Deaf pre school

[jackie49042]

we're having the same problem here in Constantine mi the public school is a joke when it comes to deaf children they don't teach sign and they aren't qualified to deal with a deaf child my grand son is four and deaf he knows nothing and has been in school here for over a year he just received a cochlier implant but they say there not responsible for any of that while hes at school the nearest deaf school is almost 3 hundred miles from us it crazy

 

[Bottesini]

we're having the same problem here in Constantine mi the public school is a joke when it comes to deaf children they don't teach sign and they aren't qualified to deal with a deaf child my grand son is four and deaf he knows nothing and has been in school here for over a year he just received a cochlier implant but they say there not responsible for any of that while hes at school the nearest deaf school is almost 3 hundred miles from us it crazy

The Michigan School for the Deaf is in Flint. 160 miles from Constantine.

 

[Puck]

I agree totally, since language development at this stage is so very important. I wish there could at the very least be dedicated programs for Deaf childern within general schools (such as a dedicated wing with bilingual ASL/English teaching) but, unfortunately, the Least Restrictive Environment clause applies to Deaf children and we are forced at schools here in Texas to place Deaf children into general education classrooms with no regard for whether this is the best choice for their development. It's what happens when legislation decides in one broad stroke what sort of education our children have, despite not being the ones on the front line (the ones who actually work with kids and know their needs). Instead they often find themselves in self-contained PPCD (Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities), where the majority of the students are autistic, intellectually disabled, or emotionally disturbed. They then graduate Pre-K far behind the general population because instruction was slowed for their fellow students.

The best answer? Deaf pre-schools. The best monetarily feasible answer? A special program within a larger school just for Deaf students. The answer that complies with No Child Left Behind? If in a normal, public school they must be in general ed classes with hearing students or in a PPCD class with special needs students, depending on their evaluation. And trust me--as a special needs teacher I am tired of seeing kids in my program who are there simply because they were placed in the wrong program as a very young child and have been exposed to only below grade level material ever since.

NOTE: Least Restrictive Environment is a US law that state a student with a disability MUST be in the general education population if even feasibly possible so that special needs kids don't get stuffed in a closet somewhere and forgotten. Unfortunately, it also limits opportunities for Deaf children to enjoy a public school environment taught in native ASL where they can communicate easily with their peers and teacher without a third party interpreting.

 

[deafdyke]

Exacty... the biggest problem is that we've been lumped in with general special ed, rather then dhh specific. You see the same thing with blind/low vision (although most b/lv kids are multihandicapped)

 

[shel90]

I agree totally, since language development at this stage is so very important. I wish there could at the very least be dedicated programs for Deaf childern within general schools (such as a dedicated wing with bilingual ASL/English teaching) but, unfortunately, the Least Restrictive Environment clause applies to Deaf children and we are forced at schools here in Texas to place Deaf children into general education classrooms with no regard for whether this is the best choice for their development. It's what happens when legislation decides in one broad stroke what sort of education our children have, despite not being the ones on the front line (the ones who actually work with kids and know their needs). Instead they often find themselves in self-contained PPCD (Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities), where the majority of the students are autistic, intellectually disabled, or emotionally disturbed. They then graduate Pre-K far behind the general population because instruction was slowed for their fellow students.

The best answer? Deaf pre-schools. The best monetarily feasible answer? A special program within a larger school just for Deaf students. The answer that complies with No Child Left Behind? If in a normal, public school they must be in general ed classes with hearing students or in a PPCD class with special needs students, depending on their evaluation. And trust me--as a special needs teacher I am tired of seeing kids in my program who are there simply because they were placed in the wrong program as a very young child and have been exposed to only below grade level material ever since.

NOTE: Least Restrictive Environment is a US law that state a student with a disability MUST be in the general education population if even feasibly possible so that special needs kids don't get stuffed in a closet somewhere and forgotten. Unfortunately, it also limits opportunities for Deaf children to enjoy a public school environment taught in native ASL where they can communicate easily with their peers and teacher without a third party interpreting.

Exactly but so many people are against that idea that ASL should be the first language of deaf children. It is the "let's try the oral-only first and see if they succeed or not" attitude. That has HARMED several deaf children and left them with language delays or deficient that they were unable to overcome. As a result, they struggle for the rest of their lives with literacy, knowledge, and self advocacy. I work in a public school that has deaf children and I see it constantly. People are so clueless.

 

[Puck]

Exactly but so many people are against that idea that ASL should be the first language of deaf children. It is the "let's try the oral-only first and see if they succeed or not" attitude. That has HARMED several deaf children and left them with language delays or deficient that they were unable to overcome. As a result, they struggle for the rest of their lives with literacy, knowledge, and self advocacy. I work in a public school that has deaf children and I see it constantly. People are so clueless.

^^this

Blind kids have it bad, too. Teachers treat them like helpless dolls or some crap when they are perfectly capable of doing pretty much anything--if you actually give them the chance instead of deciding at the age of three that they will never be able to do squat.

 

[deafdyke]

Exactly but so many people are against that idea that ASL should be the first language of deaf children. It is the "let's try the oral-only first and see if they succeed or not" attitude. That has HARMED several deaf children and left them with language delays or deficient that they were unable to overcome. As a result, they struggle for the rest of their lives with literacy, knowledge, and self advocacy. I work in a public school that has deaf children and I see it constantly. People are so clueless.

Also, the "let's try public school/inclusion with minimal accomondations" approach... But I agree with you. Oralism can turn otherwise bright dhh kids into kids who are not exactly bright.

 

[deafdyke]

^^this

Blind kids have it bad, too. Teachers treat them like helpless dolls or some crap when they are perfectly capable of doing pretty much anything--if you actually give them the chance instead of deciding at the age of three that they will never be able to do squat.

There's a solution to that. Granted most "just blind" kids don't need separate schools... But they could still benefit from short term placements (ie a month or a semester) at a blind school to supplement what they're getting in the mainstream.

 

[Bebonang]

Exactly but so many people are against that idea that ASL should be the first language of deaf children. It is the "let's try the oral-only first and see if they succeed or not" attitude. That has HARMED several deaf children and left them with language delays or deficient that they were unable to overcome. As a result, they struggle for the rest of their lives with literacy, knowledge, and self advocacy. I work in a public school that has deaf children and I see it constantly. People are so clueless.

"Like"

Bingo!

 

[deafdyke]

Exactly but so many people are against that idea that ASL should be the first language of deaf children. It is the "let's try the oral-only first and see if they succeed or not" attitude. That has HARMED several deaf children and left them with language delays or deficient that they were unable to overcome. As a result, they struggle for the rest of their lives with literacy, knowledge, and self advocacy. I work in a public school that has deaf children and I see it constantly. People are so clueless.

Even the dhh kids who can talk, still often have spoken language delays! The ONLY real difference is that the spoken language delays aren't as bad as they used to be back in the OLD days. (meaning the '60's/'70's) They still exist. Oral kids do not have on par verbal IQs
Also, here's an interesting question...Can the results from the private oral schools be replicated in the mainstream? There are still some kids from the private programs who HAVE to transfer to Sign programs after all (this is a population that is VERY carefully selected) And also LOOK at and analyze the language used on oral school's sites....Notice they say that kids can talk. Notice there's no real benchmark on how well a kid can hear and talk....that tells me that oral schools have a lot of varied results.