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.