Class project touches lives of deaf children around the country

Miss-Delectable · 06-30-2009, 07:34 AM

Class project touches lives of deaf children around the country | lancastereaglegazette.com | Lancaster Eagle Gazette

Deaf children across the U.S. might be playing games right now that were created at the hands of Ohio University Lancaster Campus students.

It was several years ago when Sign Language III instructor Becky Brooks challenged her students to create a board game specifically designed for deaf students.

She now estimates the students in her class, and the Sign Language III class of instructor Lorraine Rogers, have created about 50 board games during the past several years. The games have been shipped to schools in Ohio and around the country.

"It was about the time that (the movie) 'Pay It Forward' came out when I came up with the idea," Brooks said.

"I started thinking about how we could give back to the deaf community, and I knew from experience there was a limited number of games that focused on their culture or the way they learn."

The Sign Language III students can pair up or work alone, and they have to complete their board game by the end of the quarter. The board games are created to teach deaf history and culture, as well as subjects such as English and math.

The students are then given a list of schools to contact about donating the games. Games have been sent to schools located as far away as Hawaii.

Brooks said one game, based on the popular board game "Life," was given to a Columbus family as a gift. The parents had a child who was deaf.

She added she often receives positive feedback about the games after they are sent out.

"We get letters from students and pictures," Brooks said. "It's really wonderful when the students can get that feedback."

Student Jamie Bruner said she worked with a partner to create her math word problem game "Math Stack" for students who are 7 or 8 years old.

The game has a farm theme where players collect hay bales every time they answer a math word problem correctly. The object of the game is to be the first to move to the top of a hay loft.

Bruner said there was a reason she and her partner chose to create a math-based board game.

"Math is a definite hurdle for students," Bruner said. "Word problems are especially hard because they are based in English, but English is not a deaf child's language."

Bruner said her game was sent to the North Dakota School for the Deaf - the same school where her hearing-impaired grandfather was a professor.

Brooks said she's loved watching how the games have improved and evolved during the years.

"We really push the students to do their best on this project," Brooks said.

"I never expected that it would grow the way it has."

06-30-2009, 07:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
Miss-Delectable Capt Tony Nelson, Jeannie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: No.1 Shopping Capital in Australia Posts: 10,238 Blog Entries: 3	Class project touches lives of deaf children around the country Class project touches lives of deaf children around the country \| lancastereaglegazette.com \| Lancaster Eagle Gazette Deaf children across the U.S. might be playing games right now that were created at the hands of Ohio University Lancaster Campus students. It was several years ago when Sign Language III instructor Becky Brooks challenged her students to create a board game specifically designed for deaf students. She now estimates the students in her class, and the Sign Language III class of instructor Lorraine Rogers, have created about 50 board games during the past several years. The games have been shipped to schools in Ohio and around the country. "It was about the time that (the movie) 'Pay It Forward' came out when I came up with the idea," Brooks said. "I started thinking about how we could give back to the deaf community, and I knew from experience there was a limited number of games that focused on their culture or the way they learn." The Sign Language III students can pair up or work alone, and they have to complete their board game by the end of the quarter. The board games are created to teach deaf history and culture, as well as subjects such as English and math. The students are then given a list of schools to contact about donating the games. Games have been sent to schools located as far away as Hawaii. Brooks said one game, based on the popular board game "Life," was given to a Columbus family as a gift. The parents had a child who was deaf. She added she often receives positive feedback about the games after they are sent out. "We get letters from students and pictures," Brooks said. "It's really wonderful when the students can get that feedback." Student Jamie Bruner said she worked with a partner to create her math word problem game "Math Stack" for students who are 7 or 8 years old. The game has a farm theme where players collect hay bales every time they answer a math word problem correctly. The object of the game is to be the first to move to the top of a hay loft. Bruner said there was a reason she and her partner chose to create a math-based board game. "Math is a definite hurdle for students," Bruner said. "Word problems are especially hard because they are based in English, but English is not a deaf child's language." Bruner said her game was sent to the North Dakota School for the Deaf - the same school where her hearing-impaired grandfather was a professor. Brooks said she's loved watching how the games have improved and evolved during the years. "We really push the students to do their best on this project," Brooks said. "I never expected that it would grow the way it has." __________________

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