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Post level: School age
How do I help my child with a cochlear implant improve his/her performance in school?
Tips and tricks to improve your child’s classroom experience!
Teacher’s Support
Make sure your child’s teacher has a good understanding of the child’s hearing loss and technology being used to aid the child. If the child has a speech language pathologist at the school, have the SLP contact the teacher and explain ways to increase support for the child.
Schedule monthly meetings with your child's teacher, speech language pathologist and/or audiologist. Use this time to advocate for your child. Make sure the best accommodations are in place for your child. These meetings can be used for you to get a sense of how your child is doing in the classroom.
Classroom Adaptations
This comes along with having teacher support. Once the teacher has a good understanding of the child’s needs, accommodations can be made.
Seating arrangements
Seating a child with hearing loss at the front of the classroom will aid in his/her ability to hear and comprehend the messages relayed.
Make sure the child has a good view of the teacher
Often times the teacher’s position in the classroom can affect your child’s listening abilities. Make sure the teacher is aware of his/her positioning in the classroom.
Pair the student with a 'buddy' that can summarize and explain directions to the child.
FM Systems
Utilizing a FM system will increase auditory access. FM systems provide amplification and improve the use of hearing aids or cochlear implants in noisy environments.
The use of a FM system can potentially help your child hear speech better in a noisy classroom.
Awareness of extra classroom noise
Accommodations to make in the classroom to reduce noise (soft surfaces absorb sound)
Adding tennis balls to the legs of chairs and desks
Having carpet and rugs in the classroom (improves acoustics in the room)
Heavy curtains
Self- Confidence
Building your child’s self-confidence can improve his/her ability to more confidently voice his/her needs in the classroom.
Educate children in the classroom about the child’s device and hearing loss
Empower your child to signal the teacher when he/she does not understand
Hand raising
The child can raise his/her pencil to notify the teacher that he/she missed a part of the message
This subtle form of communication will only work if discussed with the teacher.
About me
My name Aminata Ka and I am currently a Junior undergraduate student at Texas Christian University majoring in Speech-Language Pathology. I am a part of the hearing world and am interested in learning more about hearing loss.