Hard of hearing student

[Pleasant dancer]

I teach for a charitable adult educational provider. This term I have a deaf student. I didn't know she was enrolling, I have no knowledge (as of this week) as to how poor her hearing is. I believe she lip reads.

Not too bad as I have worked twice as a Special Needs Assistant on a one-to-one basis with teenage students, and my husband's family has a history of deafness so I am used to being with deaf people, my mother in law used to sign read. I know the problems, etc.

Slight rant: I think I should have been informed so that I could plan!!

But anyway, she's lovely, but I can only understand a little of what she says. The teaching is going to be very visual. I don't think extra help would be useful in this subject....

Has anyone had a student with a hearing impairment and can give me any useful tips please? So far the educational provider has suggested she be at the front of the class and I speak directly to her when I teach (it's a small class anyway). I know all this ... but I'm teaching dance and frequently have my back to the student (no mirrors)!

I think I'm more concerned that I wasn't told first, than I am at actually having to teach her, know what I mean?

 

[Nath]

I don't know if this will be of much help but I took a dance class years ago which had a deaf student. The teacher turned the bass up on the player and put it on the floor (wooden) so the student could feel the beat they couldn't hear.

 

[Elin]

I used to work in a school with deaf and hard of hearing students. I was given classes in Norwegian Sign Language, which helped a lot, other than that we used written notes.

 

[Shanazel]

I think I'm more concerned that I wasn't told first, than I am at actually having to teach her, know what I mean?

Yep. It helps to have time to prepare for special needs students. I am partially deaf and under certain conditions require people to face me when they are speaking. I tell my students upfront about the problem and request relative quiet while I am teaching for this reason. Ask your student the best way for you to communicate with her, where she needs to stand in order to see you speak, etc.

 

[Pleasant dancer]

Yep. It helps to have time to prepare for special needs students. I am partially deaf and under certain conditions require people to face me when they are speaking. I tell my students upfront about the problem and request relative quiet while I am teaching for this reason. Ask your student the best way for you to communicate with her, where she needs to stand in order to see you speak, etc.

Yes, I intend to have a conversation about this at an appropriate time at class tomorrow. There was little time to do this last week, as she came as a surprise, as it were, so I was a little off guard.

I don't think I'll need a sign language interpreter as much of the teaching will be visual, but unfortunately we have a carpeted floor so this won't help with her hearing the music beat. I'll just have to see how it goes and make adjustments then.

Oh - I also have an 80 year old lady just joined the class (she's very sprightly and has no problem with the moves!). It's going to be an interesting term............

Thanks for all your suggestions, any others are also most welcome.

 

[Shanazel]

Sound tends to carry through things like floor joists; maybe you can find her an optimum place to stand.

 

[da Sage]

I think your student knows that you're not an expert in teaching the deaf/HOH. Don't worry too much, just do what you can to accommodate her, and check in with her periodically.

My community ed has online registration, which would be easy for a deaf person to navigate. But there's no place for registrants to note needs for special accommodation on either the online or the paper forms. So if you teach through community ed, they might not have known the situation ahead of time.

 

[lizaj]

We all want to include students with SN..I have one with serious health issues and I know how to deal with her problems because she told me and it's not something college needs put in extra resources for. But an organisation or venue, does not have to include participants it cannot cater for. Obviously your 80 year old might actually be fitter than some 30 years younger and make a creditable attempt at bellydancing even if she is not as dynamic as a 20 year old. But you should have been prepared by your employers by anyone who is profoundly special needs. They should have checked the room you are using..I would think mirrors are essential in this case. Do you have sound equipment than provide the stimulus she needs, t are provided with a mike perhaps, that you are trained to sign ..that you can cope..are trained if training is available or necessary. They need to acertain if the learning of other students would be adversely affected.
I went through years of SN pupils being "plonked" in mainstream classes without a regard to extra equipement,support,staffing. Things changed of course but after years, they improved with better knowledge and specialist training and assistance in the classroom. I thought this had dripped through to adult ed. SIGH.

 

[Pleasant dancer]

We all want to include students with SN..I have one with serious health issues and I know how to deal with her problems because she told me and it's not something college needs put in extra resources for. But an organisation or venue, does not have to include participants it cannot cater for. Obviously your 80 year old might actually be fitter than some 30 years younger and make a creditable attempt at bellydancing even if she is not as dynamic as a 20 year old. But you should have been prepared by your employers by anyone who is profoundly special needs. They should have checked the room you are using..I would think mirrors are essential in this case. Do you have sound equipment than provide the stimulus she needs, t are provided with a mike perhaps, that you are trained to sign ..that you can cope..are trained if training is available or necessary. They need to acertain if the learning of other students would be adversely affected.
I went through years of SN pupils being "plonked" in mainstream classes without a regard to extra equipement,support,staffing. Things changed of course but after years, they improved with better knowledge and specialist training and assistance in the classroom. I thought this had dripped through to adult ed. SIGH.

My thoughts entirely. This is the first year the organisation have offered belly dancing (this is the 3rd 10 week course now) and I know they want to be inclusive. So do I. We often say this dance is suitable for (almost!) all at hobby level - and in my private advertising for my own private classes I always emphasise it can be adjusted to your fitness level. They also knew she was hard of hearing as she has attended other courses at the Centre and has additional support for some of these! But no-one thought to mention it to me! I think I need a serious chat with the tutor co-ordinator....

I have to say I am increasingly inclined not to continue teaching for them, the paperwork and enrolment procedures are really getting to me.....
But I'll do my best for the student and my sprightly 80 year old who wishes she had taken it up when she was 20! :lol:

 

[lizaj]

I assume this isn't a college by the way. I find my employer and the previous very responsive. I was Ofsted'd in the last evening college and inspected internally. I walso sent training material and invited to in-house training. I find i don't mind the admin as long as I get the support.

 

[Pleasant dancer]

I assume this isn't a college by the way. I find my employer and the previous very responsive. I was Ofsted'd in the last evening college and inspected internally. I walso sent training material and invited to in-house training. I find i don't mind the admin as long as I get the support.

No it's not a College it's the WEA - very worthy and nice people, but a bit old fashioned in their enrolment procedures; the Colleges I have worked for were fine, and a bit more on the ball - I was always consulted and had students referred to me for a chat before they enrolled if there was the possibility of a problem health-wise etc.

My lady didn't turn up tonight so I shall wait and see next week. 80 year old returned for 2nd week and is doing very well, she said she had no aches and pains from last week. I wish I could say the same as we are dancing on a concrete, carpet covered floor!

Now I must go to bed and try to get some sleep whilst husband stays up all night watching paint dry (oh sorry I mean the general election result!)

 

[da Sage]

They also knew she was hard of hearing as she has attended other courses at the Centre and has additional support for some of these! But no-one thought to mention it to me! I think I need a serious chat with the tutor co-ordinator....

I have to say I am increasingly inclined not to continue teaching for them, the paperwork and enrolment procedures are really getting to me.....
But I'll do my best for the student and my sprightly 80 year old who wishes she had taken it up when she was 20! :lol:

If she needs additional support for other classes, they should have definitely consulted with you as to her probable needs for this class.

I do know a HOH person who didn't sign up for dance classes because she was worried about how she would keep up. She operates in both Deaf and Hearing cultures, so I recommended she go ahead and do it...didn't even think about having her notify the teacher first. :shok:

I just hate to see people miss out on opportunities, when they might actually be able to succeed and shine, y'know? There are lots of dancers out there with significant hearing loss, including one on this forum (although she's been inactive for a while - I've missed you, Australian snake lady!).

A deaf student (particularly a deaf adult student) does have a right to try your class. Even though she's deaf. She has a right to succeed or fail-the onus is on her to try to keep up. As long as she doesn't disrupt the class, it shouldn't be a problem.

On the other hand, you have a right to decide how much you will modify your class to accommodate your student's special needs. Having been given no warning, you might choose not to modify it at all. If the student makes a request that you can't fulfill (and she won't accept your way of doing things), or if she dominates class time, you should bring the host organization into the discussion.

You know what would really bother me? Not being able to understand what the student is saying. It's probably very frustrating for her, too. If failed attempts at conversation are taking up a lot of class time, you may need to get a translator in, encourage very little verbal feedback from ALL students in class (maybe have Q&A after class with the help of a pen and paper?), or (with the help of the host organization) encourage her to drop the class - and I hope that would be a last resort.

I realize that even Deaf people can be divas, and demand much more than their fair share of attention. Is that the problem with this student, or is it more of a discomfort with the communication problem and being put on the spot?

 

[lizaj]

No it's not a College it's the WEA - very worthy and nice people, but a bit old fashioned in their enrolment procedures; the Colleges I have worked for were fine, and a bit more on the ball - I was always consulted and had students referred to me for a chat before they enrolled if there was the possibility of a problem health-wise etc.

My lady didn't turn up tonight so I shall wait and see next week. 80 year old returned for 2nd week and is doing very well, she said she had no aches and pains from last week. I wish I could say the same as we are dancing on a concrete, carpet covered floor!

Now I must go to bed and try to get some sleep whilst husband stays up all night watching paint dry (oh sorry I mean the general election result!)

What! a concrete floor...the good man wept...can't they find you a suitable venue? WEA is big outfit and surely have some sense of what you need.My mum used to work for them and a friend also taught belly dance for some years here on Merseyside.

 

[Pleasant dancer]

What! a concrete floor...the good man wept...can't they find you a suitable venue? WEA is big outfit and surely have some sense of what you need.My mum used to work for them and a friend also taught belly dance for some years here on Merseyside.

I think they are trying to make the most out of the facilities they have at the Centre, and I have worked on concrete floors before. I think it just hurts more as I get older! :lol: Not good though, I shall need to have a serious chat before/if we plan courses for next academic year.

 

[Pleasant dancer]

If she needs additional support for other classes, they should have definitely consulted with you as to her probable needs for this class.
Absolutely. I think they are a bit in the dark as to how to proceed with a dance class as it's the first time they've offered one at this Centre.



I just hate to see people miss out on opportunities, when they might actually be able to succeed and shine, y'know? There are lots of dancers out there with significant hearing loss, including one on this forum (although she's been inactive for a while - I've missed you, Australian snake lady!).

A deaf student (particularly a deaf adult student) does have a right to try your class. Even though she's deaf. She has a right to succeed or fail-the onus is on her to try to keep up. As long as she doesn't disrupt the class, it shouldn't be a problem.

Totally agree. A bit of warning beforehand and I would have been more prepared, though.

On the other hand, you have a right to decide how much you will modify your class to accommodate your student's special needs. Having been given no warning, you might choose not to modify it at all. If the student makes a request that you can't fulfill (and she won't accept your way of doing things), or if she dominates class time, you should bring the host organization into the discussion.

She didn't attend the second class so I don't know how this is going to go yet. I hope she wasn't put off, but think there was probably a genuine reason for the absence, she was very keen.

You know what would really bother me? Not being able to understand what the student is saying. It's probably very frustrating for her, too. If failed attempts at conversation are taking up a lot of class time, you may need to get a translator in, encourage very little verbal feedback from ALL students in class (maybe have Q&A after class with the help of a pen and paper?), or (with the help of the host organization) encourage her to drop the class - and I hope that would be a last resort.

Only time will tell here, I had considered this.

I realize that even Deaf people can be divas, and demand much more than their fair share of attention. Is that the problem with this student, or is it more of a discomfort with the communication problem and being put on the spot?

As I said in my first post, I have some experience of HOH people and worked with a couple of students so I think it's the case that I realise there could be problem and wish I was consulted first, not put on the spot. She's a lovely lady. We'll see how it goes. Many thanks for your suggestions.