Parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of communication abilities and speech intelligibility of school-aged children with hearing loss

In this study, we investigated parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of the communication ability and speech intelligibility of school-aged children with hearing loss (CWHL) based on daily interactions with the child at home and at school. Parents and teachers of 24 CWHL aged 5–7 years who were using either hearing aids (HAs) (n = 13) or cochlear implants (CIs) (n = 11) completed a questionnaire about the child’s communication abilities and rated speech intelligibility on a 6-point scale. Parents and teachers also completed one open-ended question. There was no statistical difference between parents’ and teachers’ perception of the child’s communication abilities. Although teachers and parents rated intelligibility similarly, parents perceived that their children with hearing loss were making greater progress with their speech compared to teachers. Some teachers and parents shared concerns about the child’s speech and language difficulties, which they believed affected learning and posed barriers in everyday interactions with peers. Moreover, teachers highlighted other challenges that CWHL may have at school such as lack of participation and social interaction, learning and behavioral challenges, and inconsistent use of hearing aids. Teachers’ perceptions were more likely to be informed by the teaching curriculum, while parents’ perceptions were mainly driven from the child’s overall well-being and social interaction. Findings from this study emphasize the importance of clinicians being conscious of parents’ and teachers’ perceptions when determining speech, language, and communication therapy goals for school-aged CWHL.