A+ Back-to-School Guide for Children with Hearing Loss

Let's make this school year an A+ experience!

Hearing First wants to help you and your little learner get a head start on a fun and successful school year. Maybe your child with hearing loss is just starting preschool, moving on to kindergarten, or kick-starting another year of big-kid school – no matter what age or grade, you can start planning now with this all-in-one guide to ensure your little one is ready for a great year.

To make things easy for families like yours’, consider this your one-stop shop to find all things back-to-school in one place.

Don’t have time to read this full article right now? Check out these back-to-school videos for quick tips to prepare for a fantastic first day.

Watch Back-to-School Videos

Be Prepared 

By taking time to think about the school year and making a few preparations before the first day, you can set your child up for long term success in listening, learning, academic participation, and social interaction. Here are some ways you can prepare to set your child, your child’s teachers, and yourself up for success:

Be Ready with Remote Microphone Systems (RM System) 

RM systems can be a game-changer for your child in the classroom. The use of a remote mic allows for your child to hear up to 5,300 more words per day! Show the teacher and staff how the RM system works. And let them know how important it is that they wear it during your child’s school day.

Demonstrate how to set up the RM system in person to give the teacher time to watch, learn, practice, and ask questions in real time.

Learn more about RM systems by watching the video below:

Make a One Page Information Sheet or Video

You and your child can also write a page or create a video with a short introduction about themselves, their hearing loss, and their goals. Include tips for teachers to keep in mind to help your child reach their goals throughout the school year.

Try creating an information sheet or short video with instructions and troubleshooting tips about your child’s hearing devices and/or RM system – this way, the teacher and school staff can review when they need a reminder!

Keep the Conversation Going

You can use the All About Me worksheet and fill it out together with your child! It's a great tool to share with teachers or caregivers – older children can even share it as a "show and tell" with their classmates.

Make the Most Out of Back-to-School Night

Take advantage of opportunities to meet teachers and staff members so that you can:

• Build positive relationships
• See the classroom layout and identify preferential seating
• Determine where spare batteries will be kept and where the RM system will be charged
• Provide teachers with any prepared materials (like an information sheet or videos)
• Create a plan for open, regular communication throughout the school year

Develop Strong Parent-Teacher Relationships All Year Long 

As a parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, you have a unique set of considerations when working with your child’s teaching team. Develop positive parent-teacher relationships by communicating early and consistently. Work together to empower them with the understanding they need to best support your child. This will make a BIG difference in helping everyone have a successful school year!

It can be hard to know where to begin when talking with teachers. Check out this “Talking With Teachers” fillable worksheet to find practical conversation starters to use when working with caregivers or teachers.

Pro Parent Tip! Share Hearing First’s resources with teachers to help them learn more about how to support your child with hearing loss. A great place to start is Hearing First’s LSL Life videos. Teachers can watch to understand what’s possible for children with hearing loss and see inspiring stories of families learning and growing with LSL.

 
Support Self-Advocacy for Your Child 

Help your little one with hearing loss pack their confidence, knowledge, and self-advocacy skills so they can conquer the school year. If your child is old enough, spend time talking about what they need so they can confidently communicate about their hearing loss, devices, needs, and more.

Here are some conversation starters to build self-advocacy skills and prepare your child for questions ahead of time:

• Name hearing devices and parts
• Talk about batteries and communicate when devices aren’t working
• Practice putting devices on together
• Practice asking for help
• Teach them how to ask for more information when they aren’t sure
• Role-play how they can respond if other kids or teachers have questions

Watch this video for more support and tips for giving your child the gift of self-advocacy skills.

School Year Success

As you prepare for this school year, remember that as a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. You’ve done a great job and your child is ready for success thanks to all of your hard work!

Find More Helpful Resources

Let’s Get Ready: Daycare for a Child with Hearing Loss

Preparing Children with Hearing Loss for School

The Road to a Successful School Year

Join Hearing First’s private Facebook group for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss to ask questions, find ideas and inspiration, and connect with other parents who’ve chosen Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) for their child.