Teacher of the Deaf programs

[shel90]

From my experience, many people whether they are deaf or hearing become teachers of the deaf due to their love for ASL. It has been apparent with several newcomers here who have introduced themselves and stating that due to their love for ASL, they are pursuing the field of deaf education. There was only one poster who was an oral-only teacher of the deaf.

 

[A]

Can you show us this research? I have read that Deaf of Deaf students tend to have better literacy, but I have never read anything about ASL deaf vs oral deaf in regards to income as adults.

Why aren't more Auditory based teacher have training in ASL and visual based teaching? and maybe more people be interested? I still think teachers have training whatever they feel comfortable with. There are signing teachers who are deaf and oral school would never hire them.

 

[shel90]

Why aren't more Auditory based teacher have training in ASL and visual based teaching? and maybe more people be interested? I still think teachers have training whatever they feel comfortable with. There are signing teachers who are deaf and oral school would never hire them.

I totally agree with this. If they want us to have training in oralism, then those oralist teachers should have traning in ASL and Deaf culture.

 

[faire_jour]

I totally agree with this. If they want us to have training in oralism, then those oralist teachers should have traning in ASL and Deaf culture.

But how do the teachers work with the kids?? That is my whole point. 90% of deaf kids use spoken language, less than 20% of teachers of the deaf have expertise in that area. Who is serving those students???

 

[shel90]

But how do the teachers work with the kids?? That is my whole point. 90% of deaf kids use spoken language, less than 20% of teachers of the deaf have expertise in that area. Who is serving those students???

Like I said before, most likely the regular ed teachers since many of them are mainstreamed without seeing a TOD.

 

[WeeBeastie]

But how do the teachers work with the kids??

They talk to them?

 

[A]

Like I said before, most likely the regular ed teachers since many of them are mainstreamed without seeing a TOD.

There are whole lot more regular teachers than TOD. And she worries about Visual based teachers taking over because there are just too many of them? How about worrying about public school taking our teachers to become interpreters (that is, more and more people are deciding to become an interpreter instead of teachers.. A few posters have came and asked us which should they choose: interpreter or TOD?) . Or hearing teacher taking over deaf school because more deaf are going mainstream even if ASL is their language.

 

[faire_jour]

They talk to them?

Deaf kids aren't hearing kids. It takes specialized skills and knowledge to teach spoken language to deaf kids.

 

[faire_jour]

Like I said before, most likely the regular ed teachers since many of them are mainstreamed without seeing a TOD.

I think most kids do see Teachers of the Deaf during their school career, even if they are mainstreamed. Don't most kids start in deaf classes, especially in preschool?

 

[shel90]

I think most kids do see Teachers of the Deaf during their school career, even if they are mainstreamed. Don't most kids start in deaf classes, especially in preschool?

So, is this in reference to the younger deaf children?

I saw a TOD for only 30 mins a day from kindergarten all the way until I graduated. It wouldn't have made any difference if those TODs were trained in oralism or not because a majority of my time was under the regular ed teachers. That's where I get my perspective.

 

[faire_jour]

So, is this in reference to the younger deaf children?

I saw a TOD for only 30 mins a day from kindergarten all the way until I graduated. It wouldn't have made any difference if those TODs were trained in oralism or not because a majority of my time was under the regular ed teachers. That's where I get my perspective.

Maybe if she had been trained she would have seen that you were struggling, and it would have made a difference.

 

[shel90]

Maybe if she had been trained she would have seen that you were struggling, and it would have made a difference.

I doubt it because I did a great job fooling at least 10 of them throughout my school years. I made honor roll...I kept it as a dark dark secret that I was struggling because I wanted to be so much like my hearing peers. Kids are hell of a lot smarter than we give them credit for...sometimes, as a teacher I forget.

 

[WeeBeastie]

I think most kids do see Teachers of the Deaf during their school career, even if they are mainstreamed. Don't most kids start in deaf classes, especially in preschool?

Not necessarily. Many preK deaf kids are put in general special ed or speech delay classes in districts with very few deaf/hoh students. Itinerant ToD services would need to be requested and some parents don't know they even have that option. Even then, it could be as little as 20 minutes a week.

 

[A]

Deaf kids aren't hearing kids. It takes specialized skills and knowledge to teach spoken language to deaf kids.

you said you didn't want focus on speech all day, you want a teacher who use their voice when teaching different subjects. Honestly, I don't see how this is any different than any of my school teachers who were educated (from meetings) on how to handle me.

 

[A]

Maybe if she had been trained she would have seen that you were struggling, and it would have made a difference.

Doubt it. We were profound deaf with HA growing up, not with CI or mild-moderate hearing with HA. There's a big different, because those kids are far more likely to do well in auditory-based teaching. There was very little they could do for us. They been experimenting people like us for years.

Most TOD want to work with Deaf children who don't benefit from auditory-based teaching.

 

[shel90]

Deaf kids aren't hearing kids. It takes specialized skills and knowledge to teach spoken language to deaf kids.

I wanted to address this...you are right, deaf kids aren't hearing kids so why are they being educated the way hearing kids are...through oralism only without ASL?

 

[faire_jour]

I doubt it because I did a great job fooling at least 10 of them throughout my school years. I made honor roll...I kept it as a dark dark secret that I was struggling because I wanted to be so much like my hearing peers. Kids are hell of a lot smarter than we give them credit for...sometimes, as a teacher I forget.

See, every single orally trained teacher of the deaf that I have spoken to has stressed that it is not the academics that deaf kids who are mainstreamed struggle with, it is always the social aspects.

That would be an example of the training that they need, they need to know what to watch for.

 

[shel90]

See, every single orally trained teacher of the deaf that I have spoken to has stressed that it is not the academics that deaf kids who are mainstreamed struggle with, it is always the social aspects.

That would be an example of the training that they need, they need to know what to watch for.

I guess you are the expert so if you say so.

For me, the abolishon of oral-only deaf ed would be my solution.

 

[faire_jour]

I wanted to address this...you are right, deaf kids aren't hearing kids so why are they being educated the way hearing kids are...through oralism only without ASL?

But it isn't the same as hearing kids. Oral schools and classes are NOT teaching the same way that mainstream schools are. I guess that is a misconception that some people have. They do cover the same curriculum as a hearing school, but the teachers are teaching using accomodations and strategies designed for deaf kids who use spoken language.

 

[A]

See, every single orally trained teacher of the deaf that I have spoken to has stressed that it is not the academics that deaf kids who are mainstreamed struggle with, it is always the social aspects.

That would be an example of the training that they need, they need to know what to watch for.

of course not, I knew how to adapt myself when it come to classroom setting as long as the teacher know how to provide visual aids to me so I know what's going on. I knew a big different from teachers who didn't care (like some of my college teachers) and teachers who made the effect so I understood them. It doesn't mean I can understand every word they said. but I understood the concept of what they were teaching.

And yes, the social is really bad. But I don't think putting them in oral only school will help if they struggle with social skills if they are struggling with hearing. My older sister and I were horrible to each other at communicating.