Hearing in the Classroom and Using FM Technology

Classrooms are auditory- verbal environments.

Hearing loss is an acoustic and comprehension barrier to accessing verbal instruction.

Classrooms are auditory-verbal environments with listening serving as the cornerstone of the educational system (Flexer, 1993). The majority of learning takes place through speaking and listening in the classroom. Actually, children spend 45% of the school day engaged in listening activities (Berg, 1987). The teacher does most of his or her teaching by talking, students ask questions, and students listen to both the teacher and other students. Multimedia lesson materials also depend on students listening to a message.

Below find some links that many of the families I work with have found helpful in ensuring their child has acoustic access at school.

Click HERE to view this informative video on using the FM in the classroom.

Click HERE to learn about FM Systems work and can be used in a classroom setting form the House Ear Institute.

Click HERE to read this excellent post: What Does Acoustic Accessibility Look Like and The Impact of Auditory Verbal Therapy on Literacy Skills by

Carol Flexer, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT, The University of Akron, Kent, OH

Jane Madell, Ph.D., LSLS Cert. AVT, Private Practice

Click HERE to read informaiton on Classroom Acoustics - Impact on Listening and Learning from http://successforkidswithhearingloss.com

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Below is an exercise that illustrates listening difficulties if classroom acoustics and/or hearing loss causes the higher frequency portions of words to become inaudible. Can you guess the story? Think about how long it took you to figure it out. Those who never heard the story before (imagine new vocabulary in classrooms) may be at a loss to understand the meaning.