‘Practical digital tools for classroom listening access and functional listening’
Hear2Learn provides a collection of web-based tools developed to support practical work with deaf children and young people in education. The tools are intended for Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People, educational audiologists, schools and services who want to gather structured evidence about listening access, classroom acoustics and functional hearing.
The tools are designed to complement the BATOD Audiology Refreshers by helping practitioners apply audiological knowledge in everyday educational settings. They support observation, discussion, recording and follow-up, but do not replace formal audiological assessment, calibrated acoustic measurement, validated test protocols, specialist acoustic reports or professional judgement.
Classroom acoustics and listening environment checks
The Hear2Learn/BATOD classroom acoustics tool supports structured checks of the listening environment. It can be used to gather evidence about background noise, signal-to-noise ratio, reverberation time and wider classroom acoustic conditions. Results are considered alongside BATOD acoustic standards and, where appropriate, wider classroom acoustic standards and guidance.
The tool may be useful when discussing whether a classroom is providing adequate access to speech, whether further investigation is needed, or whether practical changes to the room should be considered. It is a screening and evidence-gathering aid, not a substitute for a formal acoustic assessment.
Link: https://www.hear2learn.uk/acoustic-survey/
Speech and speech-in-noise listening checks
Hear2Learn includes speech listening tools using recorded speech materials, including BKB sentence materials and IHR materials. These can be used to explore listening under different conditions, including quiet and noise, and to record responses in a consistent format over time.
These tools may support professional discussion about speech access, listening conditions, hearing technology use and the impact of signal-to-noise ratio. They should be used with appropriate professional understanding of the test material, presentation conditions and limitations.
Link: https://www.hear2learn.uk/speechtests/
Ling sound checks
Hear2Learn also includes Ling sound check tools to support functional listening checks. These can help practitioners record whether a child detects, discriminates or recognises key speech sounds, and can be useful when monitoring listening access over time or discussing possible changes in hearing technology performance.
Ling checks should be interpreted alongside other information, including audiological records, observation, child and family views, school reports and professional judgement.
