Adapted PE
Category: Hearing Impairment

I have a student who rapidly began to lose hearing in his second grade year. Do you know of any adaptations or lessons for students with hearing disabilities?

There are few limitations to the activities that children with hearing impairments can perform. Your main concern is how to modify the activities for maximum participation and success. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Verbal Instructions (if he/she has any residual hearing) - be clear and concise, repeat as necessary and maybe in way that the student can better understand; give feedback using precise descriptions such as hold the racket above your left shoulder.

2. Focus on demonstrations - show the child the desired skill, demonstrating within the child's field of vision.

3. Physical assistance or guidance - assist the student physically through the movement; fade assistance to minimal physical prompts as skill progresses; allow the student to feel the person who is demonstrating the skill.

4. Add sound (if he/she has any residual hearing) - use a beeper ball; hit a ball of a bounce; put bells, fish rocks, sand, etc. inside balls; attach bells to targets, nets, etc. so student can know when a goal is scored.

References

Goetz, L. et. al. (1987). Innovative program design for individuals with dual sensory impairments. Baltimore: Brookes Publishers.

Jansma, P. (ed.). (1993). Psychomotor domain training and serious disabilities, 4th ed., Washington, DC. University Press of America

Last modified date: 9/13/2010

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