Preventing hearing loss through audiology training

Equal opportunities for children with hearing loss

The Special School for Children with Hearing Impairment and Late Deafness no. 12 has been teaching and providing educational support for children with hearing loss since 1980. About 100 children attend school here between the ages of seven and eighteen and many of them come from socially disadvantaged families. 40 percent of them live with severe hearing loss and 60 percent with profound hearing loss. To ensure they have the same opportunities later on in life, as students with normal hearing, the teachers and staff in charge are dedicated to helping their students thrive in this educational setting.

Enabling hearing for successful learning

The basic prerequisite for successful learning is active participation in lessons. To do this, students need to be able to hear. However, the school and the children’s parents often run into difficulties when it comes to funding the provision of suitable hearing aids. Therefore, the Hear the World Foundation supports them financially and by providing hearing aids, replacement batteries and accessories to help them understand better in the classroom. This allows the students to concentrate fully on the lesson and understand their teacher as good as possible.

Educating teachers and involving parents

To ensure sustained provision, teachers and staff also receive professional training. Teachers learn how to handle hearing aids and audiological accessories correctly, so they can troubleshoot the equipment and give the students proper directions. They also receive information on how best to help children with hearing loss to flourish.

However, the children don’t spend all day in school – their key attachment figures are their parents. Accordingly, parents are also involved in the project and learn how to support their children with the use of the hearing aids and what they need to be particularly aware of when communicating with them.