Ranting of an English teacher

deafbajagal

deafbajagal

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This year I am teaching English Composition, Reading, Literature, and Drama at the high school level.

My students are telling me that they cannot write because they are deaf. They really believe this...apparently there's a notion that deaf people cannot write in proper English. And even worse...many adults are agreeing with them.

That notion is bullshit. Even though a deaf person's native language may be ASL (note: not ALL deaf people will fall into the category of having ASL as their first and primary language) and even though that person cannot hear spoken English, that person is very likely able to learn written English.

How? READ, READ, READ. Be assertive...learn grammatical rules. Ask questions. Write as much as you can and get feedback (and be sure to accept constructive criticism as part of the growing process).

We CAN do it! CAN!

It is time we go back to our roots. Back in the early days of Deaf Education, deaf children were writing as well as, if not better, than their hearing peers. What happened? How did we fall so low that many of our students cannot read above the fourth grade level? At what point do we finally stop and say...enough! Our kids CAN do it. And will.

What are the obstacles of learning English? The list is too long for me to include it in here. But what we should be discussing...what are the measures we can take to ensure success.
 
You could find a deaf people who are in or done college or university. They can tell the students in your class that deaf people can write in proper English. It is kinda like a role model to show the students.

Your students might need to see a different deaf person to tell them to read more books, learn grammar rules etc. Just a thought. :)
 
I am deaf but I wear hearing aids and can speak English well. But I never claimed to be a grammar expert.

I am finishing up my last semester of Mechanical Engineer at Texas Tech University, and I have gotten by without interpreters or note takers. But I can hear and have good speech comprehensive considering I was born deaf.

I use to read books all the time during my younger days, but these days in college I haven't read as much unless it was text books.

But when it comes to writing papers I always take them to the writing center to get proofread and lately I have made less mistakes. So it can be done but the students has to have the will to do it. If they don't want to do it, all effort that you put into this will be fruitless.

Good luck.
 
Lack of expectations may be one obstacle to reading.

When my parents were told I would not read beyond 4th grade level, they were confused. There is nothing wrong with my brain. Why would I not be able to read on par with peers?

When I worked in the dorm I pushed reading. The kids came in from school one day and told me their teachers said they are supposed to be behind on reading. I was livid. My fifth grade students could not recognize or spell the word, "friend".

My solution was to implement a reading program and offer weekly rewards for reading x many books.
 
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Almyra said:
Lack of expectations may be one obstacle to reading.

When my parents were told I would not read beyond 4th grade level, they were confused. There is nothing wrong with my brain. Why would I not be able to read on par?

When I worked in the dorm I pushed reading. The kids came in from school one day and told me their teachers said they are supposed to be behind on reading. I was livid. My fifth grade students could not recognize or spell the word, "friend".

My solution was to implement a reading program and offer weekly rewards for reading x many books.
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Almyra, can you PM me, please?
 
That's why at my work, we are very very anal about the elementary classes reading and writing everyday. We have a 30 min block just for reading only and I am not talking about sending the kids to a corner just to sit down and read cuz that does not work since they just look at pics. All the teachers and aids are assigned to a level (by alphabet order) and get the students who are on that level and during that reading block, focus on reading the same book for one week using different reading strategies. I did that with my class last year and it worked.

We have one hour block just for writing..half hour focuses on expressive writing and the other half hour focuses on the grammatical aspects of English.

This is required everyday no exceptions.
 
Almyra said:
When I worked in the dorm I pushed reading. The kids came in from school one day and told me their teachers said they are supposed to be behind on reading. I was livid. My fifth grade students could not recognize or spell the word, "friend".
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:eek3: I can't believe it. Teachers are idiots.
 
Oddball said:
Sorry. I should have clarified this. just those in that post. :eek3:
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:lol: Wanted to catch that before someone else takes u seriously and gets upset. I kinda figured u did mean those in that post.

I agree with u.
 
Wow! :shock: They should see someone like me who can read and write beyond the 4th grade level. I was reading at 8th grade level in 6th grade. I hope I can be a role model. :)

Maybe it's because of oral only education causing delays in language skills of many deaf people, causing later generations to expect so little of themselves. :(
 
Awww, maybe you should get a good role model to teach a English lesson that a student wouldn't forget. It would help a lot for sure.
 
Have you ever thought about using English As A Second Language techniques for Deaf kids? I wonder if that might help them get over the English fluency hump. Granted, most of them will never be as fluent as someone at a Harvard level, in English but teaching them ESL techniques might help many of them.
 
deafdyke said:
Have you ever thought about using English As A Second Language techniques for Deaf kids? I wonder if that might help them get over the English fluency hump. Granted, most of them will never be as fluent as someone at a Harvard level, in English but teaching them ESL techniques might help many of them.
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Yea, we use the writing curriculm designed for ELL/ESL students and it works big time.

Also, get them to read at least a half hour everyday..
 
RedFox said:
Maybe it's because of oral only education causing delays in language skills of many deaf people... :(
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That certainly could be one explanation for certain groups of people. For the 5th grade kids I worked with however, they had six years of the "bi-bi" curriculum that obviously left out the bi in the bi-bi.

I believe it has more to do with what reading strategies are in place and what expectations adminstrators, teachers, and parents have. I never understood why this particular school (or any deaf programs) did not at least review ESL curriculums and adapt them for deaf needs.

It sounds like Shel90 works in a good environment.
 
deafbajagal said:
This year I am teaching English Composition, Reading, Literature, and Drama at the high school level.

My students are telling me that they cannot write because they are deaf. They really believe this...apparently there's a notion that deaf people cannot write in proper English. And even worse...many adults are agreeing with them.

That notion is bullshit. Even though a deaf person's native language may be ASL (note: not ALL deaf people will fall into the category of having ASL as their first and primary language) and even though that person cannot hear spoken English, that person is very likely able to learn written English.

How? READ, READ, READ. Be assertive...learn grammatical rules. Ask questions. Write as much as you can and get feedback (and be sure to accept constructive criticism as part of the growing process).

We CAN do it! CAN!

It is time we go back to our roots. Back in the early days of Deaf Education, deaf children were writing as well as, if not better, than their hearing peers. What happened? How did we fall so low that many of our students cannot read above the fourth grade level? At what point do we finally stop and say...enough! Our kids CAN do it. And will.

What are the obstacles of learning English? The list is too long for me to include it in here. But what we should be discussing...what are the measures we can take to ensure success.
Click to expand...

KUDOS!!! We need more English/grammar teachers like you.
 
RedFox said:
Wow! :shock: They should see someone like me who can read and write beyond the 4th grade level. I was reading at 8th grade level in 6th grade. I hope I can be a role model. :)

Maybe it's because of oral only education causing delays in language skills of many deaf people, causing later generations to expect so little of themselves. :(
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Ugh No Wonder!! Because I am grown up with my mom taught me only speech! As a result, I am behind the English grammar :hmm:
 
shel90 said:
:lol: Wanted to catch that before someone else takes u seriously and gets upset. I kinda figured u did mean those in that post.

I agree with u.
Click to expand...

:Ohno: I don't want to get chased by many angry Deaf teachers! :Ohno:
 
I recommend you showing the books written by deaf people. IF YOU CAN FIND ANY, if there are none, looks like you're screwed.
 
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