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Here is the place to come and meet and share if you are a primary or secondary teacher and have a Deaf or hearing impaired student in your class

This wikispace is created and maintained by Clint Green. Please check back on a regular basis as things will be added regularly. I hope that it becomes your wiki and not mine as you use it to interact, learn and share.

Remember that what is good for our Deaf and HI Students is actually good practice for all. If you are not working with a Deaf and / or HI student please still take a look around if you are working with children. You may find that there are useful ideas to support you in the classroom both generally and especially in oral language activities.

Here is a link to tips for mainstream teacher tips.

Go to this page for links to parent pages also good for teachers   ==**Tips for a Successful Learning Environment** == =**for a Student with Hearing Loss** =
 * ** Accept the student ** and help the student to adjust.
 * **Investigate accommodations and/or modifications each student requires**. Students with hearing loss vary in what they can or cannot hear, their individual learning styles, and their educational preferences and abilities! Some students may benefit from having a "buddy" or note-taker.
 *  **Preferential seating** is important for students with hearing loss so that they make maximum use of residual hearing. Students also need to be in a location to better view the speaker's lip movements, gestures, and body language.
 *  **Lighting** can significantly affect student achievement. The teacher should be careful not to stand near a window in bright sunlight. This position puts the speaker's face in shadow. Make sure lighting is appropriate during all classroom activities, ex: the student needs access to see an interpreter during movies (in the event they are not captioned).
 * //Speak clearly// at a normal (moderate) rate. Speak in a natural tone of voice. Face the student with a hearing loss directly.
 * //Use facial and body expressions and make frequent eye contact// with the student. Use natural gestures.
 * //Control the pace of classroom discussions// and indicate who is speaking. Be considerate of necessary wait time between speakers or at the end of a spoken message in case the interpreter is not finished interpreting the message.
 * //Write on the board without speaking,// and then face the class when speaking. Write assignments, new vocabulary, key words and phrases on the board.
 * //Visual Aids// should be used whenever possible. Use the board, maps, charts, illustrations, and captioned movies. The connection between illustrations and text is very important. A student with hearing loss does not have the ability to learn vocabulary and concepts vicariously, but the student may have mental picture of a concept without knowing the vocabulary.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Make sure the student is //watching the interpreter// while someone is speaking. The student does not have access to the information if he/she is not watching the interpreter.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//Make sure the student understands.// Do not accept a nod or smile as an indication of understanding. Ask the student content questions rather than yes/no questions. Be aware of vocabulary limitations or difficulties with English idioms. Check to make sure major points and assignments are understood.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//Expect appropriate behavior// from the student with hearing loss. Be consistent in disciplining. If a student with hearing loss is signing to another person, he/she is "talking!" Be careful not to overprotect the student.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//Include the student// with hearing loss in all class experiences. Include the student in conversations and encourage the student to join in group activities.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//Allow the student to complete unit related support exercises// rather than "busy work," especially for homework or while there is a substitute teacher. The student with hearing loss may require more time and practice for reading and writing tasks. The student will benefit from concept/unit related practice, especially if they have not mastered the prerequisite information or vocabulary.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//Assist the student// in understanding words with multiple meaning, figurative language or English idioms. Hard-of-Hearing students typically show about a 2-year lag in vocabulary development and deaf students demonstrate a 4-to 5-year lag.
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">//Keep in close communication// with qualified specialists on the student's team, ex: the deaf/hard of hearing teacher, the interpreter, and the itinerant or resource teacher. Keep in close communication with the family and student. The student may not yet have developed skills to advocate for himself/herself in a general education setting. Assist the student in developing advocacy skills in which the student will ask the teacher for more information, etc.