Audrey Lewis' In-Service
What Does Hearing Loss Sound Like?
What is an Audiogram?
An audiogram is a graph that shows the results of a pure tone hearing test. It helps to show how loud sounds need to be at different frequencies, or pitches, in order for you to hear them.
Interpreting My Audiogram
- The left side of the audiogram represents loudness of sounds measured in decibels.
- Across the top, you have frequency (pitch) measured in Hertz. When thinking about the frequency, think of a piano where you have the lower sounds on the left and the sounds get higher as you move to the right across the audiogram. If we were to keep mapping sounds to the right, we would begin to see things such as dog whistles, or things that we as humans would not hear. When we say higher sounds, we are referring to voiceless, airy sounds, such as /s/, /sh/, /ch/. Sounds that have no voicing behind them. Those sounds tend to be the hardest for people with hearing loss to hear because they are so quiet.
- On the right side of the audiogram, you have the different degrees of hearing loss broken down.
- The boomerang looking thing in the middle is called a speech banana. This area represents the intensity (loudness) and frequency (pitch) where sounds are heard within normal, conversational level of speech.
- The left ear is represented by the blue X, and the right ear is represented by the red O, and are called plots.
- Wherever you see a plot and BELOW it, is what a person is ABLE to hear in that respective ear. Sounds ABOVE the line would NOT be detected.
**When considering what a person can hear, you must consider AUDIBILITY versus INTELLIGIBILITY. If something is audible, it means that sound can be detected. The person may not necessarily know, or understand what they are hearing. If something is intelligible, it means they understand what is being said, or heard. For example, a teacher in a classroom during arrival or dismissal will hear students in the hallway talking. Although the teacher can hear the students talking, they could not tell you exactly what the students are saying because they are only audible, not intelligible. When you are intelligible, you can be heard and understood.
- Reading down the right side of the audiogram, the areas that the student’s plots cross into determine their hearing loss. The loss can move across more than one type of hearing loss. For example, a student can have a moderate hearing loss, or a mild loss that slopes down to a severe loss. A person could also have a severe loss that slopes up to a mild loss.
Audrey's Equipment
Cochlear Implant
FM System
Remember to mute the microphone when speaking privately with other teachers or students, or when using the restroom. The student will be able to hear you.
In an FM System Really Important?
My FM system
- The FM system is a personal microphone system that the student and teacher wear. The student wears audio receivers, or possibly a neckloop, that works in connection with their hearing aids. The FM system is set specifically for the student’s hearing loss so that they are able to get the most gain from their hearing aids. The FM system reduces background noise and makes your voice louder than things in your environment. Because the FM system turns off the student’s environmental microphones, they will have a hard time hearing their peers because your voice is more powerful than anything around them. It is important to remember to repeat what peers are saying during discussions to make sure the student hears conversations going on around them.
- When wearing the FM system, the microphone should be worn about 3 inches under your chin. The microphone is directional, so it should be pointing upward. It is also very sensitive, so you don’t want anything brushing across it. Hair, jewelry, etc., can be heard in the microphone and can sound very loud to the student.
- Remember to turn the microphone off when not speaking with the student, or having side conversations. The FM essentially puts you at 3-6 inches from the child at all times, so as long as the FM is within range, they will hear you!
- Charge the FM every night, on weekends, and long weekends/vacations. The FM must be turned OFF in order for it to charge. It will NOT charge in the on position.
DON'T FORGET
- Don't forget to look at me when speaking.
- Make sure I'm in a good spot to where I can see you and my peers.
- When doing notes give me extra notes.
CONTACT ME:
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Plano Regional Day School Program for the Deaf
Office: 469-752-5169
Email: takiyah.perryjacque@pisd.edu
Location: 2127 West Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 214-457-6100