My students need lots of manipulatives/games for phonics practice. All of the students I provide for are Deaf and many have additional learning deficits. Rather than speak and hear language they must see langauage through sign language or by reading lips on their communication partner. This requires something visual in print or a tangible object to match to the lip movements.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
All of my students are Deaf. They are very, very behind in language acquisition both oral and written. Students use American Sign Language to communicate with staff and peers. They struggle with basic vocabulary and reading because they cannot hear and learn through auditory means. They rely on visual, tactile and speech reading skills.
Many of my students like to practice speech reading and also produce oral motor movements. They also are highly motivated by competition and games with each other.
If I have a good variety of phonics games focusing on the skill development, their interest will remain peaked. For Deaf students, it is a daily struggle to communicate in the hearing world and to read. The more I can keep their interest in learning speech reading and vocabulary development the better their reading and communication skills become, leading to success in academics.
These gifts for phonics learning can lead to improved reading skills and better communication skills for these Deaf Children. Traditionally, Deaf students read 8-9 years below grade level at high school graduation. This is an effort to help improve that statistic.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. M. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.