Assessment Plan

Assessment:

     I am going to focus my assessment plan on reading.  I feel that reading is very important skill to focus assessment on because it is a skill that is the basis for all of the other fundamentals of school.  Reading is something that we have to do on an everyday basis. 

    In order to know where a student stands with his/her reading skills we have to assess the reading skills first.  The first form of assessment I would do is a running record.  A running record is a great way to quickly assess what the student’s skills are.  To complete a running record I would have my student read a passage or a book.  As the student is reading aloud I would have a copy of the passage/book and make notations while the student is reading.  While at my student teaching placement I administered a running record nearly every week.  I did this with the kindergarten student I taught.  I wanted to see if his/her reading accuracy had improved over the weeks that I was student teaching.

     Another way to assess a student’s reading abilities is comprehension questions.  Comprehension questions allow the instructor to see how well the student is comprehending what he/she is reading.  For younger students the instructor can ask the questions directly after reading the book.  This could be done verbally or with sign, depending on the student’s communication mode.  For older students they could be given a quiz after reading the book or a chapter.  I think that it is important to start implementing comprehension questions in the classroom at an early age because as a student progress in the schooling process comprehension questions will show up all the time and not just in the student’s reading class. 

     Another informal assessment that I would complete in my classroom is the Basic Reading Inventory.  This assessment determines three reading levels; independent, instructional, and frustration. It also helps identify the student’s strengths and weakness in word recognition, comprehension, and listening. This assessment is criterion based.

     A formal reading assessment that could be completed in the classroom is the Metropolitan Achievement Test.  This test assesses word recognition, reading vocabulary, and reading comprehension. 

     I think that it is very difficult to choose which reading assessment to use in your classroom, there are so many to choose from.  On the DESE website you can find a very large list of both informal and formal reading assessments that you can use in your classroom.  The assessments that I listed are just a few.  I think that it is important to complete reading assessment so that you can gain a better knowledge of how your student functioning in the classroom with his/her reading skills.

Last week in APRIL!!!

Well we have almost made it to the finish line!!! This week I have been frantically working on completing all of my artifacts and finishing my online website.  I am finding both of these to be a very difficult task because I do not have the Internet at my house any more.  Therefore, I have been spending far too much time sitting in the school computer lab.  Good luck to everyone finishing up all of the school stuff!!! Hang in there!

MY LAST WEEK

Well, tomorrow is my last day here at my placement.  Let me catch you up on last week and this one.  TESTING!!! That is really all that we have been doing.  I think that both the students and teachers will be happy when Friday gets here and they are finished testing.  I think it is going to be so weird not to coming to my placement everyday.  Hopefully, this will give me some time to finish up my artifacts!  I have really enjoyed my time here! 

3rd to last week

Last week has already come and gone.  The weeks seem to be just flying by.  Last week was my cooperating teacher's birthday...we had a big celebration!  All of the classes here are really getting prepared for benchmark testing.  Testing starts 4/4 for the younger grades and 4/11 for the older grades.  You can really feel the stress of the test creeping up on both the students and the teachers.  Hopefully, all will go well!  This Saturday I was able to see most of the EDHH girls when we presented our graduate projects!  It was sooooooo NICE to get to sit down and have lunch with the girls and get caught up on all the student teaching gossip!  I suppose I will see some of you on the Praxis test day.  Good luck to those of you who have their final evaluations this week!

Week before SPRING BREAK & SPRING BREAK

Last week was all kind of a blur.  It seemed as though it just flew by and before I knew it it was Monday and our university supervisor was at my school giving me my final grade.  All went well!  We are currently on Spring BREAK and it has been wonderful!  It has been a much needed break! 

Unit 5: Chapter 6

Unit 5(Chap 6): Based on Cummins’ (1989, 1991) theory of linguistic interdependence, the BiBi programs in deaf education focus on development of a natural sign language, and later, acquisition of a second language through the medium of print. However, empirical evidence supporting or opposing the practice is rare. CAEBER (Center for ASL/English Bilingual Education and Research) is one of the best-known BiBi program in the US. Conduct a mini research on the program and provide your rationale for the reported data showing that the reading comprehension scores on the SAT (9^th) for 8- to 18-year-olds in their BiBi program were no higher than those reported by Traxler (2000) for all deaf and hard of hearing children in the SAT (9^th) normative sample, although 33% of the students in the CAEBER sample had deaf parents.

I think that this is a very difficult question to answer.  I think that there could be many different variables that could affect the test scores for the students.

One question to ask is what is the parents’ mode of communication?  Students can only spend so much time at school.  If their parents are using ASL at home and the student is only using written English at school this could create a problem.  I believe that we need to see if the parents know any written English or if they strictly use ASL all the time.  Another thing I believe needs to be looked is there any other languages being used in the home besides ASL and English?  What if the student uses ASL at school with his/her friends, English when reading and writing, and then they go home and their parents are speaking Spanish?  This seems like it could be very confusing for a child. 

Another question to ask is what is the parents’ reading comprehension level?  If students are given reading work to take home who are they getting them to help them with it?  Their parents.  I have noticed at my student teaching placement that a lot of the times students are required to take simple books home and read them aloud with a parent.  If the parent only uses ASL to communicate the chances are the student will in turn use ASL to sign the story to his/her parent.  Also, if the parent is not reading past a third grade reading level how are they supposed to help the student once the student has made the transition from learning to read to reading to learn?

We also need to look at the teachers who are teaching these students English as a second language.  Just because you know English and you can speak it does not mean that you are capable of teaching it. I think to properly teach English as a second language you need training to do so.  I know that I would not feel comfortable teaching English as a second language.  I would feel the need to go through a lot of training to ensure that I was doing justice for the student.

Ultimately, I understand that the focus of this program is for the student to have acquired a natural sign language first and then acquire English as a secondary language.  I just think that there are too many factors to say the program is unsuccessful or successful.  I think that you cannot judge the program on a whole basis because each individual student’s life and language is going to be very different. 

Chapter 9-11

*The authors suggest: “The model in which itinerant or visiting teachers consult with the regular classroom teacher and provide individual or small group tutoring or pre-learning activities is becoming prevalent, but frequently there is no time for consultation among the itinerant teachers, general education teachers, and other providers of student services, creating potential impediments to student progress” (p. 169). What is your opinion on the increasingly popular practice of itinerant services for students who are DHH?

Right now at my placement my teacher is an itinerant teacher.  She directly sees eight students.  She indirectly and consults with about 60 students.  This means that she may go and check their equipment if there is a problem.  She checks their grades to make sure they are succeeding in their classes.  She may go to their IEP meeting.  Within the eight students she sees directly there are ages from kindergarten to 7th grade.  Her instruction has to vary greatly within this age range.  She also pulls some of these students out, but with most of them she pushes in and she goes into the classroom to help teach them.  Last semester my practicum teacher was also itinerant.  I can see how this method can be well liked by the school district.  This one teacher is serving many different students, at different levels, and at different schools.  Like the book says it does require a lot of coordination between the teachers and the staff.  After being at my placement I can see how this can be very difficult to do.  I know most of the teachers have some kind of meeting, club, extracurricular, or something to do after school.  My school starts at 7:15, so it would be difficult for the teachers to meet before hand.  Then, teachers have to do their staffing meeting and so much more. I think it is a great idea to get the regular education teacher to be involved with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  However, I think that it can be difficult to find the time to help regular education teachers with teaching strategies for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  I do think that if there is open communication between the teachers via email or phone that it can help with this consultation time.  I think that being an itinerant would be a really fun job to have because you would be getting to see so many different students within the day.  I can also see the benefit to have a full inclusion classroom or a classroom where pulled out of their regular classes.  Again, I think that as the deaf educator we have to do what is going to be best for the student and that student's learning needs.

Chapter 7 Cognition, Perception, and Learning Strategies

* The authors conclude: “… deaf and hard of hearing learners may bring to the educational setting needs for training in problem-solving and cognitively oriented learning strategies that differ in degree and perhaps in type from modal behaviors and needs of hearing students. Teachers therefore require specialized training if they are to optimally meet the academic needs of students with hearing loss. Ultimately, curriculum and classroom design, as well as approaches to presentation and guidance in teaching and learning activities, should be based on recognition of these differences rather than assuming that when communication barriers are removed, deaf and hearing students have the same knowledge and approach learning in the same way” (p. 134). What is your understanding of the statement? Give a concrete example of how you will differentiate your instruction in an inclusive classroom where there is a student who is DHH. 

I believe that each student learns differently.  Yes, some students may lean towards having the same learning styles, but no two students can learn the same thing.  So, yes I think that teachers need to be trained in these differentiating their teaching to help reach out to all the students in the class.  I believe that in order to work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing you should have special training.  However, that is not always the case.  Sometimes that student may be left with the interpreter all day and that interpreter may have to step up to the plate and help that student out if they need more than just an interpretation.

In my classroom...

I work with a fourth grader who has a very mild hearing loss.  The student does not use amplification and does not sign.  I also work with another fourth grader who has a profound hearing loss and uses a cochlear implant and a hearing aid.  I don't work with these students at the same, but I do work with them on a lot of the same activities that are provided by their regular education teachers.  I think that a lot of the time these two students are pulled out of their class when their regular education teacher cannot teach how they need the information to be presented to them.  With the student who does not have amplification I really have to make things concrete and real life situations for him/her to understand.  This student's learning style is very, very different from the student with amplification.  When I work with the student with amplification I have to spend more time explaining vocabulary and not tie the information back to real life experiences.  With both of these students the communication barrier is dropped when they walk into the deaf education classroom (office).  This shows that even though both of these students have a hearing loss they still need differentiated instruction. 

Chapter 7:

I really enjoyed reading this chapter.  It really sparked a lot of conversation between me and my cooperating teacher.  We were able to discuss the learning needs of our students and compare to what the book said with what she has seen in her 20 years of teaching.   In the section where it talks about visual attention I was amazed with myself that I had not thought about students who are deaf or hard of hearing being more visibly distractible than hearing students.  After, reading the section I thought it made sense.  Then, I got to thinking about all the visual distractions that are in the classroom that I am in.  I also started thinking about how difficult it would be to have to deal with both the auditory distractions and increased visual distractions.  This all goes back to when we did the acoustic testing of the preschool.

Chapter 8 Achievement in Mathematics and Science

1.      Pagliaro and Ansell (2002) found that less than 1/5 of the 36 first- through third- grade teachers of the deaf they surveyed in 5 schools reported presenting math problems daily. Teachers believed that story problems, whether presented in sign, voice and sign, or written form, are too difficult for children until they achieve basic math and reading problems. Do you agree with these beliefs? Why or why not? What will you do in your early elementary math class for students who are DHH?

I personally think that if you wait until the student has mastered basic math and reading skills that it will be more difficult to introduce word problems later on in school.  I believe that you can introduce word problems that are on grade level for the student.  For instance in kindergarten you may start simple and have a word problem that is says something like this:

            "Billy has 1 apple.  Abby has 1 apple.  Together how many apples do they have?"

This is a simple problem that most kindergarteners could do.  This is also a word problem that you could make come to life.  You could make it interactive by bringing in 2 apples, giving one to a boy and one to a girl.  Then, have them stand in front of the class and count how many apples they have together.  I think that this would click for most students because they are actually able to see it. 

As most of you know spring semester in most public schools are focused on testing.  Most of our students, even though they are deaf or hard of hearing, will have to take the regular test.  However, they may have extended time, small group, sign interpreter, or read allowable parts.  Therefore, the problems they answer are the same as their peers.  Currently, I have a kindergarten student who has to take the kindergarten test in April.  Trust me the math part is very language focused and full of word problems.  This makes it very hard to sign to the student without giving the answer away or using manipulates to assist him/her.  In her regular education class the student does not get a lot of attention from the teacher or a lot of help language wise.  So, I feel that it is on my shoulders to better prepare her for the math portion of this test.  Every day I try to incorporate as many real life math experiences that I can.  We do a lot of counting of things as we walk to our classroom.  We also work on adding and subtracting things with the use of manipulates. 

In my classroom I believe that I will try my best to make language a part of everything.  I mean that is how we communicate.  I think that if we do simple things for the students like make the connections to prior knowledge and tie it into the math problem or make math hands-on.  I find it hard to believe teachers do not present math problems in word form.  I think that it is something that almost happens naturally.  I don't know about the rest of the world but when I have student who can't add or isn't getting 4+4=8. I would say something like, "Ok if you have 4 pennies and your mom gives you 4 more how many do you have all together?"  This is a real life situation.  Kids normally know what pennies and they know they want them.  They also know that the more they have the better.  I guess what I am trying to say is that language is very, very important and our students should have language presented to them most of the day.  So, I think that it would be easy to incorporate grade level story problems into a classroom routine.

1.      Lang et al. (2006) reported that of the words deemed important from a science curriculum review, approximately 60% do not have sign representation. What is your understanding of this finding? What is the implication of this finding in the science education for students who are DHH?

I believe that approximately 60% of the science curriculum does not have sign representation.  I think that it is interesting that the United States is reluctant to create a vocabulary for science signs.  I think that this would make things much easier for the students, interpreters, and deaf educators.  We have all heard the story that Melissa told when she was interpreting for a student and they were talking about hormones.  Melissa made up sign for hormones and signed it the whole class time.  Once class was finished the student went up to Melissa and asked what she was signing about.  (Sorry if the story isn't as accurate as what Melissa told.) I am positive that this happens all time in classes with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  During my first week at my student teaching placement I went down to work with a 4th grader on his/her science.  Well, they were talking about different kinds of energy.  How many of you know signs for potential energy, kinetic energy, and so forth.  I don't!  I later found out that the interpreter and the student got together and created their own sign for these terms.  Apparently, that happens a lot with these two.  I think it would be great if we could all get together and make some kind of a national science vocabulary sign list.  I think that it would help a lot of people out.  I believe the implication of this finding ties back to a language delay.  Our students may not have auditory access to these words and most of these science words are difficult to explain.  So, I think that it is important to try to make science as hands on as possible to give our students a concrete concept to think about.

On the 7th week of Student TEACHING.....

On, Monday I was sick.  So I missed one more day of student teaching. :( On Tuesday I came back to school and had a wonderful day.  All of the students worked hard and had fun.  On Wednesday we had a FIRE DRILL.  Oh wait it wasn't a fire drill...it was the REAL thing.  No worries the school didn't burn down.  It was just the lunch burning!  On Thursday the entire elementary school will be traveling to the high school to watch a BALLET performance!  YAY for getting to ride on a bus....Fridays are always fast and I cannot wait for it to be FRIDAY.  I hope everyone is enjoying their placements as much as I am.

6 weeks DOWN

Ok well....the 6th week was kind of a blur.  I think that we were all caught up in the fact that COMPS were happening on SATURDAY.  Seriously, I cannot even remember what happened last week.  Oh wait I remember one thing...I had my midterm evaluation.  Everything went very well.  I also found out that I get to stay an extra week at my student teaching placement because of all of those glorious snow days.  So now my student teaching will be complete on April 15th ish!!!  That will be here before I know it.  EVERYONE PASSED COMPS!!! Way to go D/HH girls!!! That is one big thing down.  Now, lets present our project, complete our portfolios, pass the praxis, and GRADUATE!

Five, Five, Five weeks of school

Well, last Friday my teacher informed me that this week would be a "normal" week.  WRONG!!! It has been anything but normal.  Monday went fine.  Everything went well, all students were present, all interpreters were present, all equipment was working, and no meeting were in session.  Tuesday started to spiral...an interpreter was absent.  When you only have 2 interpreters with 2 kids that need them in 2 different classrooms it makes for a hairy situation.  Following Tuesday's chaos was Wednesday and Thursday! We have had to do some serious moving around this week due to meeting, staffing, and absences.  Tomorrow is Friday and I can't wait!  Hopefully, it will be "normal".  On the brighter side I got to attend my first annual review IEP meeting.  Let's just say it was a get in, get out, and be done situation.  It was exciting to be there.  After, leaving it I felt like the parent was buying a car or a house because of all the paper work and repetition of information.  I can't wait until I get to go to another. 

Fourth Week of STUDENT TEACHING

This week is going very well.  I have got to teach multiple children each day.  It has been wonderful.  However, I feel a little tired.  I think it is because this is going to be the first FULL week of school since my first week there.  I do have to say that I am feeling how tedious writing like 1000 lesson plans is.  Oh well, I guess I will just have to get used to it.  I am also feeling the black cloud of COMPS looming over my head. 

Week THREE

Week three was kind of a BUST.  ARKANSAS got a lot of snow, AGAIN!!!  I only had the pleasure of teaching for one day during this week.  I was very stressed at the end of the week because my university supervisor was supposed to come and observe me on 2/14/2011.  Luckily, she changed my midterm evaluation time.  So now I CANNOT wait for MARCH 1, 2011 to come. 

Chapter 4-5

Chapter 4: Early Identification of Hearing Loss and Early Intervention Services: Implications for Language and Learning

I feel that after nearly completing our program we are all well aware of how important early identification and intervention are.  This chapter basically outlines the importance of both.  While reading I was able to spot several concepts we have covered in our classes.  Some of those concepts are:

"As late as 1990, the average age for identification of congenital hearing loss in the United State was around 24 months" (page 39)

High risk screening only identified about half of the infants who had a congenital hearing loss. (page 39)

"Neonatal (or newborn) hearing screening is based on either the evoked otoacoustic emissions test (EOAE) or an auditory evoked (potential) response test (AEP)." (page 39)

"The goal in the Unites States is for the more detailed AEP testing to be conducted by the time the infant is 3 months old, with intervention services provided before 6 months of age." (page 39)

I think that this is information that is very important.  I understand why it has been stressed and stressed to us to learn it and know it.  As I was reading this chapter I asked my parents if I had a hearing screening while at the hospital.  Being that I was born in 1987 I did not think that I would.  My parents assured me that I had some kind of hearing test done.  Well come to find out it was an apgar test.  I then proceeded to ask about my brother.  He was born in 1993 so I was curious if he had a newborn hearing screening.  My parents said no that he too only had an apgar test.  Again, the 1-3-6 plan was restated.  I think that it is wonderful that this information has been presented to us in so many different forms. 

"Children who are identified early and receive early intervention have been found to demonstrate language development in the 'low average' level compared to hearing children." (page 42)

I don't know why this struck me the way that it, but I did not like reading it.  I know that children who are deaf or hard of hearing are often times below their hearing peers.  I guess that I just like to hope for the best and I want to believe that early intervention and identification can help the child be competitive with his/her hearing peers.  I know that early identification and intervention is so much better than not receiving any intervention.  I guess I feel that children who are deaf or hard of hearing can develop language that matches that of their peers with hard work.  Reading on into chapter four the book states "postivie effects of early identification have been found only when accompanied by early intervention." (page 44)  This shows that it doesn't do the child any good if they are indentified with a hearing loss and then no action is taken to help the child. 

Chapter 5: Language Development, Languages, and Language Systems

This chapter walks us through all the different language modalities, therapies, and systems that we can use with children who are deaf and hard of hearing.  I feel that I had a lot to say in my chapter 4 post so I am going to try to keep this one short and sweet.

I feel that it is very important to provide the student/child with whatever form of communication they need.  This may be sign, speech, or a combination of both.  I don't think that when a child is young the parent can say my child will be oral.  I don't think that this is something that can be chosen for a child.  I think that when a child is diagnosed young the parents should be willing to try to give their child every opportunity.  I know that I have not had to go through having a child who is deaf or hard hearing.  So, I don't know how I would react.  I would hope that I would say okay my child is deaf lets use sign language and continue to give the child auditory stimulus as well.  Once the child has reached school age this process can get even more difficult.  Do you send your child to a school for the deaf, mainstream, bi-bi classroom, or a fully contained classroom?  I cannot even imagine being a parent and being presented with all of these options.  Now, that I have rambled on what I am really trying to stress is that as parents, SLPs, audiologists, therapists, and deaf educators we should communicate and teach the child in whatever modality that suits them best.

2nd WEEK of STUDENT teaching

Well, this week was supposed to be the week when I got to get in there and start teaching.  Sad news.  I only got to teach for 1 day.  I know it really stinks.  As all of you know a huge BLIZZARD passed through.  Needless to say I only got to teach for one day this week.  This also means that I only have one week until my midterm evaluation.  I am not really for sure how much my professor will be able to see or how prepared I will be for since I missed a week of school.  I know a lot of us are in the same boat.  GOOD LUCK everyone for the beginning of your "THIRD" week of student teaching!!!!

ONE week DOWN

Hi! My first week flew by.  I cannot even believe we are getting ready to start our second week of student teaching!  What happened my first week?

1. I met a ton of people.  I still need to work on remembering their names.  I do know all the kids' names though!

2. I got to do a little teaching!

3. The girl who crys LOVED me :)

4. I got to see the therapy dog in action!!!

5. I fell in LOVE with the kids.  I think it is going to be hard to leave them once my 10 weeks is up.

Evidence-Based Practice in Educating Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: CH 1-3

     I will be honest I never get really excited when I am assigned a reading.  I never feel like I have the time to sit down and read chapters out of a book that I have never heard of before.  However, I found this read to be a pretty easy read.  I feel like this book is going to be very easy to follow, understand, and read. 


     Chapter 1:  Chapter one is basically just an introductory chapter.  This chapter sets us up for what the whole book is going to be about. As I have been reading I have been highlighting information that really seemed to stand out for me or information that I thought was interesting. 
     On page 3 this sentence really stood out to me "The problem is that around the United States and elsewhere parents, teachers, and administrators are making decisions about academic placement and teaching methods for those children on the basis of what is frequently incorrect or at least incomplete information."  This is really a scary statement to me.  It really made me stop and think about all the information floating around about deafness and academics.  It is scary to think that parents, teachers, and administrators could be going to Internet sites that hold invalid information and taking that information as truth and then deciding the child's academic path based on this information.  The other day my model teacher was talking about a time when a parent came into an IEP meeting quoting invalid information from the Internet and criticizing the school system because they didn't know anything.  I guess what I am trying to get at is that it is very important to really evaluate where you get your information from.
     I also found the "Key Findings Index" to be a very interesting section.  I also think that it is helpful because beside each finding the authors gave you a direct page number that you can go to and read the rest of the information.  As I read through the key findings I felt as though we have discussed most of them at some point in time in our classes.  I think that it is great to see the information we have discussed in class  published in other works.

     Chapter 2: Chapter two focused on the demographics, diversity, and foundational issues.  I found the statistics to be very interesting.  I really enjoyed reading about the incidence of deafness in developed countries vs. the incidence of deafness in developing countries.  Up until reading this chapter I had not put much thought to deafness in developing countries.  I know it sounds silly, but it is something that just doesn't really get talked about. 

     Chapter 3:  This chapter highlights all the different types of research that can take place.  The following is a list of methods that were discussed:
1. Randomized clinical trials...experimental research
2. Quasi-experimental research
3. Single-subject research
4. Correlational research
5. Qualitative research
6. Practice-based wisdom

Golden Nuggets

     Wow...this reading contained a ton of information.  I think that it was great that we read this our first week of student teaching.  I think that it encompasses many of the topics that we have discussed in class and it has answered many of the questions that we have asked.  For me I enjoyed reading this and I found it to be very informative.  I think that this will be an article I save and look back as I begin my first teaching position. 
      I liked the way the article was laid out from programs and degrees to the first day and week of school.  It was reassuring to me to know that everyone pretty much feels the same on the first day of school and throughout the first week.  I mean we all know what the day before and our first day felt like.  Now, look at us we are getting ready to start our second week and we feel like pros.  Okay...maybe not pros, but it is definitely not as intimidating as the first day.  I think it was great getting to read some different strategies for reading, vocabulary, and writing.  As I was reading I also found myself thinking "Oh, that would work great with this student!"  I was able to relate what I was reading to the school I am doing my student teaching at.  For me it made the article much more meaningful that just reading while not working with students. 
     I really cannot believe all the information that was put into this article: field trips, music, Deaf Community, preschool, parent involvement, classroom management, and so much more.  At first I did not want to read this article.  I saw that it was 37 pages and I didn't feel that I had time for it, but after taking a second glance at it I realized how important the information is.  I am getting ready to possibly have my first "big kid" job.  That information about employment was just what I needed to read. I believe this article would be beneficial to any educator of the deaf and hard of hearing no matter what level they are on. I think that it has great ideas and resources within the article.

Instructional Strategies on SCIENCE

Instructional Strategies for Science

SOAR-High Earth System Science

http://csc.gallaudet.edu/soarhigh/

     SOAR-High Earth System Science is an instructional tool used in six high school EDHH classrooms.  I personally think that this would be a great system to use as supplemental material.  However, I would not feel comfortable using this in my high school classroom as the only way of teaching science.  The SOAR-High Earth System Science tool is used to make collaborative efforts with other schools and is a holistic approach to learning about the Earth.  This approach was created at Gallaudet University and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in 1999.  As far as I can see this approach is very technologically intensive.  Students can work through the units on their own time.  The instructors are able to post whatever information about science that they would like.  This allows the six institutions to learn from each other the use of technology.  When all is said and done the goal of this approach is to:

1.       Improve independent learning skills.

2.       Understand and be able to use technology.

3.       Understand the use of video conferencing and collaborating.

4.       Understanding of science as a method.

5.       Produce projects that will be published on the internet.

6.       Improve communication in a rich visual environment. 

     Personally, I don’t believe I would use this as the only method to teaching Earth Science in my high school EDHH classroom.  I feel that it would be a great resource for the students to refer to.  I feel that since this was created at Gallaudet that it is a website that doesn't need to be modified a lot for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  The following are what I believe are the strengths and weaknesses of this instructional strategy.   The positive things for me are:

1.       Anyone can have access to this site and it is free!!!

2.       It encourages collaboration and communication.

3.       It allows students and instructors to see what other classrooms are doing.

4.       Encourages independency.

5.       The website does outline the rules and guidelines for the students

6.       The website highlights Deaf Scientists.

The negative things for me are:

1.       It only focuses on high school level of learners.

2.       Some of the students may not be able to comprehend everything on their own.

3.       I feel that it may seem overwhelming to some students.

Study Up http://www.studyup.com/articles/teaching/teachingstrategiesforscience.html

This is a website I found that really focuses on what a teacher should do while teaching science.  The following are some great ideas for us as teachers to think about while teaching science.

1. Move slowly and progressively.  Science is often taught where one concept builds upon another.  It is very important for students to understand the concept being taught and then moving on.  It is also important for us teaching students who are deaf or hard hearing to really focus on the vocabulary.  Science terms are often difficult for students grasp.
2. The teacher should plan out his/her lessons based on the students' learning styles.  The content of the lesson should be well defined and the teacher needs to expand and limit the information based on the learning needs of the students.
3. Make the lesson engaging for the students.  Science is one of those subjects that can be hands on and fun.  Be sure to make it that for your students.  I think this is very important for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  I believe that this is a great way to stress concepts and help them actually understand what you are teaching them.

Using Science Kits to Construct Content Understanding
Daniel Dickerson
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/csmte/upload/science_kits_construct_content.pdf

This was a study I read about using science kits to help students better understand science material.  The main point of this article is to make science HANDS-ON.  I believe that this is the best way to learn science.  I know that I personally can read the book and understand.  I also know that I will retain the information much better if I can actually do an experiment or an activity related to the science lesson.  I believe that this hands-on approach is very important for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  If the lesson are hands-on it makes it much easier to explain and describe things because the students are experiencing it first hand.

At my student teaching placement all of the classes are getting ready for benchmark testing.  There is a lot of focus placed on science and math.  What I am noticing is with the student who are deaf or hard of hearing is that they are having difficulties with reading the question and finding the important information within the question.  So I think that one of the biggest strategies for teaching science is to help the students with test taking strategies.  Some of the strategies are underlining important information in the question, cross out answers by process of elimination,and place a question mark by the answers that you are not sure of.  These are just a few of the test taking strategies that are used at my student teaching placement.

From most of what I found on instructional strategies for science it all goes back to the way science is taught.  Its not enough anymore to just stand up and teach, the teacher has to make the lessons informative and exciting.  With all the technology we have I believe that we have almost limitless possibilities on the hands on activities.  I think that there are so many ways that we can make science interesting for our students. 

Instructional Strategies on MATH

Mathwire Standard-Based Math Activities
http://mathwire.com/strategies/is.html


This is a website that focuses on strategies to make math an active participation subject, math assessment, classroom management, cooperative learning and differentiation.


The active participation strategies that were listed are:
         1. Use white boards:  These can be used when giving the entire class a math problem to work.  The students can then write their answer on the white board and hold it up when they have the answer.
         2. Thumbs up/ thumbs down: This requires that the student is paying attention in class.   So you as the teacher or the another student would complete a problem on the board.  Then you would ask the students if they agree or disagree with the answer to the problem by showing a thumbs up or thumbs down.
         3. Show me the answer:  This strategy can be completed in many different ways.  This could be using different manipulates to have the student show the answer.  It may be number cards and ordering them from smallest to largest.  You could have students do different grouping problems by using cubes.  I think that this is somewhere that as a teacher you can be really creative with.  I also think that this will really help students who are deaf or hard of hearing because they can have a concrete object to help them with the thought process that is involved in math.
         4. Think-pair-share: We all know what this.  Well guess what it works for math too!!!
         5. Let go and let students:  As the teacher you do not always have to be the one doing all the teaching.  Sometimes it is best to let the students show what they know and teach it to their peers.  This could be done by letting  a student come to the board and show the other students how he or she worked the problem.


Intervention Strategies for Math
by Heidi Janzen
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/intervention_strategies.phtml

Currently, at the school I am student teaching a lot of focus is being place on the benchmark test.  Therefore, many students have been placed into intervention groups to improve their math skills. 

Here are some intervention strategies suggested by this website:

First: Identify the students who are struggle and may benefit from intervention.

You can identify student by:
informal and formal assessment
integrate warm-up activities
write to learn
assign application problems

Second: Address the issue

You can use the following instructional strategies based on what the student needs:
use small group or student pairs
differentiate instruction
incorporate multiple representation
emphasize real life application
learn about tutoring options
consider seating arrangements

I believe that these are all things that we have learned or seen in our practicum experiences.  I am not for sure if I am beating a dead horse when I keep talking about differentiate instruction.  It seems that it comes up in nearly every teaching strategy I have pulled up.  It goes to show that it truly is important to try to teach to each student if at all possible.  If not to each student at least incorporate many different learning styles by providing information in different forms.

I have been in charge of one of the math intervention groups at my student teaching placement.  These students are in 4th grade and cannot do simple multiplication.  It has really been a challenge to relate most things back to addition and subtraction.  It has also been difficult to connect multiplication to division.  However, what I have notice that if I can find a way to tie the math problem to a real life situation it is much easier for them to grasp. The students also do better if they have some tangible item to count.  I have also realized that touch math doesn't always stick....however, finger math does :) 

Instructional Strategies on READING

I found one website that discussing several instructional strategies for reading.  This website also contains instructional strategies for writing.
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/lit_ins4.html

1. Modes of Reading:  This refers to way that reading takes place within the classroom.  This could be reading aloud, silent reading, choral reading, shared reading, guided reading, or independent reading. Each student is different and so is the learning style of that student.  It is important to find what is going to work best for the student. However, when you have a classroom of more than a few students it is difficult to meet the learning style of each student all at one time.  So it is important to vary the type of teaching you do. That is why I feel that it is important to use different modes of reading.  Also, by providing different modes of reading instruction it also you as the teacher to give more support if the students need it or lessen the amount of support they need.

2. Prior Knowledge Activation:  It is important that students have some kind of prior knowledge to the information that they are reading.  If the students do not have the prior knowledge it is my job as a teacher to give them the prior knowledge so that they can comprehend the text.  At my placement a student was reading about the Statue of Liberty.  After reading I asked the student some questions about the Statue of Liberty.  The student was not able to answer one question even though he/she read the paragraph.  This student did not have the prior knowledge of the Statue of Liberty.  I had to pull of pictures on the computer to show the student.  We also spent more time talking about what the Statue of Liberty is and what it means. 

3. Responses to Literature:  This is when a student finishes reading a passage or a book and then responds to an open response.  I think that this is really great for students because after reading the passage they have to then write about what they read.  I think that this is a great way for students to summarize the information.  I also think it really helps make the connection of reading and writing.

How to Improve Reading Comprehension
http://www.marin.edu/~don/Study/7read.html
 Donald Martin, How to be a Successful Student

1. Develop a broad background.
2. Know the structure of paragraphs.
3. Identify the type of reasoning. 
4. Anticipate and predict.
5. Look for the method of organization.
6. Create motivation and interest.
7. Pay attention to supporting cues.
8. Highlight, summarize and review.
9. Build a good vocabulary.
10. Use a systematic reading technique:  The website gives the example of SQR3 which stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review.
11. Monitor effectiveness.

I think that these are skills that we will have to directly teach to our students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  I think by providing them with these skills we can help them improve reading comprehension and get over the hump of learning to read and make it to the point where they can successfully read to learn.

I know that we have all learned so much about the importance of reading and how difficult it can be for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  I feel that this post has helped me review some of the information that I have already learned.  As I was reading the different strategies I realized that I use some of these every single day in my student teaching placement.  I also wanted to let you guys know that at the school I'm at they use a reading program called Read Well.  I haven't go to work a lot with it, but I believe that it helps student with reading comprehension and fluency.  If you get a chance look it up.  I know that they use it with students who are having difficulties reading and I know that you can start it in elementary school, use it in middle and junior high school, and I am not for sure if it is used on the high school level.  Are any of your schools using the Read Well program?  Or have you guys heard of it before?

Instructional Strategies on SOCIAL STUDIES

Social Studies:  http://www.georgetownisd.org/ccorner/socstudies/index.asp

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department
Georgetown Independent School District
603

Lakeway Drive, Georgetown, TX 78628

(512) 943-5000

I found this great website for social studies ideas.  This website provides instructional strategies, lessons, and ideas for the classroom.  It also covers grades pre-k to 9^th grade and delves further into the topics of world history, government, economics, and U.S. history. 

One strategy presented in the 4^th grade section is review cards.  They are exactly what they sound like.  You can click on the link titled 4^th grade review cards.  The review cards have pictures with the vocabulary word on the card and then the opposite side has the definition.  I think that this is great for 4^th grade students.  I know that many of us use review cards when we are getting ready for a test.  I think it is a good idea to teach students how to use them.  If I were to use these in my classroom I would have the students create their own review cards at the beginning of each unit or chapter.  After creating them I would have the students use them for five to ten minutes each day throughout the unit.  This would be a way that the students could review for the test.  This would also make the daunting task of studying seem less scary. 

Another strategy is a graphic organizer.  With a graphic organizer the student identifies the subject or the event, four statements, and answers the following questions; what do these facts have in common (in words/short form), what do these facts have in common (in sentence form), do the facts directly support the conclusion.  For a sample of a graphic organizer you can look on the website at Handbook for Grades 4-12 on pages 2 and 3.  I think that this would be great to use at the beginning of the chapter.  As the teacher I can assign the topics/subjects for the students to look up.  These could be the major the concepts at the beginning of each chapter.  If I were going to use this strategy in my classroom I would have the students fill out the four statements at the beginning of the chapter/unit.  As the chapter progresses I would have the students continue to fill out the organizer by answering the question of what do these facts have in common.  At the end of the chapter I would have the student decide if the facts directly support conclusion.  I think that this would be a great strategy to use with upper elementary, middle school, and high school students. 

Sequencing is another strategy that could be used for students in the grade range of 4^th-12^th.  The students are required to 4 steps.

1. Place the events in the correct order in the event boxes.

2. Classify each event as political, intellectual, economic, geography, or social.

3. Determine the relationship between each of the events.

4. In one or two complete sentences describe the story being told by the timeline. 

Again, an example of this strategy can be found in the Handbook for Grades 4-12 on page 6.

I think that this would be great to use in the classroom.  I think that it allows the students to see the time span of when events happened and then they are also able to see if one event sparked the onset of another. 

Significant Era Charts: I would use significant era charts in my classroom by hanging them up around the room.  On this website for the 8^th grade it provides seven era charts.  Within the charts it talks about significant people of that era, key terms, dates, quotes, documents, and literature.  I think that these would be great to use in the classroom because it provide a visual aid that the students could look to find information.  I believe that this would also be something that students could create on their own.  I think if the students can create something like this on their own then they will retain the information better.  I think that the students could do this in groups as well. 

Learning with Postcards:  I found this strategy under the 1^st grade tab.  I think that many of us work with younger elementary students.  I know that when I was a kid I loved postcards.  Any time my friends or family went somewhere I had them mail postcards.  It was so fun to see where they came from.  On this website they give 5 great ideas of teaching/learning with postcards.

1. Matching the postcard to the place. The students would pick a postcard and then find the place on a map.

2. Join Postcard Exchange groups. (I didn’t know these existed!) The group is exactly what it sounds like…people exchange postcards.  Apparently you can find these groups online.

3. Postcard Display. Have a huge map of the world posted in your classroom.  As your class receives postcards have the students place them on the map.  Then they will there for the students to see throughout the school year.

4. Journey of a Postcard.  As the class receives a post card they find where their own school is on the map (their town) then find where the postcard came from.  Then the student basically tells a story about where the postcard may have gone.

5. Make a postcard.  After the students understand what a postcard is they can create their own and mail it to their friends or family.

I think that all of these strategies would work fine with students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  I don’t think that modifications would need to be made.  I am so happy that I found this website.  I think that it is full of wonderful ideas that cover such a vast range of ages and topics.  I think that it is well worth any teacher’s time to checkout this website.  Hopefully, this will help you guys out with social studies ideas and strategies. 

Other websites/resources:

http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/teachers/strategies/

http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/plans.html

http://www.readingquest.org/strat/

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=t926281170

 

Instructional Strategies on WRITING

Writing covers such a vast area of knowledge.  It starts with the basics of forming letters and numbers and goes on to forming paragraphs and much, much more. 

Journaling:  http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/journal/          Saskatoon Public Schools

 I think that this is a great instructional strategy to use with students.  I think that this is something that you can start when the students are in first or second grade.  Journaling allows the students to reflect upon their own ideas.  Journaling can be done in many different ways.  A teacher can give a writing prompt or let the student write about whatever is on his/her mind.  The following is an example of how the teacher in the Saskatoon Public School system using journaling in his/her classroom.

1.     Decide what type of journal you want to use in your classroom. Think about the purpose of the journal and how will you use it.

2.     Prepare materials. Your students' journals may be looseleaf notebooks or folders. Individual pages should be contained in some way so that they are not lost over time.

3.     Model initial entries. Using an overhead projector or classroom chart, work together to write a sample response. Students can copy the class response in their own journal or write one of their own.

4.     Schedule time for regular journal use. Students are all engaged in the act of writing and this enables individuals to generate ideas, observations and emotions.

I think that journaling can be used with all students.  I don't think that much needs to be adapted to fit the needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  If anything I would say that maybe the amount of time could be modified for the student.  I think that journaling is great.  I think that it has a lot of positives like it allows the students to express themselves; it gives creative leeway, and lets the students teach themselves.  However, if not given a writing prompt students may fall into writing about the same things everyday not really expanding or giving more information.

At my student teaching placement I work with a variety of ages of students.  I want to focus on the writing strategies used with the kindergarten student I have.  This student wasn't even talking at the beginning of the school year.  So how do you even begin to introduce writing?  The student couldn't hold a pencil and needed assistance doing gross motor functions.  Again...how do you even begin to introduce writing? 

1. Modeling: I believe that modeling is very useful in beginning to write.  Children are like sponges and take everything in.  Sometimes all it takes is showing a child how to do something once and they are able to do it.

2. Hand-over-hand:  I think that this is a great strategy to use when younger students are struggling with writing certain letters or numbers.  I think that most kids will "pretend" to be writing when they are really young.  We all know what I mean because we have all seen the kiddo who scribbles, but is scribbling left to right.  This is a pre-writing skill.  My model teacher uses some hand-over-hand when it is needed.  For instance the student will see a letter or a word.  Then the student will attempt to write it.  If the student cannot do it the teacher will model it for the student.  If the student still does not grasp it the teacher will hand-over-hand assist the student.

I believe that writing happens in a scaffolding instruction.  This means that the teacher slowly backs off from how much help is being provided to the student.  I think this is very important and allow the student to become more independent in his/her school.

I don't believe that any of these methods need to be modified for a student who is deaf or hard of hearing.  I think that both modeling and hand-over-hand are great tools for helping a student learn the basic concepts of writing.  However, the instructor needs to be careful and needs to know when to stop providing these help tools.  If the instructor does not allow the student to try to write on his/her own the student may become dependent of the instructor.

National Writing Project:

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/922

On this website you can find tons of information about teaching writing and ways to incorporate it into your classroom.  On the website I found a list of 30 Ideas for Teaching Writing. You can click on each number and it will take you to an article that talks about that number.

1.   Use the shared events of students' lives to inspire writing.

2.   Establish an email dialogue between students from different schools who are reading the same book.

3.   Use writing to improve relations among students.

4.   Help student writers draw rich chunks of writing from endless sprawl.

5.   Work with words relevant to students' lives to help them build vocabulary.

6.   Help students analyze text by asking them to imagine dialogue between authors.

7.   Spotlight language and use group brainstorming to help students create poetry.

8.   Ask students to reflect on and write about their writing.

9.   Ease into writing workshops by presenting yourself as a model.

10.    Get students to focus on their writing by holding off on grading.

11.    Use casual talk about students' lives to generate writing.

12.    Give students a chance to write to an audience for real purpose.

13.    Practice and play with revision techniques.

14.    Pair students with adult reading/writing buddies.

15.    Teach "tension" to move students beyond fluency.

16.    Encourage descriptive writing by focusing on the sounds of words.

17.    Require written response to peers' writing.

18.    Make writing reflection tangible.

19.    Make grammar instruction dynamic.

20.    Ask students to experiment with sentence length.

21.    Help students ask questions about their writing.

22.    Challenge students to find active verbs.

23.    Require students to make a persuasive written argument in support of a final grade.

24.    Ground writing in social issues important to students.

25.    Encourage the "framing device" as an aid to cohesion in writing.

26.    Use real world examples to reinforce writing conventions.

27.    Think like a football coach.

28.    Allow classroom writing to take a page from yearbook writing.

29.    Use home language on the road to Standard English.

30.    Introduce multi-genre writing in the context of community service.

One of my favorites from this list is #2.  The world we live in today is very technology based.  I think that it is important to have knowledge of email.  I think that this strategy could be employed in the school that I am doing my student teaching at.  There are about ten elementary schools in the district I am in and they are all reading the same book.  I think that it would be great if the students could "pen pal" to other students at the different elementary schools.  I think that this would be a great way for the students to show that they are reading the book and it would let them see what other students that aren't in their class think about the book.  I also think that students would enjoy this because most kids LOVE to get on the computer.  With this particular strategy I think that we would have to make sure that our student who is deaf or hard of hearing can read and understand the book.  Besides that I don't think that there would need to be any modifications.  I don't really think that there is a con to this.  I think it would be a great way to facilitate writing.

I encourage everyone to at least look at this website because it is full of information.  It provides many different articles that you can read. 


 

Handwriting Without Tears

Handwriting Without Tears is a program that is used at my student teaching site.   It is written by Jan A. Olsen, OTR and Emily F. Knapton, OTR/L.  You can also find information at www.hwtears.com/click.  I will be working with the Pre-K version of the program.  This is a multisensory program that embraces children learning and it not being an awful experience.  This book is filled with lessons and activities for students.  This book focuses on language proficiency, social skills, fine and gross motor control, color and shape awareness, letter and number recognition, and counting. 

I'm sorry it is really hard to explain this system without being able to show what it is all about.  I wish that you all could see the workbook and how it is set up.  From my understanding it is working on multiple skills at one time.  The workbook seems to be laid out nicely and easy to follow.  I think that this would be a great program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing because it is focusing on so many different senses at one time.  There are songs that teach about writing and letters.  There are crafts that teach about writing too.  Overall, I think that this would be a very fun program to go through.  I am very excited to see how it is used within the classroom throughout my student teaching experience.