Describes a program to assess the reading skills of deaf elementary school students, focusing on four concerns: areas and abilities to be assessed, sources of information, record keeping, and use of evaluation information to guide instruction. The assessment materials are available free of charge in exchange for feedback about their usefulness.…

Teaching grammar to deaf and hard-of-hearing students within a whole-language perspective involves recognition of students' developmental needs and the needs of the task. Strategies for teaching grammar include comparing student work with standard writing; identifying and classifying nouns and verbs; clarifying the roles of modifiers; and building…

Spelling instruction for students with deafness is examined in the context of the whole-language approach. Stages in the development of spelling ability are identified, and five strategies for young writers are suggested. (DB)

Writing programs for students with deafness should include teacher-demonstration ("writing aloud"), shared writing, and independent and guided writing done by students. Activities at each developmental level should focus on emerging writers--getting acquainted with print; beginning writers--using written language; developing writers--learning the…