Early years education

The early years are a critical time for all children, laying the foundation for communication, learning and social development. Early identification of deafness, alongside support from deaf specialists and early years practitioners, can make a significant difference to a deaf child’s language, emotional health and wellbeing, and learning outcomes.

On this page, you'll find practical advice, family stories and expert resources to help you create a deaf-friendly early years environment where every child can thrive.

Experiences of deaf children in early years settings

Real-life stories from families:

• Olivia starts nursery: Olivia’s nursery made sure she could continue learning in British Sign Language.
• Isabelle’s nursery update: With the right support, Isabelle thrived in her nursery setting.
• Kenzie’s nursery experience: Kenzie’s nursery used the induction process to learn about his development needs and how to manage his hearing technology.

These simulations give insight into how some deaf children experience sound in different environments:

• What different levels of hearing loss sound like (YouTube)
• Radio aids in a classroom (YouTube)
• Cochlear implant simulator (University of Southampton)

Signs of deafness

Around half of deaf children are born deaf, while many others will become deaf during their early years. There are many reasons why this happens, including infection, illness, genetics and medical interventions at birth. It’s important to spot the signs of hearing loss so the right support can be put in place as soon as possible.

Here are some signs to look out for:

• Changes in behaviour. Babies and young children may seem less alert or responsive when you are talking and playing with them. They may tire more easily or show signs of frustration.
• Difficulties in hearing on one side or knowing where the sound is coming from. Children may look around to see who is calling them or appear to be ignoring you.
• Delayed spoken language development or unclear speech. Babies and children may use fewer speech sounds, mispronounce words or leave out word endings and little words like ‘the’ and ‘a’.
• Poor listening and attention skills. Children may find it difficult to listen to stories or pay attention when you're talking to them.
• Challenges listening to spoken information, especially when it’s noisy or several people are talking. Children may find it difficult to join in with group activities or follow simple instructions.
• Difficulties following games or being fully involved in play with other children. Children might talk too loudly or too softly or spend time watching others play.
• Not knowing when someone is approaching them. Children may startle when they see you even if you have called their name.
• Challenges with early phonological skills like following rhythms, playing listening games or being able to tell the difference between similar sounds if they can’t see them.
• Careful watching of faces and lips or constantly saying “What?”
• Discomfort or complaining about not being able to hear. Some children may also have ear pain or a smelly discharge.

See more signs of deafness.

Not all signs will necessarily mean a child is deaf, but if you have any concerns, speak with the family and encourage them to see their GP or health visitor for further advice.

Don’t overlook mild hearing loss

Unlike adults, children may not be able to filter out background noise. They may not have the knowledge, vocabulary and context to fill in gaps when they mishear. They can easily miss new words or key concepts – especially in noisy environments. 

Learn more about supporting children with mild hearing loss by downloading or ordering our free resource, Mild Hearing Loss (Shopify).

Deaf-friendly teaching

Creating a deaf-friendly learning environment ensures deaf children are fully included in play and learning opportunities. 

Communication top tips

1. Get the child's attention before you talk to them. Try waving or tapping their arm.
2. Check that hearing technology is working correctly.
3. Get down to eye level so the child can see your face and tune into what you’re saying.
4. Make sure there’s enough light on your face so the child can see you clearly, but avoid standing directly in front of a light source like a window.
5. Make sure the child is not too far away from you, especially if you’re reading a story or giving instructions.
6. Speak normally but clearly. Don’t exaggerate your words as it changes the way your mouth moves.
7. Don’t cover your mouth when you talk – deaf children need to be able to see your whole face and lips when you’re speaking.
8. Use visuals, props and toys to add more meaning to what you’re saying, and give the child time to move their attention between both.
9. After speaking, wait for the child to respond. Sometimes it can take them a while to process what you have said.
10. Repeat what you or others say if you think the child has not heard it.

Explore more deaf-friendly teaching strategies.

You can also download or order our free resources:

• Deaf-friendly Early Education and Childcare (Shopify)
• Deaf-friendly Teaching: For children who use English as an additional language (EAL) (Shopify)
• Deaf-friendly Teaching: For staff in special schools (Shopify)
• Deaf-friendly Education: Northern Ireland (Shopify)

Creating a good communication environment

The first few years of life are key for developing the language and communication skills deaf children will need to be able to develop, learn and make friends. Simple changes to your environment – like reducing background noise or improving lighting – can make a big difference to a deaf child’s ability to communicate and access learning.

Find out how to create a good communication environment.

Developing listening skills

There are lots of ways that you can develop a child’s listening skills through a good listening environment.

Model good listening 

• Demonstrate how to attend and listen by looking at the child when they are talking to you.
• Take turns in back-and-forth exchanges even if it’s non-verbal, such as a nod or smile.
• Show children how to ask if you haven’t understood something.
• Practise using statements such as, “I liked the story, my favourite part was…” Children are more likely to respond when there is less pressure to deliver an answer.

Gain and maintain attention

• Always gain the deaf child’s attention before you expect them to listen.
• Give them a specific focus to listen for (for example, stories with a repeating phrase that they can join in with will hold attention).
• Give the child a prop to participate with at a particular point in a story or rhyme.

Use listening prompts

• Create props to use as listening prompts. Familiarise the child with the props in a pre-tutoring activity and then use them while you are telling a story.

Allow time to listen and look

• Remember that some deaf children may find it very difficult to look and listen. Even with visual props, it’s harder for a deaf child to integrate their attention, and they need practice.
• Give them time to look at a picture or object then look back to you as you speak.
• Use familiar stories – it’s easier to look at pictures and listen when you know what’s coming up.

Early years teaching resources

We offer a wide range of free resources and toolkits specifically for supporting deaf children in the early years. 

• Deafness and me: An emotional health and wellbeing toolkit for early years practitioners.
• Success from the Start (Shopify): A guide to help track and support deaf children's progress.
• What Are You Feeling? (Shopify): Helps deaf children understand and identify their emotions.
• Supporting Pragmatic and Social Communication Skills (Shopify): Explores in depth how children develop pragmatics, with lots of fun activities to help children practise these skills.
• Document

  Let's Sign BSL flashcards for emotions, routines and senses.pdf (996.72 KB)

You may also be interested in exploring these resources from other organisations:

• Let's Sign BSL resources for schools
• Twinkle BSL resources for schools

Technology in education

Some children in your setting may use hearing devices like hearing aids or cochlear implants, or other assistive listening devices like radio aids and streamers. 

It’s important to understand how these devices work, how to look after them, and how to ensure they’re used safely – especially as some contain small parts like batteries.

Learn more about hearing and assistive technology in education.

Training for educators

Our training courses and workshops introduce you to the skills and knowledge needed to support deaf children and young people. 

We offer a range of flexible options, including free online courses you can complete at your own pace. These courses are ideal for individual learning or group sessions, such as inset days or whole-staff training. 

Some popular sessions for early years educators include:

• Supporting Children with a Suspected Hearing Loss in the Early Years
• Deaf Awareness for Early Years Practitioners (CPD accredited)
• Supporting Deaf Children in Early Years Settings (CPD accredited)

Explore all our training courses for educators.

Find out how to learn British Sign Language (BSL).