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Adult Learner > Factors > Hearing

Hearing

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Factor Connections

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We typically learn to understand many new concepts and skills through what we hear, but also what we can touch, see, and manipulate. Adults with hearing loss may have had life-long hearing loss or may have more recently developed progressive hearing loss, often due to age-related physical decline or noise exposure over their lifetime. For adults with hearing loss and/or processing difficulties, learning new skills or content can be more difficult if they do not have the appropriate support.

Main Ideas

Hearing is measured as the ability to hear sounds in the typical human range of approximately 20 - 20,000 Hz. Hearing loss typically impacts high frequency speech sounds (e.g., /sh/, /s/, /f/, /th/) more than other frequencies. It is important to recognize the variability among adults with hearing loss, and how hearing loss can differentially impact these individuals. Additionally, hearing aids and cochlear implants do not always completely restore hearing or support full language comprehension.

  • Adults who have life-long hearing loss may use a signed and/or a spoken language, and often have clear communication preferences. Adults with life-long hearing loss are likely to have hearing parents, as 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. Research shows that deaf children of hearing parents can often suffer language deprivation as a result of delayed language exposure. These individuals may have lasting difficulties in areas like critical thinking, language skills, writing skills, and social awareness. Adults with life-long hearing loss are less likely to pursue post-secondary education.
  • Adults with progressive hearing loss face new challenges in learning, as their typical learning experiences may change with hearing loss. They may also experience increased anxiety and frustration with the newfound struggles to hear and communicate in certain situations. Adults with progressive hearing loss often have less experience with advocating and seeking supports for their hearing loss.

Another aspect of Hearing is Auditory Processing disorder. Adults with Auditory Processing difficulties may not have disordered Hearing that is impacted in the frequency ranges, but rather, struggle to understand the content and context of spoken language. This is due to a disconnect in their neural processing that can be caused by a myriad of factors that impact the brain, from premature birth to traumatic brain injuries.

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Research-Based Strategies For This Factor

Authentic Audiences & Purposes

When adults can connect and communicate with authentic audiences about their interests and values, learning becomes more personally meaningful and relevant.

Cultural & Life Experiences Connections

Understanding adults' lived experiences and cultural backgrounds and connecting them to instructional practices helps all learners feel like valued members of the community.

Explicit Instruction: Computer Basics

In an increasingly digital world, adults who struggle with using technology can benefit from direct instruction for an array of digital tools.

Explicit Instruction: Math Strategies

Direct instruction in math strategies may support some adult learners once conceptual understanding is in place.

Explicit Instruction: Vocabulary

Seeing and using new words repeatedly and across contexts is critical for vocabulary acquisition.

Foster Growth Mindset

When adults are aware that learning involves effort, mistakes, reflection, and refinement of strategies, they are more resilient when they struggle.

Mentoring/Coaching

Giving learners the opportunity to share their knowledge, skills, and understanding with others strengthens learning and increases Motivation while also building Social Supports.

Multimodal Instruction

Instruction and training presented in multiple formats allows learners to activate different cognitive skills and Background Knowledge that are necessary to remember procedural and content information.

Quiet Learning Spaces

Creating a quiet space free of distractions is critical for adults to be able to focus on learning.

Simulations & Immersive Virtual Environments

Simulations and immersive virtual environments provide authentic learning at a level that can spark curiosity and deeper understanding by engaging multiple senses in exploration.

Speech-to-text

Speech-to-text takes the input from voice recognition and produces text.

Video Replay Analysis

Analyzing short video clips, replays of important aspects, and videos of oneself applying what has been learned can improve Metacognition and Long-term Memory while fostering a Learner Mindset.

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