Teaching Parts of the Ear: How and Why

Why do students with hearing loss need to learn about the parts of the ear and their functions? It is important for students to understand how the ear typically functions before they can understand their own hearing loss. Once they understand their hearing loss, they can develop a deeper understanding of how their hearing devices work. This thorough understanding translates into confidence when explaining their hearing loss or amplification to others. As students get older, they need to have a full understanding of their hearing and their technology in order to understand their options and make the best decisions for their needs.

Understanding Types of Hearing Loss

Types of hearing loss chart-sensorineural hearing loss impacts the inner ear. conductive hearing loss impacts the outer or middle ear. mixed has component of each.

There are 3 different types of hearing loss: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss. Students need to understand how hearing typically works before they can understand their own hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss: This happens when there is a problem with a part of the outer or middle ear that is blocking sound from going to the inner ear. In some cases, such as an ear infection, this can be temporary. Other cases, such as microtia or atresia, there is a permanent conductive hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss: This happens when there is a problem in the inner ear or with the connection from the inner ear to the brain. This can happen when the tiny hair cells in the cochlea are damaged or destroyed. Sensorineural hearing loss varies from mild to profound. Sensorineural hearing loss is almost always permanent.

self advocacy topics: Parts of the ear. Ipad activities with parts of the ear diagram showing inner, middle, and outer parts of the ear with word bank.

Mixed hearing loss: This happens when there are a combination of factors. Students with a sensorineural hearing loss may experience temporary conductive loss with an ear infection. It is important for students to know what conditions could result in worsened hearing.

Understanding Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants

There are many different devices out there and it is very important that students know about their specific device and how it works for them. They should also know why they are using a certain device. Hearing aids amplify sounds and use residual hearing. Bone conduction hearing aids amplify sounds but bypass the outer and middle ear completely. Cochlear implants bypass the entire ear to directly stimulate the auditory nerve.

Students need to understand how typical hearing works in order to actually understand how their specific devices function. This is helpful for when students need to troubleshoot their equipment or explain their hearing equipment to a new person. In my experience, this is especially helpful for BAHA and Ponto users, since bone conduction devices look different from traditional hearing aids. I have found it helpful to empower my students with a full understanding of how their devices work, which requires a basic understanding of the parts and functions of the ear.

Confidence Explaining Hearing Loss

self advocacy topics: parts of the ear worksheet

Talking about the parts of the ear gives us an opportunity to discuss their hearing loss and provide language around it. We can practice explaining it to peers using age appropriate language. Even if a child is not going to explain their hearing loss in detail to a friend, it still makes it easier for them to talk about if they fully understand it themselves.

As a child gets older, we go into more detail about the parts of the ear and the specific breakdowns that result in hearing loss. In my experience, students who learn about their hearing loss early develop a certain confidence that they internalize as they get older. Since we talk about the ear and the hearing aids, and they know everything they need to know, it’s less challenging for them to explain things to others. The parts of the ear is one of those self-advocacy topics that fills in information for students. They probably aren’t going to learn this information from anyone else. When you approach it as a general knowledge area that helps build student’s confidence, it can make a difference in their ability to discuss their own hearing loss. Knowing the names of the 3 bones in the middle ear is not really the point. The point is that students take ownership of their hearing loss and become comfortable with all the information surrounding it.

Understanding Their Options

Both my younger and older students need to understand their options as a person with a hearing loss. Secondary students should understand that as they get older, they need to know what options are available to them during their later years of school and into adult life. The better that they understand their own hearing loss, the better they can advocate for their own needs as technology advances during their lifetime. For example, students with conductive hearing loss should know that a cochlear implant won’t help them and why. In addition, they will be making their own decisions about ENTs and audiologists as an adult, and should be able to understand the vocabulary used at those types of appointments.

Parts of the Ear worksheet — Parts of the Ear: Elementary

When I am first starting to teach the parts of the ear in elementary school, I use the Parts of the Ear Self Advocacy Activities for DHH Students resource to teach the parts of the ear through a multi-sensory approach: Play-Doh, coloring and cut and paste. As we put the pieces together, we discuss the path of sound through the ear. I typically use this resource with kindergarten through third grade students. It also has a Google Slides version if you are teaching virtually or if your student likes using technology to learn. This helps give students a hands-on approach to learning about the parts of the ear.

Sometimes I have older students on my caseload who did not learn this information in their earlier school years. For those students, I use the Parts of the Ear Apologies Game, which is designed for middle school students. The content is similar, but the format is more age appropriate and includes a turn taking game to keep their attention during these lessons.

Final thoughts

Teaching about the parts of the ear is one of those self-advocacy goals for students with hearing loss that should be revisited as students get older. Younger students learn about the parts of the ear and the path of sound. Older students learn about how this differs from their devices. It’s important as a TOD to build on these skills each year so that their self-advocacy skills continue to develop as they get older. Continuous exposure to the language of hearing loss and hearing devices will help students develop the understanding and confidence needed to advocate for themselves.

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