Learning About Hearing Differences and Supporting One Another
Preschool
August 13, 2018
We welcomed Yukako Makino to CGK to talk with the children about hearing loss.
Yukako explained that she was born with profound hearing loss of 120 dB in both ears and cannot hear even the roar of an airplane without hearing devices.
Her hearing loss was identified at age two. She first wore hearing aids at two and a half and learned to communicate through speech and lip-reading.
When I first met Yukako, our conversation flowed so naturally that I did not realize she could not hear. She explained that she reads people’s lips to understand what they are saying. I was especially surprised to learn that she can do this even from the side rather than directly in front, allowing her to converse in a car as well.
At the start of the lesson, Yukako told the children how remarkable it is to be able to hear. Her words also reminded us adults that we often take the ease of our daily lives for granted.
When she asked, “What could you do if a child could not hear well?”, the children suggested speaking louder, being quiet so surrounding sounds were easier to hear, or writing something down. Because hearing loss is not visible, we had wondered how well they would understand, but their answers showed that they were thinking about it in their own ways.
She then explained the difference between hearing aids and cochlear implants.
In her explanation to the children, hearing aids make sounds louder, while cochlear implants use an implanted device and electrodes in the cochlea to support hearing. She showed the children actual devices. They were fascinated by these unfamiliar objects and had a chance to try putting them on.
The children also learned that people can communicate using their hands. Together, we practiced signs for “thank you,” applause and “congratulations.”
Yukako’s final message was, “There are all kinds of people on Earth. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could get along?”
CGK learns about other countries as one way to challenge prejudice and discrimination. Experiences like this help children look beyond nationality and understand differences involving sight, mobility or hearing as well. We believe this can nurture not only acceptance but also a wish to understand and help one another.
We hope children can see differences as part of each person’s individuality, rather than as something negative, and learn to value one another.
Founder of Deaf Support
Yukako Makino
・Personal experience of profound hearing loss
・Experience as a parent of a child with a rare condition and disability
・University studies in behavioral psychology and early childhood development
・The perspective of a working mother of two
・Experience working in human resources at Sony Corporation
Drawing on these perspectives and experiences, she aims to improve Quality Of Life for people with hearing loss.
The profile shared at the time described congenital hearing loss of 120 dB in both ears, at a level where even an airplane’s roar cannot be heard without hearing devices.
Her hearing loss was identified at age two, and she began wearing hearing aids at two and a half. After learning speech-based communication, she attended local mainstream schools from kindergarten through high school, then Kobe University. After graduation, she joined Sony through its general recruitment route and worked in human resources for seven years.
She left Sony in March 2018 to expand the support offered through Deaf Support.
Yukako explained that she was born with profound hearing loss of 120 dB in both ears and cannot hear even the roar of an airplane without hearing devices.
Her hearing loss was identified at age two. She first wore hearing aids at two and a half and learned to communicate through speech and lip-reading.
When I first met Yukako, our conversation flowed so naturally that I did not realize she could not hear. She explained that she reads people’s lips to understand what they are saying. I was especially surprised to learn that she can do this even from the side rather than directly in front, allowing her to converse in a car as well.
At the start of the lesson, Yukako told the children how remarkable it is to be able to hear. Her words also reminded us adults that we often take the ease of our daily lives for granted.
When she asked, “What could you do if a child could not hear well?”, the children suggested speaking louder, being quiet so surrounding sounds were easier to hear, or writing something down. Because hearing loss is not visible, we had wondered how well they would understand, but their answers showed that they were thinking about it in their own ways.
She then explained the difference between hearing aids and cochlear implants.
In her explanation to the children, hearing aids make sounds louder, while cochlear implants use an implanted device and electrodes in the cochlea to support hearing. She showed the children actual devices. They were fascinated by these unfamiliar objects and had a chance to try putting them on.
The children also learned that people can communicate using their hands. Together, we practiced signs for “thank you,” applause and “congratulations.”
Yukako’s final message was, “There are all kinds of people on Earth. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could get along?”
CGK learns about other countries as one way to challenge prejudice and discrimination. Experiences like this help children look beyond nationality and understand differences involving sight, mobility or hearing as well. We believe this can nurture not only acceptance but also a wish to understand and help one another.
We hope children can see differences as part of each person’s individuality, rather than as something negative, and learn to value one another.
Founder of Deaf Support
Yukako Makino
・Personal experience of profound hearing loss
・Experience as a parent of a child with a rare condition and disability
・University studies in behavioral psychology and early childhood development
・The perspective of a working mother of two
・Experience working in human resources at Sony Corporation
Drawing on these perspectives and experiences, she aims to improve Quality Of Life for people with hearing loss.
The profile shared at the time described congenital hearing loss of 120 dB in both ears, at a level where even an airplane’s roar cannot be heard without hearing devices.
Her hearing loss was identified at age two, and she began wearing hearing aids at two and a half. After learning speech-based communication, she attended local mainstream schools from kindergarten through high school, then Kobe University. After graduation, she joined Sony through its general recruitment route and worked in human resources for seven years.
She left Sony in March 2018 to expand the support offered through Deaf Support.
Author Profile
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Reiko - Services and Community Coordinator (Japan)
Reiko joined CGK’s founding team in 2016, bringing seven years of experience in licensed nursery schools in Japan and six years across two international preschools. She has also volunteered at a daycare in Canada and has held preschool leadership roles at CGK, including Principal and Vice Principal.
A qualified nursery teacher and holder of a Class 2 kindergarten teaching license in Japan, Reiko values each child’s interests and strengths. Drawing on her experience in multicultural early childhood settings, she supports an environment where children can explore new interests through hands-on experiences and express themselves in their own way.