Hear4Tomorrow - Teaching Programme

The Hear 4 Tomorrow Programme has been developed to enable any teacher to easily teach hearing health to primary school aged students. This page outlines the programme and provides access to downloadable background reading and support materials for teachers, as well as classroom teaching resources.

Hear 4 Tomorrow has been developed to include topics that research has shown to be important for effective hearing health education, including:

  • Understanding hearing loss
  • How do we hear?
  • How loud is too loud?
  • Protecting our hearing

This is done in a modular teaching format which allows classes to work through a series of related activities, gaining a better understanding of each area.

Modules can be presented together as a single one off lesson/activity or spread over a series of lessons or time periods according to classroom schedules. A summary of the four modules is provided below with links to full module notes including recommended teaching activities, and resource details.

Where practical, variations and/or additional teaching activities are also described to allow teachers maximum flexibility in the way they incorporate the programme within their teaching schedule and how they link them to other classroom activities. In addition, more detailed notes about the programme itself (including background information about hearing health) can be found in the Teaching Notes document at the bottom of the page.

A list of additional resources and links relating to hearing health may also be found here .

The Programme

The following gives a brief outline of each programme module and provides links to the corresponding resources for each. Further information about health promotion theory underpinning the inclusion and content of each of the modules can be downloaded here (Shaping Healthy Behaviours).

Introduction:

Prior to teaching, it is advised that teachers preface this with an introductory discussion with students to determine their current level of knowledge about hearing health issues.

1. Understanding Hearing Loss:

In this module, students gain a better understanding of the impact of hearing loss, and its impact on the individual. The module uses online simulations and interactive activities to explore what it is like to have a hearing loss. The focus of the module is to provide students with an appreciation for the value of hearing, and to motivate them to be responsible for their own hearing health.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  • Gain an understanding of the importance of hearing health
  • Appreciate the potential for hearing loss to impact on communication and personal relationships
  • 2. How do we hear?:

    This module provides students with a general understanding of how the ear and hearing system work. Included is an introduction to the concept of noise as a risk to hearing health with hands-on, in-class, teaching activities. The focus of the module is to give students the necessary information to evaluate and appreciate different hearing protection strategies.

    Student Learning Outcomes

    Students will:

    • Learn about the ear and hearing system
    • Understand how hearing damage may occur, specifically in relation to noise exposure.
    • 3. How loud is too loud?:

      In order to protect their hearing, students need to understand and recognise situations which pose a risk. This module provides students with the information to enable them to identify potentially dangerous noise sources in their environment. Students have the opportunity to measure and compare the levels of different noises and learn about the contribution of both volume and duration to the risk for hearing damage. The focus of this module is teaching students to assess risks to their hearing health.

      Student Learning Outcomes

      Students will:

      • Learn about the relationship between volume and duration of exposure, and resulting hearing damage
      • Build skills around identifying hearing health risks in their environment

      4. Protecting our Hearing:

      This module provides students with the knowledge and confidence to be able to protect their hearing in different environments. Students identify strategies enabling them to respond to risks in their environment and to maintain good hearing health. Students are encouraged to explore how different techniques can be used across a variety of situations to minimise hearing damage, and to identify when to use each.

      Student Learning Outcomes.

      Students will:

      • Learn different strategies to protect their hearing from noise risks
      • Develop skills to modify and implement strategies based on the type of exposure risk

    Teaching Notes

    Full teaching notes including background readings and additional information can be found here.


    List of resources

    referred to in the programme or may be of interest

    Shaping Healthy Behaviours table (Module 1)

    Dangerous Decibels - "What's that Sound?" (Module 1)

    Hearing Loss Simulator (Module 1)

    Sensimetrics - Hearing loss simulation (Module 1)

    Diagram of the ear (Module 2)

    Online video of the ear with audio commentary (Module 2)

    Flash cards (Module 3)

    Hearing Loss Prevention (Protection) page on NAL website. Posters: "Frequency and intensity of familiar sounds" & "Noise destroys your hearing".