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.