An Encouraging Learning Environment For Pupils With Hearing Disorders In Elementary Schools

Deaf and partly deaf people are in most cases considered different. This belief has become rooted in us when meeting such people. However, these people are not much different from us. They only have a small deficit with hearing and speech. In our elementary school, we have quite a lot of experience on integrating and teaching pupils with hearing disorders. The first difficult part was how to engage the educational process. Because of that, I attended training at the Center for Hearing and Speech in Maribor, where I became acquainted with the first practical approaches. I learned the difference between deafness and partial deafness. This is an invisible disorder not noticeable until we encounter a person who has this disorder. A deaf and a partially deaf person differ in a manner where the first one does not recognize sounds while the later can perceive certain sounds from the environment. It is important to include such pupils in the regular elementary school program, as this positively influences their personal development. When integrating, it is necessary to take into account and adhere to all adjustments. Such a stimulating environment has a positive impact on all participants of the educational process. It is also important that parents cooperate with all the teachers who create an individualized teaching program.