Siemens Hearing Instruments Launches Education Initiative For Schools During Deaf Awareness Week

Main Category: Hearing / Deafness
Also Included In: Ear, Nose and Throat
Article Date: 19 May 2009 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

Siemens Hearing Instruments has kicked off its new education initiative during Deaf Awareness Week with a visit by its hearing ambassador Kellie Moody to a Birmingham based deaf school. The visit and the launch of an education focused website ties into this year's Deaf Awareness theme of 'look at me'.

Kellie, aged 25, has been deaf since birth, but has successfully followed her dream to become a model, winning a Miss Deaf UK title then appearing as a serious contender in BBC Three's Britain's Missing Top Model last year. She is now the face of Siemens Hearing Instruments and takes part in many initiatives to educate and inform audiences on overturning the stigma associated with hearing loss. Her recent visit to Braidwood School for the deaf in Birmingham was to talk to the children about how to achieve their aspirations despite having a disability.

The new Siemens education initiative aims to open up dialogue on living with hearing loss and also raise awareness of the ear anatomy and importance of hearing protection in children who attend regular schools. With one in seven people in the UK affected by hearing loss, most children will know someone who has a hearing problem. Educating early can play an essential part in reduction the stigma around hearing health, plus raise awareness of the everyday situations that can impact on someone with hearing difficulties to form a more positive approach.

"The new initiative provides a straightforward and succinct resource for teachers to find out more about hearing health, which can then empower them to hold thought-provoking discussions with their pupils," comments Darren Ransley, Marketing Manager at Siemens Hearing Instruments. "Through having greater awareness of the situations that people with hearing difficulties face on a daily basis, we can enable better understanding and a more positive attitude towards social inclusion."

The interactive website, http://www.siemens.co.uk/deafawarenessweek, has been designed to assist teachers in preparing lesson plans and assemblies around the topic of hearing health. It includes downloadable content relating to the topic of hearing loss, fun resources to test hearing and diagrams to illustrate how the ear works. There is also video footage of Kellie discussing her story. The initiative has been pushed out nationwide.

Source
Siemens Hearing Instruments