In class last week we were challenged to think about how the
classroom could be organized to create a better classroom environment for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. What do you think is the best way for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students to learn?
As proposed in class a
few weeks ago we went over a couple pictures and briefly discussed what classroom
environment we thought was best for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. I think that the best environment is a class
with a board in the center so that all students can see. In ASL class we have all the seats in a
semicircle so that all students can see the teacher as well as see each other
when signing. It is also important to
have good lighting, otherwise it is hard to see when someone else is signing or
to see someone’s face when they’re using facial expressions. Facial expressions are extremely important to
ASL because that is how an individual expresses grammar. Additionally, I think it is important to
utilize visuals and hands on activities because it would be better to reinforce
the material. In general, I feel as
though visuals would be extremely beneficial when teaching Deaf or hard of
hearing students because they tend to pick up on more fine details and
such. Of course, it would be hard to
implement any auditory lessons into the classroom because it would have to be
very loud for them to hear it. I think
that it also depends on the class size and the environment that you are
teaching in. It can be very challenging
to teach a large class of Deaf and hard of hearing students.
I had never been challenged to think much on seating arrangements until last week. Seating arrangements are VERY important. I think the easiest along with the option that I would most likely do would be to form a circle with the desks. In this arrangement students can sign and everyone can see what they are saying, the teacher can stand on the outside of the circle so that the students can converse. When the teacher is teaching she could use a projector and the students with their back to the board could turn their seat so that they can see. The teacher could also have a white board and teach from the middle of the room.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the semicircle idea, however, I feel as though it would be necessary to have the semi-circle facing the board so that the students wouldn't have to turn around.
DeleteI agree with that, that would be ideal!
DeleteI also agree with the semi-circle. All students will need to be able to see the other sign to keep up with the information being given. As well as for the Teacher to be able to sign to all multiple students at once.
ReplyDeleteSemi Circles are very helpful! I would really love to work at a residential school once I graduate and I think bringing semi circles to my classroom will help students a lot. Another way I think is the best way for DHH students is to interact with each other as much as they can. Including students is very important.
ReplyDeleteSooooo...based on your ideas next week when you come to class we are going to TRY this for OUR class. I'm going to have the tables arranged in a C or a U if you will. I think there is sufficient room to have six to eight people across the back of the room with six on the window side of the room and three to five on the door side. We're going to TRY it and see how it works!
ReplyDeleteI also agree with a semi circle. I think it gives students a fair opportunity to interact with their peers and instructor, and does not leave anyone out. Since the seats are not in rows, no one gets blocked by someone sitting in front of them. This works excellent for those who are deaf and hard of hearing especially because of the use of ASL. Students are able to see other students around the room easily to communicate.
ReplyDeleteSeating arrangements are very important for multiple reasons. By placing the students in a semi-circle, student interaction is highly increased. This stems from the ability for all students to see the educator, the board, and other students. Considering student talk is a very efficient strategy for students to learn, it is a great recommendation to arrange seating in a way that encourages this teaching strategy. In any classroom, when seats are placed in a traditional manner, students are blocked from conversation and results in a portion of students not being able to participate. For those who are deaf, hard of hearing, and users of ASL, traditional seating limits their participation in the classroom setting.
ReplyDelete