Communication
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Establish how each child prefers to communicate (speech, sign language or both), either before the start of the sessions or during the warm-up activity.
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Make sure you have the children’s attention before you start speaking.
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Speak clearly, using simple language, normal lip movements and facial expressions.
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Keep your voice at your regular volume as it’s uncomfortable for hearing aid users if you shout and it can often look aggressive.
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Check whether the children understand what you're saying and, if not, try saying it in a different way.
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Learn fingerspelling and some basic British Sign Language (BSL). You may find this particularly useful for supporting the teaching of songs.
Class environment
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Use a room that has little-to-no background noise, if possible.
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Consider the lighting in the room. Places with good lighting make lipreading easier, which is important for both oral deaf children and those who use sign language.
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Teach in small groups.
Music teaching
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Use lots of gestures and facial expressions to be as visual as possible.
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Use gestures to establish the beat and give instructions before music is played.
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Be aware that different hearing aids and cochlear implants vary in how they process different frequencies, and the children are likely to experience sounds differently from you and each other.
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Take the student’s lead on which instrument they would like to play. Give options.
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Don’t move around while you are talking or demonstrating.
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Don’t shout, raise your voice or slow your speech, as this will change your natural lip pattern and make it harder for you to be understood.
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Don’t give up! If stuck, try explaining things in a different way, using gestures and visual cues.
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Don’t work in a room that has an echo.
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Don’t talk whilst playing an instrument.
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Don’t forget that background noise can make communication difficult.
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Don’t simply repeat yourself or say “Never mind, it doesn’t matter” if a child doesn’t understand or misses something you’ve said. Take the time to rephrase and explain.
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Don’t forget that if you are wearing microphones and radio aids, you are being listened to!
Potential difficulties and what you can do to help
Playing in a poor acoustic environment.
✓ Keep background noise to a minimum.
✓ Use rooms with soft furnishings and curtains.
✓ Keep doors and windows closed if possible.
A child is often distracted, has poor attention and difficulty listening and learning.
✓ Face the children when you are talking to them. Give them time to process information before demonstrating.
✓ Never talk whilst music is being played.
✓ Use gestures and demonstrate to help make your explanations clearer.
✓ Be aware that a deaf child may get tired earlier than their hearing peers, as they are using extra focus to follow what is going on.
A child has difficulty following conversation between other children or adults.
✓ Be clear from the start that one person should talk at a time and that no one should play music while discussions are taking place.
✓ Seat everyone in a U shape for ease of communication.
Noises may be too loud and uncomfortable with a hearing aid or cochlear implant.
✓ Check with the child where they are most comfortably positioned within the group.
✓ See if they can arrange to see their audiologist; simple tweaks may be needed to assist them to hear music comfortably.
✓ When introducing instruments, remember that it may take time for some children to adjust to the new sound.
A child is struggling to grasp the rhythm or melody.
✓ Ensure that the child has the chance to learn and practice in advance of the rest of the group – differentiation.
✓ Do not single out a deaf child in front of other group members when they’re struggling.
✓ Go back to basics: ask them to repeat the rhythm by copying you clapping to the beat.