Activity

Gain a better understanding of the challenges that students with a hearing impairment might experience.

A hearing impairment refers to any degree of hearing loss that adversely affects an individual’s education and that requires special training or adaptations. The hearing loss can be either permanent or fluctuating and range from mild to profound. Someone with a mild or moderate hearing impairment will have the ability to hear some sound, whereas an individual with a profound hearing impairment or deafness will be able to hear very little, if at all. It is important for educators to understand how a hearing impairment can affect everyday life functions so that they can better support students with hearing impairments. Educators can better understand and address challenges if they have experienced them firsthand or have close contact with those who experience them.

Ask the class to watch a 30-minute comedy either on television, a streaming service, or online. Instruct them to watch the program with the volume turned down very low. After they watch the show, discuss the questions below as a group.

1. What challenges did you encounter?
2. Were you able to figure out the plot of the program? If so, how did you do it?
3. What accommodations or supports, if any, would have been beneficial?