people do not lack intelligence and should not be treated as inferior because of their disability.
For deaf children, the ability to read and write takes longer to develop than for other children. To improve their opportunities for later integration into society, various methods have been developed to teach these children how to speak, write, and read. These include cochlear implants or a hearing aid that stimulates a small number of cells in the auditory nerve directly with an electric pulse. However, these technological aids only allow a minimal perception of sounds, leading to frustration among children and parents alike.
In contrast, recent studies show that modern learning concepts used to focus on learning languages at school are already applied successfully by some teachers as part of regular lessons: after initial acquisition using sign language as well as special training of the speaking and hearing organs, these children receive their lessons – like other children – orally and with sign language. The deaf pupils learn to speak like “hearing impaired” children by substituting certain letters like P or B with facial expressions or hand gestures.
There are many ways to teach deaf and hard of hearing children, and we should not limit them. If students need special accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, or more time for tests, teachers should not hesitate to accommodate them. They are still the same children they were before their disabilities and do not deserve less education than anyone else.
There’s no denying that teaching these students will always be challenging because there are so many things to consider when it comes to what kind of service they will need for them to learn well. The best thing teachers can do is try everything possible to make sure these kids get the best education possible. Teaching techniques may vary from student to student because the disabilities are different for each person. Instead of getting frustrated with students because they do not learn in the same way you would teach a non-disabled student, teachers should embrace the uniqueness of their situation and create a unique program for them. With creative thinking and imagination, it is possible to find ways to make sure these kids have an equal chance at learning along with their peers.