Dana Miles: Equipping Deaf Students with Magic
Part 4 of 5 in a series
Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year, has produced a multimedia project in partnership with OSPI. This five-part series is comprised of video interviews that Dana conducts with experts on Deaf education, as well as articles she wrote to accompany each video.
This is the fourth part of the series. Find all parts of the series here:
- Part 1: Creating Magic with Deaf Students
- Part 2: Exploring a Magical World for Deaf Students
- Part 3: Unlocking Magic Potential in Deaf Students
- Part 4: Equipping Deaf Students with Magic
- Part 5: Embarking on a Magical Journey for Deaf Students
Key Question
What kinds of tools and strategies should we consider for Deaf students in a classroom?
Introduction
With bilingualism (American Sign Language and English) incorporated into the classroom, we must also consider other important components of a deaf classroom. For example, we need to make sure that the classroom is set up so that it is accessible and accommodating for Deaf students, such as the layout of the desks and flashing lights for fire alarms and classroom bells.
A communication policy must also be established and enforced to ensure that the learning experience is equitable for all Deaf students. By creating an environment where everybody has access to information as people communicate, the students will be able to acquire more information through incidental learning. Having a space that is fully accessible and accommodating, the student’s learning potential will be maximized.
Kim Scott-Olson, a former educator in a Deaf/Hard of Hearing program at a public school, has rich experience and knowledge to share with you on how to create an environment that will equip students with tools and strategies to create a language-rich environment.
About Kim Scott-Olson
Kim Scott-Olson is a language access advocate, language and literacy development consultant, and founder of the Thank You for Signing Campaign. She served as a Teacher of the Deaf for Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, WA, for seven years.
Guiding Discussion Questions
- If you were to create a classroom for Deaf students, how would you set up the classroom? Consider classroom setup, accessibility, accommodations, cultural considerations (e.g., communication policy, Deaf role models, Deaf studies, Deaf history, celebrating Deaf success, American Sign Language poetry like Flying Hands, communtiy participation), teaching strategies, and technology you would need to ensure a rich learning experience.
- What kind of communication policy should be established, and how would you enforce it?
- List different ideas and strategies to maximize the learning potential of Deaf students in a classroom.
- For those who may not have strong English proficiency, how can you incorporate instruction that is more visual rather than depending heavily on text?
- How will you ensure that your classroom incorporates Deaf Culture?
- Share ideas on promoting a sense of pride in Deaf students.
Additional Resources
- National Deaf Center: What Does Deaf Mean?
- National Deaf Center: Resources
- Described and Captioned Media Program, which parterns with content creators and distributors to make media accessible
- Ava, a live captioning product: 12 Ways to Make Classrooms Accessible for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
- DeafCulture, which provides resources for inclusive education: Ideal Classrooms
- National Deaf Center: Assistive Listening Systems
- National Deaf Center: Captioning and Access FAQ
- Motion Light Lab: ASL Literacy Activities
- Science of Learning Center at Gallaudet University: Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist
- Science of Learning Center at Gallaudet University: Assessment Toolkits
- Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University
- Laurent Clerc Center: Online Community Center
DISCLAIMERS: This article was written by Dana Miles, the 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year. The author’s opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints do not necessarily reflect those of OSPI, and publication of this story does not constitute OSPI’s approval or endorsement of its contents. With questions, please contact OSPI’s Communications team at commteam@k12.wa.us.
Dana’s use of the term “Deaf” includes, but is not limited to, different types of members of the deaf community: Deaf, deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled. Dana uses the term “sign language” in place of American Sign Language (ASL) to include all sign languages worldwide. The terms used here are meant to be inclusive.
