When this preview occurs the child can focus his attention on listening during the class with less breakdowns due to unfamiliar terminology. The Child with significant hearing loss is likely to start school with speech and language gaps. Many of the gaps or weaknesses are easily identified when the team becomes familiar with the child. T he child with hearing loss has to work harder than the other students to receive information. Figuring out words that they have misperceived and concentrating for long periods is exhausting.
Auditory fatigue is an issue that requires recognition and compassion.
R educing the length of instructions, pausing frequently during long monologues and scheduling quiet tasks in between activities with high listening demands are also strategies the teacher may integrate. G roup discussions are particularly difficult for the student with hearing loss. If an FM system is being used the microphone should be passed to the speaker whenever possible. It is especially helpful for the teacher to call on children by name and point to children when calling on them so the child with hearing loss can reduce the time it takes to locate the speaker. The teacher can also draw attention to changes in the topic and rephrase what the other students say.