Advanced Language and the Deaf: DE 576

Session 3Jessica Scott

Boston University, February 1, 2012

AgendaDiscussion: Bonny!Theory: More thoughts on language and

placement optionsCI CornerBreakPractice: Application of court cases and findingsHousekeeping/Wrap up

AgendaDiscussion: Bonny!Theory: More thoughts on language and

placement optionsCI CornerBreakPractice: Application of court cases and findingsHousekeeping/Wrap up

Discussion: Bonny!

A discussion board interlude

“Deaf people successfully protested to finally have deaf president at Gallaudet. Why aren’t we fighting to create a new law to change the concept of IDEA/LRE into something that all deaf students are highly encouraged to enter residential program [where] all teachers must meet high standards of bi-bi concepts and high standards of ASL abilities...”

“What frustrates me is that this issue seems to be decided by people who don't know anything about Deaf Education, or really about individualized education in general. […] I think that as future teachers in the field, it is our responsibility to try to change the legislation. One point that really hit me hard was this idea of providing an opportunity for education, not actually providing education itself”

Important points… what do you think?

One more discussion board point

One of you wondered about the existence of statistics on performance of mainstream versus residential Deaf students…. I found the following: Braden, Maller & Paquin, 2011 – The effects of residential

versus day placement on the performance IQs of children with hearing impairment. Published in The Journal of Special Education

They did IQ testing on Deaf children in both settings “[There were] statistically significant gains for commuters

and residents attending the residential program, in contrast to no PIQ change for children attending the day program.”

Residential school students increased IQ score 3-4 years after placement

AgendaDiscussion: Bonny!Theory: More thoughts on language and

placement optionsCI Corner BreakPractice: Application of court cases and findingsHousekeeping/Wrap up

SegregationDiscourse analysis looks at how people use

language, included words and phrases, to cause people to think in a certain way

On the whiteboard is the term “segregation”When you are ready, come up and write down

all the associations that come to your mind with that word If someone has already written one of yours, feel

free to indicate that you agree

SegregationProponents of full inclusion use the following

three arguments: All children learn best in the regular education

classroom The goal of social equity is of greater importance

than how children learn Pull out programs violate children’s civil rights by

segregating themWhy do you think they chose to use the word

segregate? In trios, come up with at least one response

against each of the above statements related to Deaf children

LREAll this leads us to the “least restrictive

environment,” and its different interpretations (which we will talk about in more detail next week) Often thought of as the “mainstream” classroom Self contained rooms and special schools thought

of as more restrictive environments Deaf education is a special case

What do you think the implications are for Deaf children, language development, and Deaf culture if the residential school is thought of as a more restrictive environment?

Aspen School In groups of three, take a few minutes to

discuss the different interpretations of LRE in the Aspen school What did…

The mainstreaming teachers think?The Deaf Education teachers think?The interpreters think?

We will have a whole group discussion afterwards

AgendaDiscussion: Bonny!Theory: More thoughts on language and

placement optionsCI Corner BreakPractice: Application of court cases and findingsHousekeeping/Wrap up

CI CornerA weekly discussion of an article either…

About effectiveness (or lack thereof) of cochlear implantsOr

About the importance of using sign language with children that have cochlear implants

Take a few moments to read the abstract for this week’s article, being passed around

CI CornerThis week’s article: The role of sign language

for Deaf children with cochlear implants: Good practice in sign bilingual settings Swanwick & Tsverik, 2007, Deafness and

Education InternationalWho did they look at?

2 mainstream schools and 4 bilingual Deaf schools in England

All schools used BSL, to varying degrees

CI CornerWhat did they find?“In our discussion with staff from all six sign

bilingual settings it was emphasised to us that few of their pupils with implants could be described as straightforward or successful users. There was a sense of frustration that successful implant users were either never placed or indeed moved from sign bilingual settings thus feeding a notion that pupils with implants do not do well in these environments.” (p. 226)

CI CornerMore generally…

Students with CIs benefited from a flexible language environment that used both BSL and spoken English

Deaf adults had a positive impact on Deaf children in the classroom in terms of identity development and self-esteem

Discussion: What do you think about this study? Do you believe these findings are important for parents/caretakers to know when considering a CI for their child? How can teachers and other advocates make sure this sort of information is available?

Break!

AgendaDiscussion: Bonny!Theory: More thoughts on language and

placement optionsCI CornerBreakPractice: Application of court cases and

findingsHousekeeping/Wrap up

Importance of Law and Special Education

At all starts with PL-94-142, the precursor to IDEA

Prior to this, educational opportunities for all students with disabilities were limited, if they existed at all

Regardless of unintended consequences, these laws forced state and local education agencies to consider all children’s needs in terms of education

Deaf Education and the Law

Unintended consequences of special education law and Deaf education? Mainstreaming is the best option? Barely getting by in the mainstream (Cs and Ds)

often considered successful mainstreaming – as some of you said on the discussion board, isn’t it our job to provide the BEST education, rather than any education?

ActivityYou will receive 2 handouts – one with

questions designed to help determine the LRE, and the other a court case about a Deaf child denied an ASL interpreter in a mainstream classroom. Read and discuss in small groups: Do you think the questions to determine LRE

would be helpful in determining placement for a Deaf child?

What do you think was the flaw in the court’s INITIAL finding? (Not the final ruling)

Would consideration of those questions changed this child’s placement or the services provided to her?

Discussion of application of LRE

Why is it difficult to meet deaf children’s needs in a regular classroom?

What is specialized teaching in the context of deaf children’s educational needs?

Why are interpreters perceived by others as “adequate accommodation”?

AgendaDiscussion: Bonny!Theory: More thoughts on language and

placement optionsCI CornerBreakPractice: Application of court cases and findingsHousekeeping/Wrap up

HousekeepingThe first essay prompt is currently up on the

course websiteRemember, you have until next Wednesday,

class time, to complete the essay and submit it to me (Via e-mail: jes077@mail.harvard.edu) or a paper

copy during class – your preference!Any questions on this?

HousekeepingWednesday, April 18Apparently, this is a Monday schedule day!

Thanks, TT!We will not have class, BUT the discussion

board will still be open for response to the readings

Housekeeping I am happy to announce that next Wednesday

from 3:45-5:00 we will have a guest speaker!A local (ASL-fluent) itinerant teacher of the

Deaf will be here to talk about her job and experiences regarding language and education in her position

Wrap-UpWho can share what ideas/experiences they

will take away from this session?

Have an excellent week!