ABSTRACT
It was a commonly held misconception that people who are blind automatically develop a better sense of hearing to compensate for their sight loss. However teachers of children with a visual impairment are aware that listening skills do not develop naturally but need to be taught through systematic programmes of instruction (Bischoff 1979, Mangold 1982). Indeed Harley et al. (1979) fear that young children with a visual impairment who have not been encouraged to interact with their surroundings may have a tendency to withdraw into themselves and make little attempt to listen to or comprehend the sounds within their environment.
