Helping The Hard-of-Hearing

The hard-of-hearing have developed methods of study and learning that others can't even appreciate without putting their head inside an empty barrel for hours at a time. Being more isolated in their own minds than others are, their brains can acquire the ability to concentrate on problems for longer periods, and resolve them easier, as Thomas Alva Edison could do throughout his career.

The label “hard-of-hearing” covers a lot of territory, especially when it was self-applied originally. Asking them, “What could make this learning situation better for you?” can open up some mutually enlightening avenues.

What Can They Do To Help?

They could bring a tablet and pen with them so they can write questions of the person next to them and have an answer scribbled silently below that question so they won't embarrass themselves by disturbing the rest of the class.

They can volunteer to read some of the lesson material out loud – when they enjoy doing so. 

One Group held their classes around a long table. “If I could just sit right in front of the teacher every time I could hear a lot better, but we change teachers every week and --” That's okay. We'll put you right across from the teacher every time we change. That will be your chair.

After this one simple accommodation was made, matters improved immediately. Because of class eagerness to help him overcome a natural shyness, as he became more comfortable with his musical-chair position he could soon understand every word spoken in that classroom.

When there are two or more persons in the classroom that are hard of hearing not all problems can be alleviated so easily. However, begin by asking “What can be done in this classroom to make this learning situation better?”

One of the first accommodations that we can make is to write down the number of the lesson on the chalkboard, especially when the lesson material has been changed unexpectedly. Once they know what the lesson is about they can follow along in their manuals much easier.

Teachers can ask them in advance to answer a specific question.

Another solution is to write the question out on the chalkboard first, then turn, face the class, looking for someone to answer the question, then look straight at the person that is hard-of-hearing. Point to the question on the chalkboard and ask it aloud.

As many hard-of-hearing people have developed the ability of intensive reflection, don't be afraid to wait for an appropriate answer to surface. Teachers can also ask the person in advance if they would do research to find an answer to one specific question or segment of the lesson. 

Being reasonably familiar with the person speaking helps immensely.

Another thing we can do for the hard-of-hearing is look right at them when we are speaking because they might have picked up skills in reading lips or listening sub-vocally to someone.

Sub-vocal hearing normally happens in areas where loud noise drowns out natural hearing, but some people can become almost mind-readers under these conditions as they tune out the overwhelming noises around them and listen to the softer tones left in the vacuum.

To sum up, when we make sure some small “disadvantage” brings us together, it can't drive us apart.

Strengthen Family Ties

Do you find it is strange that the most wholesome activity on earth is visibly weakening almost daily.  The loving family atmosphere with members gathered around the blazing hearth to tell stories while the smell of hot pop corn seeps through the house is now just a memory to most of us.  Good parenting is almost a lost art.

Family bonds that once lasted a lifetime have now become fuzzy memories.  The rituals that once kept the family aligned and communicating are now more like the imaginary friends left over from our youth. Strained relationships can be lost easily in a mobile society like ours.

Mom has earned the car pool jockey of the year award for three years running now.  Brothers follow separate paths of work from continent to continent these days.  Sisters find their new friends only among those where they serve.  Dad has an office to run and business to get.

The family should be the basic building block of any country.

The home is the primary setting in which children can develop the virtue of being good citizens. From living and working with their own family children learn how to grow, prosper and behave in a community.  Children develop the very attributes of good citizenship by first practicing them in the home. Better than anywhere else on earth, at home children learn about love, trust, loyalty, cooperation, and service.

The health of any society lies in the strength of its families. When we work to strengthen our families, we strengthen our  communities and our nations.

Most of us can't march off to Washington to lay the Legislature low.  We must focus our attention on the community around us.

In trying to serve our community, we must first consider what our community needs. Once we have decided which problems are the most urgent, we can then select one need and make a plan to help solve it. We can augment many community health and safety projects. We can serve on committees, or do volunteer work to improve our communities.

When we do look around for volunteer work to do in the community let us seek for avenues to build family strength. Let us look for worthwhile projects that will bring families in together. Through our community efforts let us become known as builders, builders of the home, builders of the heart, builders of hope, builders for every noble cause.

Bitter experience has shown that the best way to keep corrupt individuals out of our legal system is for concerned citizens to keep a stern eye over governmental activities.  Politicians motivated only by selfish ambition can usually be rooted out only at the ballot box.

American citizens openly express how hopeless it is to maintain (or restore) honesty, accountability, and effectiveness to our political system. Participation in elections is now so pitiful that if just 25% of the registered voters turn out to vote it is called huge. Because of this attitude every vote we cast is worth three more who don't care enough to vote. With that kind of power, we can make a difference.

Unfortunately, with the constant pressures of earning a living, caring for a family, and almost daily Church responsibilities, how can we find the time to be informed about matters of public interest and find those good people to support as candidates for office?

The best way is simply to get involved. Offer to work in political activity such as delivering a petition or running a friend's political campaign. Help the righteous seeking an office in the system. When you see the candidate's whole family out there pounding in political signs, stop and get acquainted. GET INVOLVED.
We have the obligation to seek out and vote for the best candidates for public office. When we leave the burden of active voting to others, we lose the opportunity to affect those decisions that will shape our world.

By refusing to vote,
we abdicate the free agency God gave to us.

If we think it is hard to pick the right people to vote for, just imagine how hard it is for those we elect to do their duty. Politicians and statesmen must grapple with tough questions, painstakingly familiarize themselves with vital issues, grapple with public ignorance, and be decisive on top of all that. They need our support most AFTER we have voted them in, or even if we voted to keep them out.

Doing our duty to our country also includes obeying its laws. As laws can be changed with the stroke of a pen we have no excuse for not obeying the laws until they are changed. Peace can exist only when citizens vote to obey the law.

That means we should come to a complete stop at stop signs, it means observing the speed limit no matter how fast the music is playing. It means serving on juries when our number comes up. It means serving honorably in the Armed forces in times of need. It means honoring our troops that do serve.

We have the duty of raising good families, of working for our communities, of voting for good and just candidates, of serving our country in times of need. Let us rise to the occasions.

Let us do our duty,
to God,
to Family,
to Community,
and to our country.