NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1166167
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jan
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8148
EISSN: N/A
Sounds of Science
Lott, Kimberly; Lott, Alan; Ence, Hannah
Science and Children, v55 n5 p42-47 Jan 2018
Inquiry-based active learning in science is helpful to all students but especially to those who have a hearing loss. For many deaf or hard of hearing students, the English language may be their second language, with American Sign Language (ASL) being their primary language. Therefore, many of the accommodations for the deaf are similar to those for hearing English Language Learners (ELL) (Easterbrooks and Stephenson 2006). These accommodations usually involve a multisensory approach that utilizes visuals along with hands-on experiences. From these inquiry-based experiences, new science-specific vocabulary emerges. When deaf students who sign are faced with new vocabulary, it is best to present these new words in ASL; therefore, it is crucial to provide the specific words to their interpreter before the lesson (Science for Students with Disabilities 2017). Last, in order for deaf students to communicate through the written language, graphic organizers can provide a visual representation of a system or expected work (Dexter, Park, and Hughes 2011). These accommodations for deaf or hard of hearing students can be very effective for most science topics, but what about the study of sound as a science phenomenon? Sound is traditionally taught in early elementary classrooms through student explorations such as plucking rulers on the table, striking water-filled glass soda bottles, talking on tin-can telephones, or making musical instruments. All of these activities rely on the fact that students can actually hear the sounds, but what if there is a student in the class that cannot hear the sounds like the other students? This article describes a sound unit that was completed in a first-grade classroom with a deaf student. Instead of using the more traditional sound activities that require the hearing of the sounds, the students focused more on visualization and the tactile evidence of differing sounds. This unit was implemented during the literacy block of instructional time with the science center incorporated within the other independent literacy centers so the teacher could work with a smaller group of students. Throughout the unit, the teacher introduced new vocabulary and documented student understanding through shared writing, so this unit is also aligned to the following Common Core English Language Arts Standards: CC.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.4, CC.ELALITERACY.L.1.5, and CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.8
National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A