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Charting the Cs 
Conference 2025: 
To Literacy and 
Beyond 

Cooperation 
Communication 
Collaboration

TheSoundsofLiteracy!

AnnVail

ItinerantDeaf/Hard ofHearingTeacher ZumbroEducationDistrict(ZED) avail@zumbroed.org

LyndseyRaffelson

ItinerantDeaf/Hard ofHearingTeacher AustinPublicSchools lyndsey.raffelson@austin.k12.mn.us


The Science of Reading & Hearing Loss

Critical for all students — especially essential for those with hearing loss 
Full access to sound supports language, reading, and writing development 
Hearing loss impacts how sound travels and is processed in the brain 
Tailored teaching strategies help address these unique auditory challenges


Reading Rope

The Reading Rope highlights skills reliant on sound: 

•Phonological awareness 
•Decoding 
•Vocabulary 
•Comprehension



Equitable Literacy

Promotes equitable literacy by bridging auditory gaps 

Integrating reading science with hearing loss knowledge fosters: 

•Inclusive instruction 
•Strong literacy foundation 
•Academic success



HowHearingLossAffectsSoundProcessing:

•ConductiveHearingLoss:Soundwavesmaynottravelefficientlythroughtheouterormiddleearduetoblockages,infections, orstructuralissues.
•SensorineuralHearingLoss:Theremaybedamagetothehaircellsinthecochleaortheauditorynerve,reducingthebrain’s abilitytoprocesssoundsignalsaccurately.
•MixedHearing Loss:Acombination ofconductive and sensorineural issues.



SupportingLiteracyforStudentswithHearingLossandAuditoryProcessing:

•Amplificationdevices:Hearingaids,cochlearimplants,andFMsystemscanenhancesoundperception.
•Visualaids:Signlanguage,captions,andvisualstorytellingcansupportcomprehension.
•Multisensorylearning:Combiningvisual,tactile,andauditoryapproachescanstrengthenliteracyskills.



ConnectiontoLiteracy:

•Hearinglosscanimpactastudent'sabilitytoprocessphonemicsounds,
whicharecriticalfordevelopingreadingandwriting skills.
•Studentsmayrequireadditionalsupport,suchasvisualaids,signlanguage,speech-to-texttechnology,orspecialized instruction,toenhancetheirliteracyskills.



TheProcessofHearing:

Hearing plays a significant role in literacy development, and for students with 
hearing loss, understanding how sound travels through the ear can be a crucial part 
of supporting their needs. Here's a simplified explanation of how sound travels 
through the ear: 

•Outer Ear (Sound Collection) 
•Middle Ear (Amplification) Inner Ear 
(Sound Conversion) 
•Auditory Nerve (Signal Transmission) 
Brain (Sound Interpretation)



BreakingdowntheProcessofHearing:

•Outer Ear (Sound Collection): 
Sound waves are collected by the pinna (pretzel)(the visible part of the ear) and 
travel through the ear canal (pretzel stick) to reach the eardrum (peppermint 
candy) causing it to vibrate. At times there is wax build up that blocks the 
opening of the ear canal or plugs up the ear mold of a hearing aid. (gushers) 
•Middle Ear (Amplification): 
oVibrations from the eardrum move to the ossicles (jelly beans)— three tiny bones 
called the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus), and stirrup (stapes). These bones 
amplify the vibrations. 
oThe stapes transmit the vibrations to the oval window (pringles), a membrane 
leading to the inner ear.






BreakingdowntheProcessofHearing: part 2

•Inner Ear (Sound Conversion): 
oVibrations enter the cochlea (swissroll), a spiral - shaped, fluid - filled structure. 
Inside tiny hair cells (sensory receptors) respond to different sound frequencies. 
oInside the cochlea, tiny hair cells move in response to the vibrations and convert 
mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. (Sprinkles) 



•Auditory Nerve (Signal Transmission): 
oElectrical signals travel from the cochlea through the auditory nerve (thin 
licorice) to the brain. 
oThe brain interprets these signals as recognizable sounds.






BreakingdowntheProcessofHearing: part 3

Brain (Sound Interpretation): 

The brain (popcorn) processes these signals, allowing us to recognize and 
understand sounds, including speech





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