Auditory organs
Auditory organs are those that helps us interpret the world through sounds.
Sounds travel through the air in vibration waves that hits our outer ear (pinna), which serves to focus the sound waves into our ear canal. Sound waves will impact the ear drum, which will in turn transfer vibrations to the stapes footplate found in ear bone in the middle ear. Movement of the stapes footplate causes fluid contained in the inner ear to vibrate, and changes the pressure in the basilar membrane, which is coated with hair cells that serve as conducers that converts mechanical energy into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain via the vestibulocochlear nerve. Once the brain receives the signals, the information is stored briefly as echoic memory. This form of memory is very brief and degrades after 3-4 seconds if not transferred into short term memory. |
Difficulties hearing in the classroom
Hearing loss in the classroom can be caused by congenital, or acquired causes. Genetic factors are responsible for more than 50% of all congenital hearing loss in children. Parents may pass on dominant, or recessive genes to their children, leading to hearing loss. Other causes for congenital hearing loss include:
In other cases, hearing loss could be the result of diseases, a condition, or injury. Below are some of the leading causes of acquired hearing loss:
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Strategies to help students with hearing difficulties
Below are some strategies for helping students who have hearing difficulties:
1. Use FM technology if available. FM technology will aid those who are challenged hear up to 98% of whats going on around the classroom. 2. Face the student when speaking. 3. Beards that obstruct the mouth area may make it difficult for students to read the lips of instructors. 4. Lowering vocal tones or enunciation may help some who have challenges hearing high pitch sounds. 5. Announce, and write the plan for the day on whiteboards. Summarize key points towards the end of the lesson. This will help not only those with hearing difficulties, but also other students as well. 6. Assign students to buddy/partner up with those who have difficulty hearing. This can help both students as those who guide others will gain the experience of teaching others concepts, and the student who have difficulty hearing will not miss out on key instructions. |