The following practices are effective in all classrooms and assist students by providing information in a supportive and supplementary way:
- Turn captions on for all audiovisual content
- Visual reinforcement of lesson content: supplying verbal instructions with visual cues and materials (use of Interactive Whiteboard, overheads, charts, vocabulary lists, lesson outlines)
- Pre-teaching of vocabulary or concepts (especially prior to viewing audiovisual / multimedia content)
- Reduce background noise – close windows and doors if outside noise is present
- Adjust teaching practice to manage classroom background noise
- Consistent use of an FM system in the classroom (students with hearing impairment benefit from the use of an FM system to hear more clearly in a noisy classroom environment)
- The use of a soundfield amplification system can be of benefit to all students
- Facilitate seating arrangements that enhance the student's ability to hear in the classroom and see the speaker’s face
- Enhance speech reading conditions: speakers avoiding hands in front of their face, facing the class when speaking, minimising distance from speaker’s face
- Clarification of communication when the message is not understood initially, including paraphrasing instructions
- Buddy systems for notes, extra explanations and directions
- Turn on accessibility features on computers, tablets and BYOD devices
- Follow these tips for teachers produced by Australian Hearing.
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