New publications
Deaf educator
Last reviewed: 03.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
[ Who is a teacher of the deaf?
These are the specialists who translate audio speech for people who have hearing problems. A teacher of the deaf performs a broader function. He helps people with hearing and speech disabilities adapt to life. The profession of a teacher of the deaf is essentially a narrow specialization of a defectologist, who not only studies and corrects hearing impairments, but also participates in the social and psychological adaptation of his patients.
It is important not to confuse the functions of a teacher of the deaf and an otolaryngologist. This doctor diagnoses problems and pathologies of the ear, throat and nose, as well as their treatment. But he is only interested in the medical side of the issue. Attention is paid to eliminating physical disabilities, treating specific diseases, whether by medication, surgery or any other method. A teacher of the deaf, in turn, does not treat diseases, but helps to live with them. Of course, a certain correction is carried out, work on the pronunciation of sounds, teaching sign language. Teachers of the deaf also work with children who have received a cochlear implant.
When should you contact a teacher of the deaf?
A teacher of the deaf is not the doctor that all children meet during routine check-ups at the clinic. Usually, this specialist is contacted when characteristic symptoms of the diseases that the teacher of the deaf works with appear. Most often, the patients of teachers of the deaf are children, namely, quite young children. This is due to the fact that if the hearing impairment is congenital, then parents notice quite early that the child does not react to sounds. But few parents know about such a doctor as a teacher of the deaf, and not every clinic has one. Therefore, if necessary, another specialist usually refers to such a doctor - a pediatrician, neurologist, ENT.
But hearing impairments can also be acquired, even at a very young age. The reason for this may be complications from inflammatory processes of the ear or throat. Therefore, if parents know that the child has suffered from such a disease, and also if drugs that can reduce hearing were used during treatment, then it is worthwhile to monitor the child especially carefully, and in case of suspicion of hearing deterioration, it is necessary to seek advice not only from an ENT specialist, but also from a teacher of the deaf. The same concerns should be raised by ear or head injuries. A delay in the development of the child's speech is noteworthy. Sometimes the cause of this phenomenon can be a violation of auditory perception. Therefore, in such a matter, the help of a teacher of the deaf may be required.
What tests should be taken when contacting a teacher of the deaf?
Health problems considered by a teacher of the deaf have many aspects. As mentioned earlier, hearing loss can be caused by various other diseases. Therefore, when considering the situation, it is necessary to have a comprehensive picture of the child's health. Therefore, the list of tests when contacting a teacher of the deaf will include such standard and familiar tests as a complete blood count, a complete urine test, and a complete stool test. Blood tests for glucose levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate may also be required. Since for a full assessment of the causes of the disorders, it is necessary to know whether there are any hidden inflammatory processes and what the general condition of the patient is. This is necessary not only for making a diagnosis, but also for choosing the most correct correction and treatment tactics.
If there is clearly an inflammatory process near or in the ear, then it is sometimes recommended to perform a microbiological culture of fluids in order to more accurately determine the causative agent of the inflammatory process.
In addition to standard laboratory tests, when problems with sound perception develop, a number of genetic tests can be conducted for a more comprehensive view of the situation. Since the connection between deafness and mutations of certain genes has been proven. If such a mutation is present, then it will be somewhat more difficult to combat the problem, but nevertheless, information about this state of affairs is important for selecting methods of working with the patient.
What diagnostic methods does a teacher of the deaf use?
In addition to tests and standard research methods, the teacher of the deaf also uses a number of very specific diagnostic methods. Thus, in addition to a standard medical examination, the teacher of the deaf can refer the patient to such a diagnostic procedure as audiometry.
Audiometry is a procedure for measuring hearing acuity. There are different methods and devices for its implementation. For this, sensitivity to sound waves that are supplied at different frequencies is checked. Today, the study is carried out using an audiometer, and previously such procedures were carried out using various tuning forks. Although today, the use of tuning forks is possible and acceptable.
The result of such a study is an audiogram. With regular audiometry, based on the dynamics of audiogram data, the doctor can diagnose not only simply decreased hearing, but also the development of this process over time.
Audiometry provides information about bone and air conduction, that is, it allows us to evaluate both the functioning of the inner ear and the entire auditory tract as a whole.
Audiometry is performed using both tonal and speech methods. And if the first allows one to evaluate sensitivity to sound in the range of typical frequencies (125 Hz – 8000 Hz), then the second speaks about the ability to recognize human speech of various volume levels.
What does a teacher of the deaf do?
In their practice, a teacher of the deaf develops communication and speech skills in hard-of-hearing or deaf people, and also adapts them to various types of hearing aids.
A doctor-pedagogue of the deaf, based on the study of certain physiological characteristics of hearing-impaired or completely deaf children, develops such methods of correcting the problem, development and education methods, so that the child can freely learn. Not lag behind peers in the educational process and social sphere.
Also, a teacher of the deaf conducts general education classes on school subjects for hearing-impaired and deaf children, using special methods of conveying information and explaining concepts.
But the most important goal is to teach children with hearing disabilities oral speech, which not only helps them to better adapt to society, but also affects their overall intellectual and psychological development. This is a rather difficult task, since in this case the child does not hear himself or others, and therefore does not fully understand the meaning of his actions when learning to speak.
It is important to understand that this is not just a formal job. In fact, this is the same job of a teacher, which requires understanding, participation, empathy, the ability to stimulate and encourage their students. But the main difference is that a teacher of the deaf works with deaf or almost deaf people. Of course, it is of great importance whether the person has ever heard. Since a previously hearing person, who for one reason or another has partially or completely lost this ability, has an idea of sound, which significantly affected his overall development, the formation of abstract thinking. If a person has not heard from birth, then a slightly different approach is required. For such work, you need not only to be a good professional, but also to be able to understand those with whom you work, to study them. For some teachers of the deaf, this is a lifetime journey. Of course, a teacher of the deaf teaches sign language. At the same time, trying not only to teach how to exchange important information, but also to create live emotional communication. Also, a teacher of the deaf can teach a deaf or hard of hearing person basic speech, which requires speech therapy skills and the skills of a defectologist. And of course, a teacher of the deaf is, first of all, a teacher, because his actions include everything that teachers in general usually have to deal with. This includes the psychology of communication, and the ability to interest, and the ability to discern in each student an independent, original personality.
What diseases does a teacher of the deaf treat?
The help of a teacher of the deaf may be required for various diseases of the middle and inner ear, brain, and even teeth or tongue.
A teacher of the deaf carries out diagnostics and correction for such diseases as deafness, deaf-blindness and deaf-blind-muteness.
He can also work with patients suffering from hearing loss, otitis or otosclerosis.
Other reasons for contacting a teacher of the deaf may include nystagmus, auditory neuritis, Meniere's disease, and vibration disease.
Deafness is a complete or almost complete loss of the ability to perceive and understand sounds from the outside, and hearing loss is a significant decrease, but not a complete loss, of the ability to hear sounds, most often caused by diseases of the inner ear, inflammation of the inner and middle ear, various other infectious processes and their complications near the ears (otitis, flu). In addition, loud sounds, strong noise, vibration or mechanical trauma can cause hearing loss or decrease.
A more complex case is deaf-muteness. This is the inability not only to hear, but also to speak. Deaf-muteness may be due to the fact that the child does not hear speech, or it may be caused by disorders of the vocal apparatus. By identifying the cause of the problem, the teacher of the deaf selects an individual method of working with such a student.
The most difficult case to correct is deaf-blindness. A deaf child is taught oral speech through visual contact. If a child is not only deaf but also blind, either acquired or congenital, then teaching him speech is not possible at all. However, such a person is in dire need of special training to acquire basic communication and self-care skills.
Meniere's disease is a buildup of fluid in the inner ear. This puts pressure on the cells that are responsible for the body's spatial orientation and balance. This disease can be caused by infectious and other inflammatory processes in the inner ear, injuries, or vascular problems.
Advice from a teacher of the deaf
If the help of a teacher of the deaf is needed, then most likely the child has already been diagnosed with hearing loss or deafness. This is always difficult for the parents and relatives of the little patient. But it is important to understand that, despite all the difficulties, people with such problems can adapt remarkably well to society, without denying themselves the human joys of life on an equal basis with those with normal hearing. But this requires not only the help of a teacher of the deaf, but also the intense and painstaking work of parents and family members. And first of all, you should adhere to a number of simple and at the same time very important rules:
- ACCEPTANCE
Many parents, worried about how their child with hearing problems will adapt to society, try to treat him as a hearing person, set tasks that are too difficult for the child, build communication with him without taking into account that he does not hear them. Therefore, it is important to accept the fact that the child has poor hearing or does not hear at all and act accordingly.
- INDEPENDENCE
Parental overprotection also limits the ability of a child with limited hearing to adapt to society. He should already learn much more than his well-hearing peers, so the task of parents is not to shield the child from the outside world, but to create the most comfortable and safe conditions for his cognition.
- COMMUNICATION
Due to the fact that people with hearing impairments also have problems with speech one way or another, communication becomes very difficult for them and becomes impractical. Therefore, it is very important to instill in a child with hearing problems not just a desire, but an aspiration and habit of communicating. To do this, you need to show him an example of communication with him - use gesticulation, facial expressions, gestures. You need to show the child that communication is wonderful, ignite in him a desire to also learn this exciting activity.
But in any case, it should be remembered that if problems with hearing arise, you should immediately contact a doctor-pedagogue of the deaf. And it is better if it is a false alarm.