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!