amplifier = machine that makes sounds louder

amplify =make louder

audiogram =graph that shows the level of a person’s hearing loss (how much difficulty they have in hearing)

audiologist =person who gives hearing tests and who fits hearing aids

auditory nerve =nerve that carries information about sounds from the cochlea to the brain

cochlea =the part of the inner ear that looks like a snail shell. It changes sound waves into signals that travel along the auditory nerve to the brain.

cochlear implant = device which changes sounds into electrical signals and sends them to the inner ear.

diagnose = when a doctor decides what disease or condition a person has

eardrum =circular piece of skin (like a drum skin) that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It turns sounds into vibrations.

finger spelling = used as part of sign language, to spell out words or names

hard of hearing =when someone finds it difficult to hear some sounds

hearing aid = device that amplifies sounds (makes them louder)

infection =disease in the body or part of the body

lip-read =when people can tell what someone is saying by watching the way their mouth moves when they speak

meningitis =serious illness where germs attack the lining of the brain, and which can damage a person’s hearing system (inner ear and auditory nerve)

microphone =piece of equipment that collects sounds and sends them out through a hearing aid or amplifier

nerves =parts of the body that look like pieces of string that take messages to and from the brain with information from our five senses (sight, taste, touch, hearing and smell)

nervous system =the body’s network of nerves

profoundly =when this word refers to a level of deafness it means near total deafness. Very few deaf people have no hearing at all.

radio aid =device worn by a teacher, which relays (passes) his or her voice directly into a deaf child’s hearing aid

sign language =language in which people use their hands, upper part of the body, facial expressions, and gestures to communicate

sound wave =the way sounds move in the air

specialist =doctor who has done extra training in one ’special’ subject, like hearing difficulties

vibrate/vibration =move backwards and forwards quickly. When you twang a ruler or an elastic band you can see the vibrations.

Watching TV for deaf people

If someone is deaf, there are lots of ways they can enjoy watching television, too. Some deaf children wear personal listening aids. These are about the size of a personal stereo. The listening aid usually uses a small microphone on a speaker on the television. The amplified sound goes to headphones or the child’s hearing aid.

Many homes have special Teletext or Ceefax television sets These have lots of different screen pages that show written information, like football results or news reports. There are also some programmes for deaf people with presenters who use sign language.
Many young people who are deaf enjoy watching films with subtitles.
Many films and programmes on television or video can also be watched with subtitles. Subtitles are words that run along the bottom of the screen. The words are not always the exact written form of what is being said on the screen, because these may take up too much space. Sometimes they are a summary – a shorter version. It can be tricky to watch what is going on and read the subtitles at the same time, but most people enjoy it once they get the hang of it.

I hope that this small article on Watching TV for deaf people can help you

Deaf people at home

Some people who are deaf have a few gadgets to help them at home, so they can take care of themselves. For example, some people have extra-loud doorbells, so they know when someone is at the door. Lots of families have a doorbell connected up to a lamp in their child’s room -or even all the lights in the house – so that they flash on and off when someone rings the doorbell.

A smoke alarm is another household device that usually relies on sound. It gives off loud beeping noises when it detects smoke to warn people there may be a fire. It is vital that everyone knows when one goes off. Smoke alarms can be wired up to the lights so they flash while the smoke alarm beeps. They can even be connected to a pad under a child’s pillow that vibrates (moves backwards and forwards) to wake them up.

Some young people who are deaf use special alarm clocks. Some have flashing lights, and a pad under their pillow that vibrates when it’s time to get up. People who wear hearing aids usually take them out at night, so a clock like this is a must if they want to get to school on time!

Most children who are deaf go to ordinary schools alongside children who can hear. They say they prefer it because they like being with different kinds of people and they get to make friends with people who live near home.

Sports activities are a great way for deaf and hearing children to work and play together. After all, you don’t have to be able to hear to score a winning goal!

One problem for deaf children who go to a school where most people can hear is that they may get teased or bullied. They may not like wearing their hearing aids because these often show and this may make them feel different. They may also get picked on because their voices sound different when they speak. No one should put up with bullying. If this happens to you, or you see someone else being bullied, tell a teacher so they can sort it out.

Most children who have hearing difficulties just want to be accepted for who they are. They get on with making their own friends, doing their schoolwork and all of the other things they enjoy.

Radio aids for deaf people

If a deaf child goes to school with children who can hear, they may use radio aid systems to help them join in lessons. The teacher wears a special microphone that relays what they are saying directly to a receiver connected to child’s hearing aid. This means the child can hear wherever they sit in class. These aids are small and easy to swap over when a different teacher takes over the lesson.

The kind of school a young person who is deaf goes to depends on what suits them best. Some children prefer to go to schools that are for deaf children only. Many others go to ordinary schools. Some rely on hearing aids or equipment such as radio aids to allow them to attend classes alongside children who can hear. They may have some extra help, perhaps with their speech, from specially trained teachers who come to the school. Some have their lessons with other deaf children in special classrooms that are part of an ordinary school. Although they have many lessons separately, they usually have some lessons with hearing children and join in with activities such as school trips and assemblies.

How does it feel to be deaf?

There are lots of devices deaf people can use to help in practical ways, but how does it feel to be deaf? Some young people who are deaf say they have times when it gets them down. They may feel cut off from other people or they may resent having to wear hearing aids or use special equipment. People who are deaf are also sometimes teased at school or treated as if they were different.

Most people who are deaf say that being deaf is just a small part of who they are. They can do all or nearly all the things other people can do – and just as well. Most of the time, young people who are deaf just get on with living their life. As well as making friends at school or home, they may join clubs or groups to meet other young people who are deaf. Many deaf children are proud to be deaf and enjoy being part of the deaf community.

Living with deafness

There are lots of things in our everyday lives that can provide challenges for deaf people. These range from using the telephone or watching television to listening to teachers when they explain a new idea.

There are many devices that help young people who are deaf to overcome practical difficulties like these. For example, you may be surprised to know that many deaf people use the telephone every day. Some use telephones that have a volume control to make the sound louder. Others have special devices in the earpiece of the phone (the part you hold to your ear) that can be used with hearing aids. These devices help deaf people hear voices on a phone more clearly.

It is easy to chat to friends on a text telephone. These special telephones may cost no more to use than ordinary phones.

Many deaf people use text telephones. These have a small keyboard to type messages that come up on a single-line screen. You place a normal telephone handset on to a special receiver and dial the telephone number as usual. With a text telephone you can receive messages and type replies back instantly.

Using sign language

When we talk we don’t just use words to tell people what we mean. We show how we feel with body language – the way we move parts of our body when we speak – and our facial expressions. This is the same for sign language, too. For example, the difference between two similar sentences like ‘Did you give me a drink?’ and ‘I gave you a drink’ is shown both by the hand signs used and the direction in which those signs are made. If someone asks ‘Did you give me a drink?’ they signal from the other person to themself, and they raise their eyebrows at the end of the sentence to show they are asking a question. Think about what gestures you make when you speak. You will probably find that you often do many of these kinds of things without really thinking.

Sign language is a language like any other. People can say something in sign language as quickly (if not quicker) as they can using spoken words. You can argue in sign, discuss mathematical problems, or share a good joke.

Sign language

It does not matter which language a person speaks, so long as they can communicate with other people. Many young people who are deaf learn a language that uses the hands, the face and the upper part of the body to communicate. This is called sign language. Sign languages are completely different from the spoken language of a country. They have their own grammar and word order. Different countries use different sign languages. Even though countries like the UK and the USA use the same spoken language, they have different sign languages.

Sign languages across the world

• British Sign Language (BSL) is the most frequently used sign language in Britain. BSL is used by about 70,000 people. It has its own grammar and word order that are not the same as spoken English.
• American Sign Language (ASL) is used by more than half a million deaf people in the USA.
• The sign language of Australia’s deaf community is called Auslan.
  • There are special international signs used at meetings of deaf people from different countries across the world.

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