Do people who are deaf learn differently than those who can hear?

Question

Most people are probably aware that there are different learning & study styles. There are those who are more visual learners, while others learn through auditory methods. Would someone who cannot hear learn differently? If so, how?

Answer 1

Wow, there are a lot of misconceptions on here.

The answer to your question is absolutely. First be aware, that just because a student is hearing impaired, this doesn't meanthat they will not be auditory learners. Hearing aids, cochlear implants, and FM systems are all technology that can be used in order to use a student's residual hearing in order to allow them to be on more of a level playing field when compared to their peers. It is especially helpful to those students who have a hearing impairment and are truely auditory learners. Students with hearing impairments or students that are deaf can have difficulty in several linguistic areas. Incidental learning can be low, due to the fact that a child may hear that the teacher is talking, but not comprehend what is being said, resulting in lower vocabulary acquisition, which can result in problems in content area. If a student does have low incidental learning skills, they are also susceptible to having difficulty speaking or writing, with specific problems such as incorrect word order, missing tense or plurality markers, incorrect subject/verb agreement, etc. Students can also have difficulty in critical thinking skills, which can cause difficulty in the areas of reading and writing. Many times these students are not learning disabled, although they function like one. More structured learning, such as pre and post teaching, auditory training, and speech and language helps these students acquire the linguistic skills they need in order to be successful in the classroom.

  Of course, not all students with a hearing loss encounter these problems, and some students encounter many, and must have a teacher of the deaf or other professional to help the regular classroom teacher predict possible educational roadblocks, and modification of assignments and tests.

The students I have described are the students who are hearing impaired or deaf, and oral (meaning they use oral communication vs. sign language). Students who use sign language as their means of communication can have these roadblocks as well. In addition, they must also contend with the fact that they are using another language, (sign language has different syntax and pragmatic than English), but must complete their assignments in English.

Answer 2

we learn same as hearing, we are all people so we all learn same general ways.

some Deaf CAN hear, some only have residual hearing, some only use sign some go to Deaf school some go to Mainstream.

I went to Deaf school had my weak and strong points just like everyone else. I am profound Deaf and have been my whole life. and I am visual hands on learner. You adapt to what you have but same general learning styles throughout everyone.

Answer 3

Obviously yes...  The can not hear so that have to do their learning through their other senses.

Example - touch, sight, and even smell.

But just because the have a hearing disability does not mean they are not as smart or do not learn as fast.

Sometimes they are smarter because of how strong their other senses are....

Answer 4

Deafness can be of two types -

1. Pre-lingual deafness

Happens before the person has actually learnt speech and language. This could happen if it's congenital, it could be a birth defect. If such a child is born in a family where others have this problem, chances are that they are already well-versed with the sign language. In the case, the newborn would have no real difficulty in learning.

But if a child is born in a family where there's no history of such problem, it would be tough to learn the basics, because the family wouldn't be having prior knowledge about it. So his normal growth will be delayed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelingual_...

2. Post-lingual deafness

Happens after a person has learnt speech and language. According to wiki, it happens generally after the age of six. Hearing loss is gradual, so the person, and people around him come to know about the loss of hearing long before the hearing is totally lost. And such time gap is enough for the person to learn sign language, learning lip reading etc. He also becomes accustomed to hearing problems, and adjusting is not a problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-lingua...

So, yes, they do learn differently, but it depends on what type of deafness they have.

Check these links for more information...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_imp...

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heari...

http://deafness.about.com

http://www.who.int/topics/deafness/en/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/d...

By the way, cool question, made me think. Two of my cousins have hearing problems since birth, and till today, I had not thought about it :(

Answer 5

Yes. People who are deaf can't hear and some of them get frustrated very easily because of their disability so yes, they learn differently and at different speeds.

Answer 6

no

Answer 7

Obviously a deaf person cannot be an aural learner, so yes, a deaf person would learn differently than a hearing person. They might learn better by reading information, or by writing it down, or my doing something. All people, hearing or deaf, learn in different ways.

Answer 8

There was a little girl born stone deaf.  Her name was Helen Keller.   Ifr I rightly recall reading the book about her in class many years ago .  Whether it was an autobiography, or written by her teacher I'm not sure.  She was also blind and  had to use braile.

Answer 9

people who are deaf learn basically the same way just a lot more visual then any thing else

Answer 10

yes they would because they have to learn sign language and that totally is different in the way we learn.

Answer 11

I would think so, given that they can't hear spoken words, but I'm not sure how.