With children under 13 years of age most challenged by ambient classroom noise, school acoustics are vital to childrens’ learning in their formative primary or elementary schooling years, says audiologist Jane Madell.
Read: How Classroom Acoustics Impact Learning
Crucially, Madell notes a major change in deaf education:
Maybe only 15 years ago, many children with hearing loss were identified late and began school with significant language delays. They required special schools or special classes. There were schools for the deaf. There were separate classrooms in mainstream schools for children with hearing loss because they could not manage in a mainstream classroom. That world has changed. Children are identified at birth. They get fit with technology within the first few months of life, and most of them are entering school with near-typical language levels. That is a wonderful thing, because 83% of children with hearing loss are being educated in mainstream classes.
More Reading
- Good Acoustics In Schools Make Learning Easier
- Preparing Kids For Mainstream Settings
- Teacher’s Assumptions: Kids With Hearing Issues
- South Africa’s Solid Model For Inclusive Education
- Soundfields For Learning: The Need-To-Know
- Speaking Ability Helps With Mainstream Education
- Children Can Filter Background Noise With Practice
- Educational Audiologist Uses Her Life Experience
Leave a Reply