Secondary education

We've got a range of free resources on deaf-friendly teaching for teachers, special needs staff and other education professionals supporting deaf children in secondary schools. 

Deaf-friendly teaching: For secondary schools

This resource is for teachers, those with responsibility for coordinating special needs provision and any other education professional working with deaf children in primary schools. It sets out simple tips for deaf friendly teaching and inclusion in the classroom.

Download Deaf-friendly teaching: For secondary school staff

Deaf-friendly online learning

Read our guide to Deaf-friendly online learning to find out about things you may want to consider when thinking about delivering your learning and lessons online.

Read more about Deaf-friendly online learning

Deaf-friendly teaching: Special schools

This resource is for staff working in special schools attended by deaf children with complex needs.

Download Deaf-friendly teaching: For staff in special schools and watch our video below of top tips for staff working in special schools:

Assessments of deaf children and young people

Our assessments web pages provide information on the range of different specialist assessments available to professionals working with deaf children in each of the following areas:

• early communication skills
• language
• listening
• literacy
• mathematics
• cognitive development
• social and emotional development.

You can also learn more of the key principles involved in effective use of assessments.

Bullying and deaf students

We have online guidance on the steps that schools can take to protect deaf students from bullying and how to handle bullying incidents where they arise. 

Go to our page on protecting deaf students from bullying. 

Creating good listening conditions

We've produced a series of resources to set out the simple steps that can be taken to improve the listening environment in nurseries, schools, and other education settings.

• Creating good listening conditions: For education settings
• Tips on how schools can improve listening conditions
• Managing listening conditions checklist
• Preliminary noise survey
• Pupil survey
• Presentation for Teachers of the Deaf
• Information for parents

Specialist Deaf Curriculum Framework

The Specialist Deaf Curriculum Framework has been developed to support deaf babies, children and young people make informed decisions about their deafness so they can lead full, independent lives. It provides Teachers of the Deaf, educational audiologists and families with a framework to develop activities or programmes of learning for deaf children and young people at different ages from early years to post-16, linking to a wealth of resources.

Specialist Deaf Curriculum Framework (BATOD)

Education, Health and Care plans (England)

We worked with the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) to produce a range of resources to help practitioners in carrying out EHC needs assessments for deaf children and young people and drawing up EHC plans.

• Better Plans, Better Assessments, Better Plans: a multi-disciplinary framework for the assessment of children with a hearing impairment
• Template for assessment and information gathering
• Section by section guide to writing more effective EHC plans for children and young people with sensory impairment
• NatSIP summary checklist to writing more effective EHC plans
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Ruby (aged 3)
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Robert (aged 11)
• Model Education, Health and Care plan - Daniel (aged 18)

Radio aids

Our resources for professionals and families

• Quality standards for the use of personal radio aids
• How Radio Aids Can Help - Information for parents
• Our radio aids video

Case studies

Find examples of policy documents and loan agreement forms shared by specialist support services, as well as some case studies from specialist support services below:

• Example radio aids policy from Berkshire Sensory Consortium Service
• Principles and Guidance to support the Provision of Radio Aid systems and other Amplification Devices by Oxfordshire Special Educational Needs Support Services
• Case study - Radio Aids Corporate Insurance by Norfolk County Council
• Case study – Radio Aids Policy and practice anecdotal feedback

Children who use English as an additional language

The resource provides advice on support to deaf children of all ages who speak English as an additional language (EAL), including children who have yet to start school and their families. The resource is aimed at Teachers of the Deaf and other professionals who work with deaf children who use EAL, including special or additional needs coordinators and EAL coordinators.

Download Supporting the achievement of deaf children who use English as an additional language (EAL)

A short top-tips video on supporting children who use EAL is also available.

We would like to thank the Bell Foundation for their funding, expertise and support in the development of these resources.

Pragmatics and social communication

Knowing how to communicate with other people in socially appropriate ways is known as ‘pragmatics’. Sometimes, deaf children and young people can experience delays in their pragmatic skills.

This booklet explores in depth how children develop pragmatics and includes lots of fun activities to help adults practise these skills with deaf children and young people.

Download 'Supporting the pragmatics and social communication skills of deaf children'.