Training Seminars for Regular Education Teachers: Preparing to Teach Students who are Deaf in the Hearing Classroom

What do you think caused this change in Cindy? (She realized she was different, peers changed, communication became increasingly difficult as did learning) Today we’re focusing on the social aspect of mainstreaming.
Is there anything wrong with being different? (no)
In his testimony at the National Council on Disabilities, eighth grader Jesse Thomas made this statement:
I don’t think there should be such a thing as “overcoming deafness.” This implies that a person should push being deaf aside and be more hearing. That is absolutely ridiculous. Don’t you think that a person should be what he is? I am deaf; I will succeed as a deaf person.
Some people think... that if you are more HEARING, you are more NORMAL. I say you can be normal being deaf. I’m a perfectly normal person. I love pizza, collect baseball cards, et cetera et cetera, I’m deaf, does that mean I’m not normal? NO! My point is, “Normal” means being what a person is, not just what the majority is! (Thomas, 1989, pp. 1-2)
Does that sound like a “normal” teenager?
Your student is unable to hear and so he/she uses a visual language. It is so important that the student not feel being deaf makes him/her any less important, or less capable, or less worthy than anyone else. A professional educator made these statements:
Deaf children must not continue to be educated with the intentional or inadvertent influence which leads them to believe that they are inferior, that something is wrong with them, or that they have something to hide and be ashamed of. In a quality program, the Deaf child will be afforded opportunities to become well educated, successful, and proud to be Deaf. (King, 1992, p. 3)
The success of Deaf children should not be measured by how well they have adapted to a cloning process which has attempted to make them hearing. Deaf children should be educated to become successful Deaf adults, not imitations of hearing people. (King, 1992, p. 3)
It is critical that those involved in the education of deaf students understand that, “given an equal education and equal opportunities, the Deaf child can do anything that their hearing peers can do” (King, 1992, p. 3).
Body: When a person can accept differences with a mind free from judgment, a positive give-take relationship can be developed. We want our students to be able to develop that type of mind. This is our first step in creating a good social atmosphere.
A: Preparing hearing students
Show overhead A (Appendix G). Cover all but the title and uncover each topic as you come to it.
Understanding and appreciating all differences is essential to a healthy social atmosphere. How might you, as a teacher, aid in creating such an atmosphere? (Point out student’s abilities, help hearing students see deaf student as normal)
It is also important to point out sameness, as Jesse Thomas did. For younger children especially, it helps them to see that their classmate isn’t scary or so different from them just because their classmate can’t hear. Asking questions such as, who loves Christmas? who likes ice cream? who likes spinach? who likes birthdays? - shows that their classmate is like them.
Another good idea is to have an orientation on deafness for the hearing students (Culhane & Mothersell, 1979; Von Almen, 1992). You are receiving a little orientation yourself. Don’t you think it would help your students also? Here are some ideas other teachers have used as orientation experiences. If the student who is deaf will be there, it would probably be good to explain to that student and perhaps even the parents beforehand what you are doing and why, so that the student and parents won’t feel like you are making fun of
him/her. (The instructor can choose which of these ideas to share with the group.)
‘Explain what the interpreter is doing and why the student needs him/her. Have students practice talking to the child who is deaf, in order to see how the interpreter works.
*Get ear plugs for one student and have him or her wear them for a full day. Although he/she will still hear, it will be more difficult, and he/she will have to work harder. Have a class discussion about his/her feelings and reactions, and the reactions of classmates.
*Ask a deaf adult to come to class with his/her interpreter and share something about him/herself (Luetke-Stahlman & Luckner, 1991). Perhaps his/her occupation or a hobby or skill would be interesting. Encourage questions.
‘Assign one student to spend the school day trying to communicate without the use of his/her voice and then report the next day.
‘Share with your class some examples of deaf persons who are important (see Appendix H) (Luetke-Stahlman & Luckner, 1991).
*Have the deaf student teach the class some signs each week, so that the class will be able communicate more freely with the deaf student.
*Find out if there are any sign classes taught that the children could take if interested.
*Read a story to the class while moving your lips, but without using your voice, then talk about how well the children understood it.
*Read a story or watch a movie about a deaf person (see Appendix H) (Luetke-Stahlman & Luckner, 1991).
‘Have a teacher of the deaf come in and talk to your class (Von Almen, 1992).
‘Ask the deaf student to share something with the class he/she enjoys (Luetke-Stahlman & Luckner, 1991).
This is a good opportunity for you to use a student interest inventory. Using it you could discover a special interest or skill your student could demonstrate or a place he/she has been and could share with the class. For example, you notice from the student interest inventory that the deaf student has a talent in wood working. You could then ask him to share something he has made with the class and explain how it was made.
B. Facilitating interaction

1. 
   Working with groups