Teaching Strategies

Working with Students who are Deaf

Teaching and Interacting with DHH Students

This slideshow covers a lot of the information found on this website and has good tips and reminders for when it comes to actually teaching DHH students. There are also some good links to check out.

You will also find below tips to consider when you are instructing or delivering your lessons to DHH students as well as tips to help your teaching practices. One key reminder is to build the relationship between yourself and the parents and/or caregivers of the DHH student. This relationship is vital in the support of any student but especially with DHH students.

Tips when Instructing DHH Students

  • Talk naturally, not too fast or slow.
  • Project your voice, but do not shout.
  • Use the FM System or Soundfield System whenever possible.
  • Keep general noise level of classroom low. Especially if a hearing aid is worn, it makes everything louder.
  • Certain sounds are easier to differentiate than others. Sounds made at the front of the mouth are easiest to read while ones made in the middle of the mouth or in the throat are more challenging for people to identify.
  • Homophones can be tough as well. Married and buried would read the same to a speech reader.
  • Do not turn your back to the class and teach. Always face the students. Make sure the child can see your face when you are addressing them personally.
  • Try not to move around too much when talking.
  • Do not block you face with a book when reading aloud. Find out if the DHH student has clearer hearing in one or the other ear. Make sure to always seat them with this ear towards you.
  • Moustaches, beards, poor lip movement, ‘dead’ faces are all tough for speech readers.
  • Body language and facial demonstrations are important to the DHH student as well as they provide cues for them to process information from.
  • Distance, clarity with speech development, and a variety of other factors can help the DHH student to experience greater success with speech reading.



Teaching Practice Tips

  • Use supplementary pictures or diagrams whenever possible. Use visual aides as much as possible when teaching,
  • Maintain a communication book between home and school.
  • Create a signal with the student so they can let you know when they don’t understand something. This is especially important for older students who may not be comfortable coming to the teacher in front of peers. It can be a specific coloured folder they place on their desk or a personal journal style book you have both agreed on. Provide the student with an alternate way to let you know.
  • Assistants should be trained in the signals and be on the lookout for any indication of misunderstanding or confusion.
  • Build a relationship with the parents/caregivers. They will be your best guide to what is right for their child.
  • Remember everything you do to help make the classroom inclusive is not unnoticed and the student will appreciate the effort.
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