The social adjustment of hearing-impaired children in ordinary schools

Abstract

A study, by a hearing-impaired individual, of hearing-impaired children integrating into the mainstream in a north east of England education authority. The research involved the observation of two hearing-impaired children one day a week over a six week period. In addition to this there was background investigation done in this authority and one in the south east of England. The children were interviewed and observed so as to enable the investigator to give a more informed interpretation of the formal classroom observations. In particular the study looked at the social skills of the children, how the children coped in the ordinary classroom and those aspects of teaching styles which help or hinder hearing-impaired children in the success of their integration. It was an important aspect of this piece of research that the hearing-impaired children were aware that the investigator shared the same handicap. It was concluded that some hearing-impaired children need to be trained in social skills in order to increase their chances of being accepted by their normally hearing peers. Also more constructive work needs to be done to help teachers to be aware of what aspects of their teaching styles are of benefit or otherwise to the hearing-impaired children integrating in their classes.