Deaf teacher candidates in hearing classrooms: a unique teacher preparation program

An undergraduate teacher education program at Gallaudet University prepares deaf students in "regular" education. This includes a required full-time internship with hearing students (assisted by sign language interpreters). Graduates then continue in a master's degree program in deaf education, thus acquiring dual certification. Several studies indicate that these deaf candidates progress through the same developmental stages as hearing candidates and that they develop high expectations for deaf learners. Issues related to implementing such a program are discussed.     

Learning, language, memory, and reading: the role of language automatization and its impact on complex cognitive activities

Two related models of the role of developing and automatized language skills in the cognitive processing of deaf and hearing children are presented. One model focuses on explaining apparent delays in the emergence of a memory strategy (cumulative rehearsal) in children who are deaf, linking strategy use with the child's emerging language skills and the automatization of those skills. The second model is larger in scope and integrates this rehearsal model with added components relevant for higher-level cognitive activities such as reading. A program of research is reviewed that provides support for various components of the models with deaf children. Implications of the models for potential concurrent learning disabilities are discussed.     

Signposts to development: theory of mind in deaf children

Possession of a "theory of mind" (ToM)--as demonstrated by an understanding of the false beliefs of others--is fundamental in children's cognitive development. A key question for debate concerns the effect of language input on ToM. In this respect, comparisons of deaf native-signing children who are raised by deaf signing parents with deaf late-signing children who are raised by hearing parents provide a critical test. This article reports on two studies (N = 100 and N = 39) using "thought picture" measures of ToM that minimize verbal task-performance requirements. These studies demonstrated that even when factors such as syntax ability, mental age in spatial ability, and executive functioning were considered, deaf late signers still showed deficits in ToM understanding relative to deaf native signers or hearing controls. Even though the native signers were significantly younger than a sample of late signers matched for spatial mental age and scores on a test of receptive sign language ability, native signers outperformed late signers on pictorial ToM tasks. The results are discussed in terms of access to conversation and extralinguistic influences on development such as the presence of sibling relationships, and suggest that the expression of a ToM is the end result of social understanding mediated by early conversational experience.     

College and university requirements for teachers of the deaf at the undergraduate level: a twenty-year comparison

College and university requirements for undergraduate deaf education teacher preparation programs from 1986 and 2006 were compared. Thirty percent fewer undergraduate programs were in existence in 2006 than in 1986. Compared to programs in the 1986-1987 academic year, programs in 2006-2007 placed less emphasis on course work related to speech and hearing and more emphasis on the development of sign language skills. These findings are discussed in relation to the increasing probability that future employment for program graduates will be in itinerant and resource placements within public schools with children whose hearing losses are less severe than those of children in the past.     

Language facility and theory of mind development in deaf children

Deaf children with signing parents, nonnative signing deaf children, children from a hearing impaired unit (HIU), and oral deaf children were tested on three first-order theory of mind (ToM) tasks--a subset was also given a second-order task (Perner & Wimmer, 1985). A British Sign Language (BSL) receptive language task (Herman, Holmes, & Woll, 1999) and four nonverbal executive function tasks were also administered. The new BSL task allowed, for the first time, the receptive language abilities of deaf children to be measured alongside ToM abilities. Hearing children acted as controls. These children were given the same tasks, except the British Picture Vocabulary Scale was substituted for the BSL task. Language ability correlated positively and significantly with ToM ability, and age was correlated with language ability for both the deaf and hearing children. Age, however, underpinned the relationship between ToM and language for deaf children with signing parents and hearing children but not for nonnative signing, HIU, or oral deaf children. Executive function performance in deaf children was not related to ToM ability. A subset of hearing children, matched on age and language standard scores with signing deaf children, passed significantly more ToM tasks than the deaf children did. The findings are discussed with respect to the hypotheses proposed by Peterson and Siegal (1995, 2000) and Courtin (2000).     

构建学前语言系统促进聋童语言学习

聋童在语言学习方面所表现出的接受困难、理解片面、表达混乱的问题是目前聋教育领域普遍存在着的问题,这一问题不仅严重影响着聋童语言学习的纵深发展,而且制约了聋童在其它方面的学习。本文分析了造成聋童语言学习现状的根源,认为建立聋童学前语言系统能从根本上解决聋童的语言学习问题,并阐述了如何建立聋童学前汉语语言系统以及所面临的问题。     

Developments in cognitive socialization: implications for deaf education

Over the past 2 to 3 decades, the cognitive socialization literature has advanced about 40 major issues that could have a major impact on the principles and procedures of deaf education. The article presents a conceptual model of the cognitive social bases of language that is derived from the philosophical view of constructionism and theoretical perspectives of speech act theory and relevance theory. With the cognitive socialization perspective and this conceptual model, 4 of the 40 issues are discussed: (a) the centrality of intent replacing reinforcement as a more viable account of language acquisition, (b) modality and core issues of language, (c) lack of construct validity in assessment, and (d) heterogeneity. Implications for the advancement of deaf education are discussed throughout.     

Verbal and spatial analogical reasoning in deaf and hearing children: the role of grammar and vocabulary

The extent to which cognitive development and abilities are dependent on language remains controversial. In this study, the analogical reasoning skills of deaf and hard of hearing children are explored. Two groups of children (deaf and hard of hearing children with either cochlear implants or hearing aids and hearing children) completed tests of verbal and spatial analogical reasoning. Their vocabulary and grammar skills were also assessed to provide a measure of language attainment. Results indicated significant differences between the deaf and hard of hearing children (regardless of type of hearing device) and their hearing peers on vocabulary, grammar, and verbal reasoning tests. Regression analyses revealed that in the group of deaf and hard of hearing children, but not in the hearing group, the language measures were significant predictors of verbal analogical reasoning, when age and spatial analogical reasoning ability were controlled for. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Unique issues faced by deaf individuals entering substance abuse treatment and following discharge

Several barriers can frustrate a deaf individual's intention to enter a substance abuse treatment program. Because few specialized programs work with the Deaf, it is difficult to determine the factors that influence a deaf individual's desire to maintain sobriety following completion of a residential treatment program. A sample of 100 individuals was drawn from the Minnesota Chemical Dependency Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals, a model hospital-based inpatient treatment program. The study participants were asked to complete pretreatment and posttreatment surveys upon admission and discharge, respectively, in addition to a follow-up survey, to help determine which background factors might be associated with different treatment outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing persons who completed treatment in the program. Results are presented for the pretreatment and posttreatment assessments, and for the follow-up survey. Study limitations are discussed and recommendations are given for future treatment programs serving deaf and hard of hearing individuals.     

The Emergent Language and Literacy Experiences of Three Deaf Preschoolers

This is a multiple case study of literacy acquisition in three deaf preschoolers aged 3 and 4 years. Data are drawn from a year long study of each child in a program for deaf and hard of hearing students. The primary focus of the project was to document the ways in which these students interacted with and around storybooks. Of special interest was the relationship between language development and the children's emergent literacy experiences.     

一种新的聋校课堂教学用语--大屏幕语言

聋教育课堂教学用语的选择一直是聋教育理论研究、争论的一个热点[1][8]。本文剖析了聋校课堂教学用语的使用规律,提出了以发展的观点使用课堂教学用语的思想;提出了大屏幕语言的概念,讨论了它的言语特征及其在聋校教学中的重要作用;认为它是一种新的语言符号,是手势语、指语、口语、书面语之外的第五种教学用语,是计算机在聋教育应用中的新理念,是一种真正的聋计算机辅助教学手段。     

开设语言课 提高聋校学生的书面语言能力

聋校学生的书面语言能力主要通过语文课的教学获得。然而 ,经过多年语文课的学习 ,很多聋校学生的书面语言能力仍然很低下 ,成为提高文化知识的一大障碍。其根本原因在于 ,聋校的语文课基本上是参照普通中小学的语文课经过一定调整而来 ,但普通中小学学生是在已经获得了基本的口语能力之后开始语文课的学习。由于聋生缺乏相应的口语基础 ,现行语文课的教学并不能保证根本改变聋生书面语言水平低下的状况。发展聋生基本的语言能力应该通过语言课。在开始语文课的教学之前先开设语言课是解决问题的途径。语言课与语文课具有不同的性质和任务。语言课应选择适合自身任务的教学内容 ,并遵循适合聋校学生语言发展规律的教学原则     

THE CELTIC LANGUAGES AND TELEVISION

The article proposes the subtitling of English television programmes in the Celtic languages and of Celtic language programmes in English in order to serve the Celtic speaking minorities in Britain and to produce an appreciation of the Celtic languages among English speaking viewers. Parallels are drawn between the proposed British bilingual project and those in other countries for deaf viewers and for speakers of minority languages. Results of a survey of English and Welsh viewers are reported, and difficulties such as viewer resistance, cost, etc., of implementing a bilingual subtitling program in Britain are discussed.     

聋校双语教学简述

双语教学主张把聋人母语和主流社会语言作为聋校教学和交际的语言,使聋人能在聋文化和听文化中成为自由生活的双语平衡者。双语教学是在口语法、全面交流法被认为都不能真正满足聋人发展需要而提出的;双语教学以积极的态度看待聋人,它重视聋人的群体文化;双语教学认为聋人掌握手语可以促进英语的学习。双语教学需要聋人教师参与,需要家长学会手语。双语教学也接受聋童进行听觉言语训练     

Motivational and attitudinal orientations in learning American Sign Language

Integrative motivation was found to correlate significantly with sign language proficiency of adult learners at a post-secondary program for deaf students. Instrumental motives, however, were perceived as less important. Higher achievement in ASL was also associated with a positive cultural attitude toward deaf people. Learning of ASL as a second language may be enhanced if instructors design strategies that build upon these cultural and integrative motives and provide rewarding experiences to adult learners.     

聋校开设“手语汉语互译”课程的研究与实践

本文以手语语言学研究成果为基础,在反思传统聋教育现状的前提下提出了一种全新的聋校语文教学法———通过手语和汉语互译训练,帮助中高年级聋生提高汉语书面语水平,并在教学实践中初见成效。本课程的核心理念为:聋童的第一语言是自然手语,聋校语文教学应当从二语习得理论中借鉴方法;明确聋童的汉语学习实质上是从自然手语到书面汉语的转换过程,教学中要严格区分自然手语和汉语这两种不同的语言。     

Do you hear voices? Problems in assessment of mental status in deaf persons with severe language deprivation

When mental health clinicians perform mental status examinations, they examine the language patterns of patients because abnormal language patterns, sometimes referred to as language dysfluency, may indicate a thought disorder. Performing such examinations with deaf patients is a far more complex task, especially with traditionally underserved deaf people who have severe language deficits in their best language or communication modality. Many deaf patients suffer language deprivation due to late and inadequate exposure to ASL. They are also language dysfluent, but the language dysfluency is usually not due to mental illness. Others are language dysfluent due to brain disorders such as aphasia. This paper examines difficulties in performing a mental status examination with deaf patients. Issues involved in evaluating for hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking are reviewed. Guidelines are drawn for differential diagnosis of language dysfluency related to thought disorder vs. language dysfluency related to language deprivation.     

Survey of residential and day schools for deaf students in the United States that identify themselves as bilingual-bicultural programs

The purpose of this survey was to determine how many residential and day schools for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the United States described themselves as bilingual-bicultural (BiBi) programs and to describe characteristics of those programs related to initial implementation, whether a single language (e.g., English or ASL) is promoted as the first language (L1) and the language of instruction for all deaf students, how English is conveyed conversationally to deaf students, the quality of ASL abilities of BiBi instructional and support staff; general characteristics of the curriculum and the specific reading and bicultural components of the curriculum; and characteristics of research being conducted to establish the efficacy of BiBi methods. Ninety-one percent (n = 71) of the 78 day and residential schools listed in the 1998 Directory of the American Annals of the Deaf participated in the survey, with 19 schools identifying themselves as BiBi. These included 16 residential schools and 3 day schools. Depending on the source for numbers of students in residential and day schools at the time of the survey, between 36% and 40% of students were in programs that identified themselves as BiBi. Sixteen of the programs reported becoming a BiBi program between 1989 and 1994 and only three after 1994. Of the 19 programs, 37% reported use of manually coded English (MCE) for conveying English to the students. Fluency in ASL of instructional and support staff varied, with 47% of the programs reporting that no more than half of the instructional staff were fluent in ASL and 68% of the programs reporting that no more than half of the support staff were fluent. Only 21% of the 19 programs reported having a formal BiBi curriculum with annual goals and suggested materials and procedures for teachers. Research implications of these data are discussed.     

关于聋校的语音教学

发音、听话—看话、拼音等与语音有关的项目在聋校教学中占有非常重要的地位。这些教学的最主要目的是发展学生的口语交际能力。然而 ,经过这些语音教学 ,聋生实际获得了怎样的口语能力却是令人怀疑的。聋生通过学习能够以口语与人交际的极为少见。不过 ,聋校的语音教学对于书面语言和手语的运用还是具有重要的意义。如果我们把聋校语音教学的目的调整为促进书面语言和手语的运用 ,教学方式和时间安排也应该做相应的调整     

聋儿康复教学法概念正误

对于教学法 ,我们往往存有概念误解并常与教学方法、教学方式混为一谈 ,影响了聋儿康复教学法的研究与创建。本文正本清源 ,在引用了权威概念的基础上提出了聋儿康复教学法的创建不可回避的几个问题 :如何看待聋儿与正常儿童的异同 ;如何看待聋儿的听力损失 ;如何看待语言 ;如何看待聋儿掌握口语的可能性 ;如何看待聋儿掌握语言的过程 ;如何看待聋儿掌握语言的标准 ;如何看待聋儿语言教学过程以及如何看待聋儿语言发展和全面发展的关系