Lived Experiences of Parents in Teaching Children with Hearing Impairment

Abstract

The worldwide health crisis has caused numerous alterations and transformations in the field of education. These profound shifts took place not only in the Philippines but also in other global education sectors and institutions. This study delved into parents' experiences teaching their children with hearing impairment amidst the pandemic using a modular printed platform in the Division of Danao City, Danao City, Cebu, in the school year 2020-2021. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, involving the qualitative analysis and assessment of themes derived from semi-structured interviews, observation, and exploring the parents’ lived experiences to gather data on parents’ challenges and problems in teaching children with HI during the pandemic. The findings revealed several circumstantial actions. These experiences were perceived and formed (collaboration and interactions, direct instruction and tutorship, and communication), highlighting the need for a joint approach between parents and educators. Evidence of personal struggles (involvement to instructions, skills in motivating and adapting), academic deficits and incapacity (education, skills, and training), and financial struggles (finances for gadgets, technology, internet connectivity, and family) were also evident. Hence, the new learning modality and the use of modules have contributed to parents’ hardships in teaching all the subjects. Parental education, incapacity to decode the content, teaching, and busy schedules were also evident factors of challenges or problems parents encountered with their students during the pandemic. This study has proposed recommendations to help the participants and educators improve their ways of providing instructions or interventions.