Principle 1: Each Student is Unique
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And, be like Shaq... Don’t let the stress get you down! RMTC-D/HH is proud to work alongside educators like YOU! Keep up the good work. Need a time-out? Take a minute in a Virtual Calming Room, like this example by Anoka-Hennepin Schools. There is soothing music, videos, and even guided relaxation strategies.
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Principle 1: Each Student is Unique |
A common analogy in the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) is a comparison to “zebras,” (Anderson, 2017). Anderson writes, “when you hear hoof beats, it is usually horses, not zebras.” Just like when students who are D/HH are sitting in a classroom, they may look like all the other students, or the “horses,” but, in fact, they are quite unique and have very specific learning needs.
"Even with today’s benefits of early identification and intervention and constantly improving technology, educators continue to see children who are deaf or hard of hearing start school without a sufficient linguistic foundation from which to build language, cognition and literacy skills. Specialists must analyze and interpret each student’s current level of functioning to plan and deliver appropriate services that address the student’s language and communication needs as a foundation for successful educational performance." (p.2)
This initial principle sets the stage for all discussions regarding students who are D/HH. Considering each child holistically as an individual learner helps educators to make student-based decisions, draft quality IEPs, and help each child to achieve their own unique successes.
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International Week of the Deaf and Deaf Awareness Week |
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Signing Savvy shared information on the International Week of the Deaf (abbreviated as IWDeaf; formerly known as IWD). This awareness celebration occurs annually throughout the last full week in September (Monday through Sunday). It is also historically known as Deaf Awareness Week. It is celebrated by national and regional associations of the deaf, local communities, and individuals worldwide.
The first International Day of the Deaf was celebrated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) in 1958. The day of awareness was later extended to a full week, becoming the International Week of the Deaf (IWD).
How are YOU celebrating? Send us your pictures!
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Catherine Bailey, Teacher for Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Duval
County, Central Riverside Elementary, Prek-1st
Catherine Bailey teaches students who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) in prekindergarten through first grade at Central Riverside Elementary in Duval County. All of her students are from homes where the families and the students are learning sign language together to communicate. She is utilizing Fairview Learning, a research-based reading intervention for students who are D/HH. At the end of the 2019-2020 school year she was able to move it into the online video platform where she met with her students individually. Due to the student’s ages, the parents must assist the children in getting on the computer. This increased her communication with all her parents daily. Fifty percent of her parents are now more involved in reading with their children because they sat through the reading intervention and can help to practice with them even after the virtual school day. By using this intervention, all of her students were able to maintain their reading level when schools went from virtual learning until the end of the school year.
Know an educator (e.g., teacher, SLP, interpreter, educational audiologist, paraprofessional) who is doing amazing things with students who are D/HH? Fill out this form to nominate someone or even yourself!
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Expanded Skills Spotlight |
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Individual Communication Game Plan
Standard:
SP.PK12.DH.4.1 Consistently and appropriately use preferred communication modality, such as American Sign Language (ASL), Conceptually Accurate Signed Exact English (CASE), Signed Exact English (SEE), or Spoken Language (Aural-Oral Communication), and recognize that communication modality may change according to individual needs and preferences.
Next month, our Tech Notes theme is on Principle 2: High Expectations Drive Educational Programming and Future Employment Opportunities. Have an idea or lesson plan for Expanded Skills standards related to this topic? Email your idea to RMTC-D/HH! |
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Brief description of the lesson plan:
Students must be able to explain their communication preferences to a variety of individuals that they come in contact with in order to engage in effective communication. In schools, the faculty and staff that a student works with can change for a variety of reasons. The most common is a substitute teacher/interpreter or change of communication space (classroom to office, lunch to speech, etc.). Each student should create an individual communication game plan so that they can convey their communication preferences efficiently and effectively to their communication partner.
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Evidence-Based Practice in Educating Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (Catalog Number: 1924) by Marc Marschark and Patricia Spencer summarizes and evaluates research findings across multiple disciplines pertaining to the raising and educating of children who are deaf, providing a comprehensive but concise record of the successes, failures, and unanswered questions in the education of children who are deaf.
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Madness in the Mainstream (Catalog Number: 1866) is a rare account of what goes on behind the scenes in educational settings. Deaf author Mark Drolsbaugh pulls no punches as he reveals the consequences of life in the mainstream for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
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The Itinerant Teacher’s Handbook, Second Edition (Catalog Number: 1868) provides indispensable information for new and experienced itinerant teachers alike. This is a practical guide to accomplishing a two-fold mission: teaching students who are deaf or hard of hearing the knowledge and skills they need to become successful adults and helping others effectively interact with these students.
*Borrow these and many other resources from our Media and Materials Loan Library, for FREE. Each material comes with a return label, making even the shipping at no charge to the borrower.
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Family Corner is a section for professionals that will address how they can help parents to be more involved and be more collaborative. This section will be from the perspective of a parent of a child who is deaf and has other disabilities and who also happens to be an educational professional. Depending on the topic, this section may deal with how to approach parents on the topic or help educators understand the parents’ perspectives.
What families need to know about: Each Student is Unique
When working with any child, it is important to remember that each student is unique. Sometimes, due to stress, time constraints, pressure, and dozens of other things that impact a professional, this concept can slip away. No two children are the same. No disability manifests the same way with every child. In fact, for every child diagnosed with a specific disability or disabilities, whether it be deafness, vision loss, cerebral palsy, autism, or something else, the impact of that constellation of disabilities will have a different impact on each child, even if the “labels” are the same.
It is important for educators to be aware of considering only the superficial impacts of a disability and not seeing the true influences of the disability on an individual child as a whole. Children are complex creatures. The effects of a disability are, in many ways, the result of the interplay of the disability with the personality. Factors like living conditions, environment, parent involvement, and personalities are different from one person to the next. As a result, accommodations and supports for one child may be very different from those of another child who has the same identified disabilities. The results of those accommodations and supports will also render varying outcomes.
Finally, keep in mind that developing a strong relationship with a child’s parents requires investments in each individual student and their specific needs. Comparing one child with another based on appearance, identified disability, or some other external factor can build walls that not only hinder communication between school and home, but may also negatively affect the process of the IEP. It isn’t solely because parents don’t appreciate such comparisons. It’s that comparisons may set off alarms for parents. Potentially stereotypical comparisons remove the individuality of the child and focuses on the label instead of the child. The moral of the story is to remind yourself every day that each child
is unique. This will pave the way for improved family and school relationships, quality IEP development, and improved academic and postsecondary outcomes for each individual student.
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A quick demystifying of common misconceptions in the field of special education and the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Myth: “All kids who are D/HH get extended time.”
Myth: “Unless a student receives occupational therapy, they cannot have dictation as an accommodation.”
Myth: “All kids who are D/HH and taking regular education classes are served in a consultative model.”
Truth: The statements above are examples in direct opposition to Principle 1: Each child is unique. Blanket statements regarding programming, IEP development, instructional practices, and/or application of accommodations are in opposition to the tenets of IDEA, and may lead to legal vulnerability for districts and even individual teachers. The goal should always be to focus on the individuality of the student and use data to drive educational decisions. These are the best ways to ensure supports that are only as specialized as necessary are afforded to individual students along a continuum of services.
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The 2020 FEDHH Conference will be held virtually November 17-21, 2020. Call for Papers has been extended until September 30th, 2020. Do you have an innovative idea for teaching students who are D/HH? Consider submitting an idea for a presentation TODAY!
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Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss has just announced their 2021 lineup for their virtual conference January 15 - March 15, 2021. With 6 presenters delivering 9 sessions, this conference can be viewed 24/7 to alleviate the need to travel. Registration opens soon and there are discounts for groups of six or more.
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Upcoming Events: Save the Date! |
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RMTC-D/HH provides Tech Notes as a free resource to teachers, professionals, and parents around the state in order to pass along potentially useful information and expand the knowledge and opportunities available to educators and families of children who have hearing loss. This email was funded by the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Part B funds. The information included does not reflect any specific endorsement by any parties involved. |
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#TechnologyTuesday: Latest in technology in regards to Deaf Education.
#ResourceWednesday: Resources from other organizations that are specific to Deaf Education
#BehindTheScenesThursday: Memories of RMTC-D/HH events and exclusive “behind the scenes” captures of RMTC-D/HH’s goings-on
#FunFAQFriday: answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) in the field of Deaf Education
#SpotlightSaturday: Lesson plans related to the Florida Expanded Skills Standards AND spotlighting different highly effective teachers and what they are doing in their teaching environment
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