advocacy | Paula Rosenthal

5 Tips for Students with Hearing Loss Applying to College

Paula Rosenthal
Mar 12, 2021

One of the most exciting, yet stress-inducing, times for high school students is the research, application and eventual decision-making process for college. Choosing where to pursue their post-secondary education can be the single most important decision young people make until that point in their lives. Having a hearing disability presents some unique wrinkles when searching for prospective schools. After narrowing them down based on general preferences including location, size, potential course of study, financial feasibility, etc. there are several other things to consider. Make the college process less anxiety-ridden by following these tips.

1. Plan Ahead

Whether in person or by phone, schedule a meeting with the office that handles disability services at prospective universities. Appointments can be set up either in advance of applying to the school or immediately upon notice of acceptance.

Before the meeting, determine what types of accommodations and/or services your student may need and put together a list of pertinent questions. Some schools may decline to have a direct discussion about services until a student has been admitted. If that is the case, be sure to set one up very soon after acceptance. This will help you gauge not only the availability of necessary services but also how organized and experienced the school is. This meeting should also give your student a better understanding of the level of self-advocacy that will be required of them in college. A good outline of accommodations and services to consider are available here.

2. Inquire About Unique Accommodations

Aside from the usual accommodations such as assistive listening devices, CART, testing modifications, etc., there are other things to discuss. Does the school offer any unique accommodations for students with disabilities? For example, are students able to pre-register for classes so that they are able to get particular professors or smaller class sections? This can be beneficial to ensure the best listening environment with professors who have clear speech, don't talk too fast or cover their mouths, etc. Class size can also be important as some courses may be taught in both large and smaller section sizes. Some lecture halls can be quite large with poor acoustics. This can usually be compensated for with appropriate accommodations but it is helpful to be aware in advance.

Another question to ask is about the availability of dorm rooms that are already equipped with alert devices for smoke and fire alarms and door knock signalers. If they're not, will the housing department ensure these are in place upon dorm move-in or does the student need to move in and wait for safety equipment to be installed? How long does this process take?

3. Visit Schools, Observe and Ask Questions

Use the college information session and campus tour to discover all the things that may not be on the school's website or in college guidebooks. Go prepared with a list of questions.

If your student is comfortable, have them alert the tour guide that they have hearing loss and walk close to them. College tours offer a lot of useful information and opportunities to ask questions. If they use an assistive listening device they can bring it on the tour and ask the guide to wear the microphone.

While on tour, observe the immediate surroundings. Are buildings situated close to busy streets or highways? Is there a lot of ongoing construction nearby? When you're inside classrooms, libraries and dorms is your student hearing a lot of noise from the outdoor environment? Ask about the percentages of classes that are small, medium and large sized. For classes that are very large, do they break up into smaller sections a few times a week?

4. Connect with College Students with Hearing Loss

Ask the university if they can pass your student's contact information to a current student with hearing loss who would be willing to speak with them. Getting an insider's view of the college journey of a student with the same disability can be beneficial. Not only can they share the ease or difficulty with which they obtained services and/or accommodations, they may also provide insight into options you may not have thought of. Plus, these students are the inside track to finding particular faculty and administrators who have been helpful to them.

If your student has any local friends or acquaintances with hearing loss who may be older and in college or recently graduated, encourage your child to reach out to them. You can reach out to people you know as well. Many kids are only too happy to share their experiences with their peers. While this may be more of a general college discussion, it is still valuable information before they head into college.

5. Research College Scholarships

There are many college scholarship opportunities specifically for deaf and hard of hearing students as well as general scholarships for students with any type of disability. Eligibility requirements vary and some are specific to certain schools or states. Begin your scholarship search as early as possible. Creating a spreadsheet to organize the information will help to keep from being overwhelmed during this process.

The following links offer scholarship opportunities specifically for deaf and hard of hearing students.

http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/deaf.htm
https://www.top10onlinecolleges.org/scholarships-for/hearing-impaired-students
https://www.vicaps.com/blog/scholarship-information/
https://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/training/find-scholarships.aspx?keyword=deaf&sortcolumns=BestMatch&sortdirections=

Links to both hearing loss specific as well as general disability scholarships can be found here:

There are many more resources for scholarships available online. Use a variety of search terms (deaf, hearing impaired, hearing loss, hard of hearing, etc.) in conjunction with the term, "scholarship" for best results.

Determining which schools will set up your student with hearing loss for success in college requires careful planning and consideration. These tips will go a long way to help the process go more smoothly and the scholarship links will hopefully save you money.

Paula Rosenthal, J.D. (she/her) is deaf and uses cochlear implants to hear. Her husband and one of her three children also use cochlear implants. Paula is an award-winning advocate for people with hearing loss and their families. She blogs at PaulaRosenthal.com and is available for speaking engagements. To contact her, please send an email to thepaularosenthal@gmail.com.

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8 Tips for Building Self-Esteem in Children with Disabilities

Paula Rosenthal
Feb 21, 2021

It is essential to build self-esteem in children with disabilities as they develop, just as we do for other children. Parents, caregivers, teachers and healthcare professionals often make up the community that surrounds them. Here are a few ways everyone can work together to help children feel properly supported and cared for.

1. Let the child speak.

Let the child speak for themself as often as possible even if their language is limited. When appropriate, direct questions to them, not the adult with them. Be patient, look at them and listen attentively. By doing this, you are validating that what they want, say or need is of significance. Plus, you will be demonstrating important skills of mindfulness, listening and interactivity.

2. Treat the child the same.

Treat children with disabilities the same as you would other children. Don't use their disability as an excuse for inappropriate behavior. Children can be very perceptive and take cues from what you say or how you act. Giving in to a child, pitying them or making things easier for them can all backfire later. Siblings and classmates may become resentful for any 'special' treatment that is given to a peer. Or, they may learn by poor example and treat the child differently than they would other friends and acquaintances.

3. Teach the child manners.

Teach the child about manners and forming friendships as early as possible. As soon as your child is able, help them learn how to introduce themself and be able to ask other children, "What's your name?"

While toddlers and young children typically become friends more through physical activities than language interaction, they may be wary of approaching your child to play. Help your child learn how to initiate contact with other children by role modeling and practicing often. By preparing your child, they will become comfortable making new friends and may have more success than if they waited for someone else to initiate contact. This is an important skill that will serve them well throughout their lifetime.

4. Teach the child about their assistive devices.

When your child is able to understand, explain why they need and use the assistive devices they have. Whether it's hearing aids, a wheelchair, an FM listening system, etc., they should be able to describe what it is and what it does in simple language. Schedule a peer in-service the first week of each school year for their class and let the teacher know your child will be helping to lead it. Let them demonstrate the device(s) they use to their classmates. It is important to become comfortable educating others about what is a necessary part of their life. By participating in the demonstration, it removes the elephant in the room and allows them to set the tone for how they expect to be treated.

5. Discover the child's interests and cultivate them.

Introduce your child to a variety of activities and discover which ones they like. Help them develop their interests by signing them up for classes, joining clubs or participating in the activities as frequently as possible. This can be sports, music, dance, writing, photography, art, cooking, etc. Self-confidence soars when children learn a new skill or hobby they enjoy. They need the relaxation and downtime as well and both you and your child will be proud of their accomplishments.

6. Avoid labeling.

Do not use a child's disability as a descriptive term unless it is necessary to the discussion at hand. Remember, the child is a person first and should not be defined by their disability. It is offensive, damaging and can have long-term effects on their feelings of self-worth.

7. Teach the child self-acceptance.

Don't try to hide the cochlear implant, assistive listening device or other technology your child may use. Make these devices a natural part of their daily life. It is important for both their self-esteem as well as for their benefit. Sometimes people think they are protecting their children by covering up things that help them, but instead, children will often think that it is something to be ashamed of. This is not wise. A child who cannot accept their disability will be certain to encounter much more difficult obstacles as life goes on.

8. Acknowledge effort, not someone else's definition of success.

One of the best ways to boost your child's self-confidence is to acknowledge their academic, physical and social efforts no matter how small. By doing so, you are showing them that your love and approval is unconditional and not based on the outcome of their efforts. Motivation to try should not be inspired by the possibility of a reward from the parent or teacher. Offer praise, not money, gifts or special treatment, for both their efforts and their achievements. This way, they will not feel that they deserve praise or love only when they accomplish what they set out to do.

Children with disabilities often face many obstacles growing up. Early development of self-esteem, self-confidence and self-acceptance are instrumental to their success. Use these tips at home and share them with the educators and professionals who are part of your community. Together, you can ensure your child a bright and confident future.

Interested in this article for your publication? It is available for syndication.

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5 Things to Teach Your Child with a Disability

Paula Rosenthal
Feb 18, 2021

Having a disability may make your child's educational journey and eventual path to employment bumpier than their peers, but it doesn't mean they cannot reach the same goals. Here are some of the lessons I taught my young daughter as she worked to overcome the obstacles thrown in her way due to her rapidly progressive hearing loss. These are the same things I learned as a child who also dealt with a significant hearing loss.

1. Teach your child to educate.

Give your child the words to explain their disability in age appropriate language. From the time I could talk, I told other children that I needed hearing aids to hear better just like some people needed eyeglasses to see better. By being open and neither ashamed nor embarrassed, it helped to put my classmates at ease. They didn't need to wonder, whisper or tease. My hearing aids were no longer foreign objects to them and they found it easier to accept me as I was. Children are curious by nature. Practice asking relevant questions with your child so they become comfortable fielding and answering them from their classmates and friends.

2. Teach your child to advocate.

Your child should understand that it is their responsibility to ensure that their needs are met. In school settings parents are not there and teachers may be busy or unaware of problems. Issues come up daily so it is best for your child to learn to recognize them and be prepared. Help them establish independence and to find their voice as young as possible. When they need to speak up for themselves they will have both the experience and the confidence to do so.

3. Teach your child to focus.

Children and adults alike pick up emotional and social clues with the use of visual and auditory cues such as facial expressions, body gestures, what people say and how they say it. Teach your child to be attentive and to face someone who is speaking and also that they should directly face people when they're speaking to them. Focusing is an important skill that is more easily learned at a young age and it will reap great rewards.

4. Teach your child the power of humor.

Humor is a wonderful tool, especially for a child with a disability. Growing up, I experienced many embarrassing and difficult situations, but I usually managed to find the humor in them. By not taking things too seriously I turned uncomfortable situations around, and in turn earned respect from my peers.

5. Teach your child that no one is perfect.

Many people don't have physical disabilities or visible problems, but their lives are far from perfect. Realizing this, I never pitied myself and I have always been open about my disability. It may not be easy, but your child has everything to gain by having a conversation about it early on. Typically, people are much more understanding and patient when they are aware that something is difficult for you to do. By exhibiting this kind of self-confidence, it also sets the tone for how people will view and react to your child.

While being a child with a disability is not easy, it is important for parents to teach them advocacy skills and coping strategies and also to instill self-confidence at a young age. By doing so, the roads of education, employment and relationships will be a lot smoother.

Interested in this article for your publication? It is available for syndication.

Send an email to thepaularosenthal@gmail.com with your request

and put "Syndicated Inquiry" in the subject line.

No reprints without express permission of the author.

(Social shares are always welcome!)