Mainstream education question

[Mandamay28]

Hi. My son is 5 and starting Kindergaten this year. He was in a blended VPK class last year with an ASL interpreter. He will be mainstreamed with a visiting DHH teacher 2-3 times a week and a full time interpreter. I'm trying to give him a head start with sight words and phonics. I'm looking for any tips/tricks, websites... anything that you think might aid him in learning. Thanks so much!!

 

[deafdyke]

FSDB is a pretty good school.....One thing that I think the majority of parents of mainstreamed kids need to do, is utilize the resources of their state's Deaf School....They can serve as a reference base for evauations and an idea of how your kid is doing compared to other dhh kids. Also when he's older, he can attend Deaf camp and might have the oppertuntity to attend FSDB for middle/high school......
How is his language? If his language is OK, he may do well.....Maybe try Cued speech.....that could be a good additional tool to help him learn to read phoneticly.......

 

[Bebonang]

Oh, gawd, do we have to use cued speech? Ugh!!!!

As long as your son can communicate with other deaf children (not sure if he can understand hearing children) using ASL. The problem is there is a social problem which could left your son out if there were only hearing children. But if there were d/Deaf children in the mainstream school with an ASL interpreters and be able to communicate with Deaf children, then that would be great.

I don't like having a d/Deaf child being forced to do with learning to lipread (if he want to go by that) which is very difficult to deal with that as lipreading are not accurate. The deaf lipreader might pick up about 30% from lipreading skill. As for speech, it is okay but still can not pronounce correctly and talk loudly as they can not hear the sounds. You can not correct the speech and make your son suffer if he does not want to go by that. Let him be a kid so that he can enjoy the things to do just like any other normal kids and don't try to make him be like a hearing person.

Your son might need a Deaf mentor to help him adjust being a deaf kid and finding his own journey into Deaf Culture. So please give him a break. Don't give him too much garbage on what you are doing with websites, tips, tricks. Reading is the most valuable way for him to learn to read as that is visual better for him to understand what the stories was about in most books (children books). We all use visual more than sounds.

 

[Calvin]

Some pros and cons....



Consult with the teacher or counselor for IEP and the testing for your child to find out which fits his needs.

 

[shel90]

Some pros and cons....



Consult with the teacher or counselor for IEP and the testing for your child to find out which fits his needs.

Too often the lower reading levels are from students who have transferred to the deaf schools after falling behind in the public schools. Most deaf students who started at deaf schools since they were small tend to have on grade reading levels. Unfortunately that population is small as most hearing parents prefer have their deaf child mainstreamed only to discover later on that their child is struggling and then transfer to the Deaf schools. Then, it is the Deaf schools' job to fix the problems. It is unfair how Deaf schools tend to get the blame for it.

 

[Frisky Feline]

Too often the lower reading levels are from students who have transferred to the deaf schools after falling behind in the public schools. Most deaf students who started at deaf schools since they were small tend to have on grade reading levels. Unfortunately that population is small as most hearing parents prefer have their deaf child mainstreamed only to discover later on that their child is struggling and then transfer to the Deaf schools. Then, it is the Deaf schools' job to fix the problems. It is unfair how Deaf schools tend to get the blame for it.

Unfortunately, i need to tell the truth, from my own experience that i attended to Deaf school all my life. Most of teachers dont really work harder with some of us and let us be whatever we please in the classroom. Could it be possible that teachers not to like the idea that they are the last resort therefore they have to work harder with Deaf kids but they chose the different methods of teaching them in their convenient. Of course, not ALL of teachers. I had an awesome Deaf teacher who worked really hard with all of us, and most of us did very well in school. Most of them who are hearing that I did not do very well in school. I dont know that I did It. I know that I am not the type of hearing person.

 

[VacationGuy234]

I think what you have is a good strategy. There is a lot of benefit to being mainstreamed as that is what the real world is about. The issue, however, is the ability to learn in that environment. And, you're handling that to some degree which is good. I would also suggest enrolling your son in summer classes at a deaf school to have him associate more with other deaf children.

I think the combination of both sides will give your child the best advantage.

 

[deafdyke]

I think what you have is a good strategy. There is a lot of benefit to being mainstreamed as that is what the real world is about. The issue, however, is the ability to learn in that environment. And, you're handling that to some degree which is good. I would also suggest enrolling your son in summer classes at a deaf school to have him associate more with other deaf children.

I think the combination of both sides will give your child the best advantage.

Exactly! I think hearing parents need to understand there are many different pieces to the puzzle of educating and raisng dhh kids.......and that the puzzle changes (espeically around 4th grade/middle/high school) I think the key to sucessful mainstreaming is 1) School familair with how to teach dhh kids...So often we get lumped in with special ed...The classes are good for LD, ADD and high functioning autistic kids but it's pretty rare to find a mainstream sped dept that is familair with how to teach kids like us.......2) out of school exposure to other dhh kids...........The kids I know who did well in the mainstream had a lot of out of school exposure to the Deaf community.

 

[deafdyke]

Oh, gawd, do we have to use cued speech? Ugh!!!!

As long as your son can communicate with other deaf children (not sure if he can understand hearing children) using ASL. The problem is there is a social problem which could left your son out if there were only hearing children. But if there were d/Deaf children in the mainstream school with an ASL interpreters and be able to communicate with Deaf children, then that would be great.

I don't like having a d/Deaf child being forced to do with learning to lipread (if he want to go by that) which is very difficult to deal with that as lipreading are not accurate. The deaf lipreader might pick up about 30% from lipreading skill. As for speech, it is okay but still can not pronounce correctly and talk loudly as they can not hear the sounds. You can not correct the speech and make your son suffer if he does not want to go by that. Let him be a kid so that he can enjoy the things to do just like any other normal kids and don't try to make him be like a hearing person.

Your son might need a Deaf mentor to help him adjust being a deaf kid and finding his own journey into Deaf Culture. So please give him a break. Don't give him too much garbage on what you are doing with websites, tips, tricks. Reading is the most valuable way for him to learn to read as that is visual better for him to understand what the stories was about in most books (children books). We all use visual more than sounds.

Beo,I'm saying Cued Speech IN ADDITION to what he's currently getting....It won't REPLACE ASL and speech therapy....Most cuers use a variety of approaches...they're not monoglot cuers......The Cued speech will help him learn to read phoneticly....See what I mean?

 

[CrazyPaul]

I think what you have is a good strategy. There is a lot of benefit to being mainstreamed as that is what the real world is about. The issue, however, is the ability to learn in that environment. And, you're handling that to some degree which is good. I would also suggest enrolling your son in summer classes at a deaf school to have him associate more with other deaf children.

I think the combination of both sides will give your child the best advantage.

Deaf schools are closed during summer.

 

[deafdyke]

Deaf schools are closed during summer.

There's summer school/summer classes/summer camps......

 

[Lissa]

Just wanted to share my experiences. I attended a school for the deaf from 3-11 years old(I live in England), and I was placed in oral classes. By 8 I had a reading age of a 10 year old, anyway I was BORED during English classes so I started mainstreaming at the school a 2 min walk away for English where it quickly got a lot more challenging for me! I attended a mainstream high school with a Hearing Impaired Unit, I had full time signing support from CSW's in all my classes(except PE) and it was a lot better for me I felt a lot better since I was challenged in English.
To the OP, maybe find some workbooks so you can work on Phonics with him at home?

 

[deafdyke]

Just wanted to share my experiences. I attended a school for the deaf from 3-11 years old(I live in England), and I was placed in oral classes. By 8 I had a reading age of a 10 year old, anyway I was BORED during English classes so I started mainstreaming at the school a 2 min walk away for English where it quickly got a lot more challenging for me! I attended a mainstream high school with a Hearing Impaired Unit, I had full time signing support from CSW's in all my classes(except PE) and it was a lot better for me I felt a lot better since I was challenged in English.
To the OP, maybe find some workbooks so you can work on Phonics with him at home?

That's actually how education of deaf kids should work.....Deaf school/program early on, to create a good solid base.....Also mainstreaming if/when appropreate......That rocks that you didn't have issues with English.....Maybe you didn't b/c again you had that good solid base of Deaf ed....Quick question....do you think that the HIU placement really helped you,even thou you were very oral?

 

[everlastingstorm]

That's actually how education of deaf kids should work.....Deaf school/program early on, to create a good solid base.....Also mainstreaming if/when appropreate......That rocks that you didn't have issues with English.....Maybe you didn't b/c again you had that good solid base of Deaf ed....Quick question....do you think that the HIU placement really helped you,even thou you were very oral?

Actually, there is no one way of how deaf education "should" work. The communication differences and needs of different deaf/hoh children vary. Many may need a Deaf school or primarily deaf/hoh program early on. Others may not. There are those who need only itinerant support. What it really boils down to is how much receptive and expressive language skills that the child has or does not have early on of the actual language that the child is using and that the parents are using.

 

[everlastingstorm]

Unfortunately, i need to tell the truth, from my own experience that i attended to Deaf school all my life. Most of teachers dont really work harder with some of us and let us be whatever we please in the classroom. Could it be possible that teachers not to like the idea that they are the last resort therefore they have to work harder with Deaf kids but they chose the different methods of teaching them in their convenient. Of course, not ALL of teachers. I had an awesome Deaf teacher who worked really hard with all of us, and most of us did very well in school. Most of them who are hearing that I did not do very well in school. I dont know that I did It. I know that I am not the type of hearing person.

This reinforces the low expectations that have been set for children in Deaf schools. Not that all deaf schools hold such low standards but not all deaf schools are equal in rigor. Though I never attended Deaf school I did take an online-based program with a one-weekend face to face component of it at Gallaudet, as a supplement to what I was working on in my Master's degree program. That is what my instructors spoke often of- the low expectations for deaf children in schools, any school.

 

[deafdyke]

This reinforces the low expectations that have been set for children in Deaf schools. Not that all deaf schools hold such low standards but not all deaf schools are equal in rigor. Though I never attended Deaf school I did take an online-based program with a one-weekend face to face component of it at Gallaudet, as a supplement to what I was working on in my Master's degree program. That is what my instructors spoke often of- the low expectations for deaf children in schools, any school.

Actually it's pretty much almost all educational settings...It's NOT just deaf schools....The trouble with the bashing of Deaf Schools,is that it makes it sound like if a kid is removed from that setting, they'll automaticly be on par and acheive on par with hearing kids.....It has been decades since most dhh kids attended deaf schools/programs........There hasn't been a huge uptick in acheivement,b/c again the expectations and social/emotiontal and incidental learning experiances in an inclusive (usually the only setting available nowadays) are ALSO really bad,for all but the most high acheiving students (and most of THOSE kids are the type who would have done well even in the 1940's)....If it was just deaf schools being the problem, deaf kids would be soaring...Less then 10% of dhh kids attend deaf schools after all.
Yes, there are really bad deaf schools like USDB, Hawai'i Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Arkansas School, Oklahoma School, Alaska School etc.....At the same time,there are also really amazing stories coming out of Deaf Schools that you would NEvER have expected.....Montana School for the D/B producing students who get their way paid at Gally in the Honors program, WVSDB producing kids who attend relatively competive schools .....and there are actually Deaf Schools where the parents are moving so that their kid can attend it......heck there are Deaf Schools where the students are taking AP classes!

 

[deafdyke]

Actually, there is no one way of how deaf education "should" work. The communication differences and needs of different deaf/hoh children vary. Many may need a Deaf school or primarily deaf/hoh program early on. Others may not. There are those who need only itinerant support. What it really boils down to is how much receptive and expressive language skills that the child has or does not have early on of the actual language that the child is using and that the parents are using.

On the other hand, you cannot deny that it would be GREAT if most dhh kids got a good solid early childhood deaf ed specific educational base...The biggest problem, and the REASON deaf schools have such an evil reputation is b/c kids who were mainstreamed and or didn't have a good solid deaf ed foundation, end up at the deaf schools as a last resort.......It's not like inclusion or special ed is any better...I know someone in their mid 20's who was raised orally and went through inclusion...She still has issues with the difference between past and future tense......
It's too easy for a kid with low incidence issues to fall through the cracks...I would say the same about a blind/low vision kid or any other kid with a low incidence disabilty that isn't seen all that much in a public sped program...It's WAY better to be proactive and give the kids a good quality comprehensive specialized(including EVERYTHING....meaning ASL, Cued speech, speech etc) program, so they don't fall through the cracks.

 

[everlastingstorm]

Actually it's pretty much almost all educational settings...It's NOT just deaf schools....The trouble with the bashing of Deaf Schools,is that it makes it sound like if a kid is removed from that setting, they'll automaticly be on par and acheive on par with hearing kids.....It has been decades since most dhh kids attended deaf schools/programs........There hasn't been a huge uptick in acheivement,b/c again the expectations and social/emotiontal and incidental learning experiances in an inclusive (usually the only setting available nowadays) are ALSO really bad,for all but the most high acheiving students (and most of THOSE kids are the type who would have done well even in the 1940's)....If it was just deaf schools being the problem, deaf kids would be soaring...Less then 10% of dhh kids attend deaf schools after all.
Yes, there are really bad deaf schools like USDB, Hawai'i Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Arkansas School, Oklahoma School, Alaska School etc.....At the same time,there are also really amazing stories coming out of Deaf Schools that you would NEvER have expected.....Montana School for the D/B producing students who get their way paid at Gally in the Honors program, WVSDB producing kids who attend relatively competive schools .....and there are actually Deaf Schools where the parents are moving so that their kid can attend it......heck there are Deaf Schools where the students are taking AP classes!

Read my post fully next time, deafdyke. I stated the following in regard to low expectations: "That is what my instructors spoke often of- the low expectations for deaf children in schools, any school". I believe "any" includes Deaf schools, TC programs, oral schools, mainstream public schools, etc. Never did I state that the problem was exclusive to Deaf schools.

 

[deafdyke]

Read my post fully next time, deafdyke. I stated the following in regard to low expectations: "That is what my instructors spoke often of- the low expectations for deaf children in schools, any school". I believe "any" includes Deaf schools, TC programs, oral schools, mainstream public schools, etc. Never did I state that the problem was exclusive to Deaf schools.

Really? Then why the fixtation on deaf schools in your first few sentances?
You don't mention the fact that low expectations are common in ANY setting until your last sentance.......And you know, I've seen lots of parents of dhh kids transfer their kid from the mainstream to a deaf school/dhh program......they say the expectations are VERY different and more positive at the deaf school/dhh program....Granted yes, those may have been the good ones....

This reinforces the low expectations that have been set for children in Deaf schools. Not that all deaf schools hold such low standards but not all deaf schools are equal in rigor. .

 

[everlastingstorm]

Really? Then why the fixtation on deaf schools in your first few sentances?
You don't mention the fact that low expectations are common in ANY setting until your last sentance.......And you know, I've seen lots of parents of dhh kids transfer their kid from the mainstream to a deaf school/dhh program......they say the expectations are VERY different and more positive at the deaf school/dhh program....Granted yes, those may have been the good ones....

Deafdyke if you actually took the time to read my post you would have seen that originally, the very first sentence stated the words "low expectations". Why is "all the settings" so important to have in the first sentence if I bothered to mention it anyway? Better I did than not.

Can you site some sources about transfers from mainstream to deaf school? Surely parents have, but you mention "lots of parents" so I am curious as to what your sources are and where you are getting them from.