10 Back-to-School Tips for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Kids

Back-to-school season comes with a lot of emotions for every family. There’s excitement about a fresh start, nerves about new teachers, shopping for school supplies, figuring out schedules, and getting everyone back into a routine.

But when your child is deaf or hard of hearing, there’s another layer of preparation that many families never have to think about.

Is their hearing technology ready? Does the teacher understand how to use the microphone? Where will they sit? Will they be able to hear during group work? What happens in the cafeteria? Does the substitute teacher know about their accommodations? Will my child speak up when they miss something?

Because the reality is that hearing sound and understanding what was said are not the same thing.

A child may hear that someone is speaking but miss words, pieces of sentences, instructions, jokes, or conversations happening around them. Add background noise, distance, multiple speakers, and a full day of listening, and school can require an incredible amount of effort.

As we head back to school, here are 10 things parents, teachers, and school staff can do to help deaf and hard of hearing kids succeed.

1. Make Sure Teachers Understand Your Child’s Hearing Needs

Never assume that everyone working with your child understands hearing loss.

Even experienced educators may have limited experience working with deaf and hard of hearing students or children who use hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Before school begins—or as early in the year as possible—share information about your child’s specific needs.

Explain what helps them hear and understand best, what situations are most challenging, what their hearing devices can and cannot do, and what accommodations they need.

Remember that your child may interact with many adults throughout the day beyond their primary classroom teacher, including specials teachers, lunch staff, coaches, substitute teachers, bus drivers, and support staff.

The more people who understand how to support them, the better.

2. Check Hearing Technology Before School Starts

Cochlear implants, hearing aids, FM/DM systems, remote microphones, batteries, chargers, and other equipment should all be checked before the school year begins.

But having the equipment isn’t enough.

The adults responsible for using it need to know how it works.

Teachers should understand how to turn a microphone on and off, where to wear it, when to mute it, and what to do if something stops working.

And yes, please remind teachers to mute the microphone when they’re having a private conversation—or heading to the bathroom. DHH parents know exactly why I’m mentioning this one!

3. Choose Seating Strategically

Preferential seating doesn’t necessarily mean, “Put the child in the front row.”

Think about the entire classroom environment.

Can your child clearly see the teacher’s face? Can they see classmates during discussions? Are they sitting near a noisy air conditioner, hallway, pencil sharpener, or other source of background noise?

The best seat may change depending on the classroom layout and activity.

Ask your child where they hear best, too. They’re often the best person to tell you what works.

4. Get Their Attention Before Speaking

This is such a simple adjustment, but it can make an enormous difference.

Get the child’s attention before you start talking.

Say their name, make eye contact, gently tap their shoulder if that’s appropriate for them, or use another agreed-upon cue.

Starting instructions while facing the board or walking across the classroom can mean your child misses the first several words—and sometimes those words provide the context needed to understand everything that follows.

And speaking louder isn’t necessarily the solution.

Access matters more than volume.

5. Understand Listening Fatigue

This is one of the biggest things I wish more people understood about deaf and hard of hearing kids.

Listening can be exhausting.

Imagine spending your entire school day constantly working to fill in missing pieces of conversations.

Your brain is listening, processing, lip-reading when possible, watching facial expressions, using context clues, filtering background noise, and trying to keep up academically at the same time.

By the end of the day, some DHH kids are completely spent.

Listening fatigue can sometimes look like:

• Irritability
• Zoning out
• Emotional meltdowns
• Hyperactivity
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Wanting to be alone
• Falling asleep
• Becoming frustrated easily

What looks like “bad behavior” may actually be an exhausted brain saying, I’ve had enough.

6. Build Quiet Breaks Into Their Day

Because listening requires so much additional effort, some deaf and hard of hearing children benefit from opportunities to give their brains a break.

That might mean a quiet space, independent work, a short sensory break, or simply a few minutes where they aren’t expected to actively listen.

This can also be important after school.

If your child comes home and doesn’t immediately want to talk about their day, give them some time.

They may have spent the last seven hours working incredibly hard to listen.

Sometimes silence is exactly what they need.

7. Make Sure IEP or 504 Accommodations Are Actually Being Used

Having accommodations written down is important.

Having them consistently implemented is even more important.

If your child has an IEP or 504 Plan, check in throughout the school year to make sure accommodations are actually happening.

Is the microphone being used?

Is preferential seating being provided?

Are captions turned on for videos?

Are instructions being repeated or provided visually when necessary?

Does your child have access to a quieter testing environment if that’s part of their plan?

Don’t wait until your child starts struggling academically to check.

8. Plan for the Noisiest Parts of School

A quiet classroom isn’t necessarily where DHH kids struggle the most.

Think about:

The cafeteria.
Recess.
Gym class.
Assemblies.
The school bus.
Group projects.
Field trips.
After-school activities.

These environments can be incredibly difficult because there may be dozens—or hundreds—of competing sounds.

And these are often the places where important social interactions happen.

Ask your child which environments are hardest and work together with the school to find strategies that can help.

9. Teach Self-Advocacy Early

One of the greatest skills we can give deaf and hard of hearing children is the confidence to advocate for themselves.

Teach them that it’s okay to say:

“I didn’t hear you.”

“Can you repeat that?”

“Please face me when you’re talking.”

“Can you turn on your microphone?”

“It’s too loud in here for me to understand.”

“My hearing device isn’t working.”

They should never feel embarrassed for asking for access.

As parents, we won’t always be standing beside them to advocate for what they need. The goal is to slowly give them the language, confidence, and tools to do it themselves.

10. Remember That Hearing Isn’t the Same as Understanding

This might be the most important reminder of all.

Hearing aids and cochlear implants are incredible pieces of technology, but they do not magically create typical hearing.

A child may hear perfectly well in a quiet room while sitting close to the speaker and struggle significantly when that same person is 15 feet away in a noisy classroom.

They may hear the teacher but miss what another student said.

They may understand the lesson but miss the joke whispered at the lunch table.

They may nod because they know someone spoke to them without actually knowing what was said.

Instead of asking:

“Did you hear me?”

Try asking a question that confirms they understood the information.

There’s a big difference.

One More Thing: Listen to the Child

We can create IEPs, buy technology, talk with teachers, request accommodations, and advocate endlessly.

But one of the most important things we can do is ask our kids:

“What helps you?”

“Where do you hear best?”

“What’s hardest for you at school?”

“What do you wish your teacher understood?”

“What would make school easier?”

Deaf and hard of hearing kids are the experts on their own listening experiences.

Give them a voice in their accommodations. Teach them to advocate for themselves. Believe them when they say they’re tired or didn’t hear something. And remind them that asking for what they need is never something to be embarrassed about.

Back-to-school success isn’t about making a deaf or hard of hearing child adapt to a hearing world without support.

It’s about creating an environment where they have equal access, understanding, confidence, and the opportunity to thrive.

Here’s to a school year where our DHH kids don’t just keep up—they feel understood, included, and supported. 🦻❤️🎒