Why Hearing Assistive Technology in the Classroom Earns High Marks

Typical classroom sounds include the teacher’s verbal instruction, classmates talking, the hum of the air conditioner, screams from the playground outside, hallway commotion, and other background noises. These sounds all compete for students’ attention. Many students are unable to discern which sounds are relevant and cannot tune into or process important information.

Direct instruction, which conveys information through lectures, classroom discussions, teacher demonstrations, and presentations, is the most common teaching method in the United States. This makes students’ ability to hear and understand information presented by the teacher necessary for their learning and overall academic success.

However, there are often acoustic conditions and contending sounds that can negatively impact a student’s ability to focus on and accurately perceive what the teacher is saying.

Approximately 20% of children under the age of 18 experience hearing loss and an additional 5% of school-aged children have an Auditory Processing Disorder that adversely affects their ability to interpret sounds. These numbers are even higher when considering college age students.

Hearing assistive technology in the classroom can markedly improve these children’s ability to perceive the teacher’s voice, understand instructional material, and participate in classroom communication.

Selective Auditory Attention and Students

Selective auditory attention, or selective hearing, is the process by which a person focuses on a particular sound in their environment for a certain period of time. Selective auditory attention allows a person to tune out the unimportant sounds and focus on what matters. However, this ability is limited by sound capacity and duration.

Selective hearing is essential for a student’s academic success. However, many children have difficulty distinguishing between task-relevant noises and background noises, and therefore they may not be as attentive to important information.

A person’s ability to listen selectively tends to improve with age, but for people with hearing impairments, ADHD, sensory processing disorders, selective mutism, or auditory processing disorders, it can be incredibly difficult to filter meaningful sounds without the use of hearing assistive technology.

When background noises are repetitive and predictable, children can more efficiently detect auditory signals. But when background noises are chaotic and unpredictable, their hearing significantly declines.

In the frenzied classroom environment, this puts students at risk of missing essential course material.

What is a Personal Sound Amplification Device?

A transceiver is worn on a lanyard around the instructor’s neck accompanied by a headset system with a microphone for hands-free communication. Students needing auditory assistance wear a transceiver on a lanyard as well as an earphone for enhanced hearing. Personal sound amplification devices cannot be heard by other students. The transceiver sends signals from the teacher’s system directly to the student’s earphone.

This solution ensures that students with hearing impairments can clearly hear the teacher’s voice no matter where the student is seated. It also improves students’ selective auditory attention so they can more easily filter out background noise and focus on the academic instruction.

Assistive hearing systems can be set up for multiple teachers and/or multiple students and can be used with hearing aids and cochlear implants. The teacher has the control to enable two-way communication allowing students to directly respond to the teacher for a true collaborative experience. The system is wireless, so teachers and students can freely move about the classroom and use their hands.

Using personal sound amplification devices means there are no seating restrictions that single-out or distance students from regular class activity.

When to Use Hearing Assistive Technology in the Classroom

Students may not require hearing assistance throughout the entirety of every school day. But, there are many situations during the day in which a student may benefit from hearing assistive technology.

• Circle time or story time for younger students
• Shop classes (wood shop, auto shop, etc.)
• Trade schools
• School assemblies
• Large college lecture halls
• Outdoor activities

Personal sound amplification devices can be easily carried by students with hearing impairments or handed out by instructors, nurses, or school counselors for use as needed.

Benefits of Using Advanced Hearing Solutions in Schools

Apart from the most obvious benefit, that students can better hear their teachers and peers, there are significant benefits to students’ academics and development, as well as for teachers.

Studies have investigated the effects of using hearing assistive technology in the classroom and found that students are more engaged in classroom activities, earn higher grades, see marked improvement in speech and language development, and enhanced social skills.

Teachers can also benefit from this technology because there is less need for repetitions, they experience less vocal strain, and they have improved classroom management.

Communication systems are a great way to support a school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts and promote a learning environment that allows for the success of every student.

Contact Tripp Communications to meet with a professional consultant and schedule a free demo of the solution that best fits your needs.