Self-advocacy occurs when deaf or hard of hearing individuals explain to hearing teachers, classmates, bosses, and officemates the nature of their hearing loss, their language skills, and the accommodations they require in order to effectively do their work, participate in conversations, and get involved in other activities. Self-advocacy may be…

Many deaf students struggle with learning to read. This is the case nationally as well as at the Michigan School for the Deaf (MSD). In 2006, the elementary teaching staff began working together to implement a change in their reading instruction so their approach would be systematic and consistent across grade levels. With the diverse backgrounds…

In the author's role as a teacher trainer, her goal is for future teachers of the deaf to have a more solid foundation. From her own personal teaching experiences, in her observations of effective reading teachers, and with support from current literature, the author has compiled a list of strategies that will help teachers using a bimodal…

LeRoy was a deaf sixth grader who used signs and his voice to communicate. Yanetta was a deaf eighth grader who had deaf parents and preferred American Sign Language (ASL). Michael was a deaf fifth grader in a suburban school who attended an oral program and used his voice exclusively to communicate. All three students struggled with reading. They…

The development of language and literacy is the foundation for all other learning. This statement is the guiding philosophy at the Iowa School for the Deaf (ISD). Teachers at ISD believe that intensive, highly structured early intervention and education work best to support cognitive and communication development in their students. However, little…

Every day, teachers face the time-consuming task of adapting materials from curricula that do not meet their students' needs or match their learning styles. This article discusses ready-made literacy units specifically designed for teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students. The units were part of the Cornerstones Project, an activity of the…

Teaching feelings to deaf children is only one need that teachers must keep in mind as they prepare for a new school year. However, teachers should put as much forethought into classroom management as they do into their curriculum. According to Wong and Wong (1998), the most important factor in student learning is classroom management. In other…