“In some ways, Understanding Our Differences is an anti-bullying program. The more children learn about each other the less likely they’re going to pick on someone because of their differences.”
Gary AlpertUOD Board member, elementary school parent
Deafness/Hard of Hearing
The Deafness and Hard of Hearing unit includes a series of activities where students learn and get hands-on experience with sign language, lipreading, fingerspelling, and assistive technology. Students learn about sound, frequency, communication and the anatomy of the ear.
Key themes:
- Hearing loss is only one of the many traits that contribute to making a person the individual that he or she is.
- Individuals can experience varying degrees of hearing loss.
- Technology is playing an increasingly important role in enabling people with hearing loss to communicate and perform everyday tasks more easily and independently.
- People have a variety of communication choices. Interpreters are often used as a link between those who are Deaf and the hearing world.
- Without communication a person can feel isolated.
Program implementation is flexible and can be adapted for your classroom, but a typical 2-hour session includes:
| ACTIVITY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Informational PowerPoint presentation | Students learn about sound, frequency and the anatomy of the ear. |
| Communication activity | Students define communication, discover different ways to communicate, and learn that there are a variety of communication choices. |
| Four small group activities | Hands-on activities acquaint students with American Sign Language, lipreading, fingerspelling, and assistive technology. |
| Guest Speaker | Students meet a guest speaker who is Deaf or hard of hearing. Many speakers use an interpreter or hearing aids and lipreading to communicate. |