I work with Deaf students who often come to me with little to no language. That being said, my first goal is to teach them their first language of American Sign Language and teach them about their deafness. Without a first language, accessing academics is not possible. Being that our school system is based around English, my students are having to try and learn two languages at once, while having minimal communication at home (90% of deaf children are born into hearing families, and the majority of those families never learn to sign and communicate with their child or they learn enough for basic communication but not a full, vibrant language). When language is limited at home and these students have no access, school is the one place where they are learning not only academics but life skills as well (i.e., Farts Make Noise)
An integral piece of teaching deaf students American Sign Language and about deafness is immersing them with sign language and showing these students that there are others out there just like them.
When students have access to materials that foster learning through the lens of a deaf or hard of hearing character, they are encouraged and motivated to learn - they are not alone.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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