“Deaf children can ‘t hear...” - WRONG!

With the right hearing aids they can hear sounds of everyday life and can listen to people talking. Even the deafest children can learn to listen using the hearing they have left to help them make sense of sound and speech.

“Deaf children won‘t get good jobs” - WRONG!

If they can take a full part in the speaking world, they will have a chance, as others do, of having good careers and going on to further education. There are deaf hairdressers, caterers, hank and office workers, architects, shop workers, computer programmers, tool makers. Deaf students are doing courses in mathematics, design, science, at university and college. Deaf entrepreneurs are running their own businesses.

“Deaf children can’t talk ...“ - WRONG!

Given the right kind of help to learn to listen, deaf children can learn to talk through the same process as other children, though, for some, it may take longer. They can speak for themselves even the severely and profoundly deaf.

“Deaf children aren’t very clever...” - WRONG!

Deaf children have the same range of intelligence and ability as other children. As with all children, each individual has her particular strengths and weaknesses, but most take part in a full school programme and many sit for public examinations.

“But they can’t enjoy music...” - WRONG!

They can get a great deal of pleasure from music, dancing and singing, just as other children do. Many deaf children learn to play musical instruments of all sorts, piano, guitar, organ, and violin.

“Deaf children have to use sign language to have any kind of conversation” - WRONG!

With properly prescribed hearing aids and with the right kind of help at home and school, deaf children learn to speak for themselves. They don’t need interpreters.

“Deaf children are just different from other kids... there 's something a little strange about them” - WRONG

They are just ordinary children who don’t hear very well. All children have to learn to listen in order to learn to talk.

Deaf children can sound different at first, because what they hear is different from what we hear. Their speech gets clearer as their listening improves.

Deaf children can sometimes appear confused or bewildered when they are finding it hard to make sense of what is going on around them because they don’t hear as well as we do. They learn like other children - given time, the right help and the right hearing aids.

Hearing aids are not something to be frightened of. Properly prescribed hearing aids and some extra attention at the right times makes all the difference.

“You can help deaf children” - RIGHT!

Do...

• talk and play naturally with deaf children
• give them a little hit more time
• expect them to enjoy the things other children enjoy and give them the chance to do so
• make sure they wear their hearing aids
• remember they are just children whose ears don’t work as well as they might

Don‘t...

• shout or slow your speech down or make exaggerated lip movements
• ignore them or get embarrassed if you can’t understand them
• treat them as anything other than children

'Deaf Children Talking - the Parents' Guide to the Natural Aural Approach' provides more information about how to help your deaf child learn to listen and talk.