by Carrie Jackiewicz, Special Services Coordinator
Does class size impact a student with hearing loss’ success? Yes. There are several benefits to having a smaller class size of 20 or fewer students.
Smaller class sizes mean less background noise. Background noise makes it challenging for students with hearing loss to hear and understand what is being said. When class sizes are larger, there is more noise from students talking and moving around the room. While remote microphone systems can help increase the volume of the teacher’s voice, it still may be challenging for a child with a hearing loss to hear in a larger class.
Smaller class sizes mean the teacher has more control and there are fewer behavior problems. Teachers can control behavior issues quickly and therefore are able to accomplish more than a teacher who is constantly stopping lessons to deal with behavior. Smaller class sizes also mean there is more one-on-one time with the teacher. The teacher has more time to focus on and interact with each student during the school day.
I recently read an article about class sizes in a local school district. The district had some class sizes that were under ten students. The district wanted to combine classes to cut costs, but then class sizes grew to over 25 students, which was not optimal for students’ success.
We have an alumnus in that district, who had 11 students in his second grade class. For a student who was used to smaller class sizes at Child’s Voice, a class of 11 students was comfortable and familiar. The next year, his third grade class size jumped to 28, which was a challenge for the student. The level of background noise increased dramatically, and the atmosphere and behavior of the classroom changed with so many students in the room. The alumnus complained about the background noise, and he felt that the remote microphone system was not helping him hear his teacher and his classmates.
The student’s Hearing Itinerant tried several things to help the student, and they found the most effective solution was a sound field system. A sound field system elevates the volume of the teacher’s voice through the use of a microphone and a speaker, so the entire class benefits from the listening device, not just the student with a hearing loss. When all of the students can hear the teacher better, behavior and participation improve. Using the sound field system instead of the remote microphone system was not what the Hearing Itinerant expected. The Hearing Itinerant was happy that the sound field system helped all the students and not just the student with hearing loss.
What can be done to help students who are in classes with more than 20 students? In my reports, I recommend that schools reduce background noise by closing the classroom door, adding area rugs, seating the student away from fans or ventilations units, and using a remote microphone.