Miss-Delectable
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The Charleston Gazette - News - Parent of deaf student questions instruction
Interpreters for deaf students in Kanawha County are on target to satisfy new state guidelines, the county's lead teacher of the deaf said Monday.
Keith Ann Smith, the county's lead teacher of the deaf, told county school board members that interpreters have had extra training and help to tackle their weaknesses. Interpreters must pass the first part of a new state assessment by July, and show additional improvement by 2010.
Still, at least one parent has her doubts.
Christine Kannon's son is in the hearing impaired program at Stonewall Jackson Middle School. She worries the teaching he receives at Stonewall is far behind his instruction at Shoals Elementary.
"The fact remains that you have interpreters that have not made the EIPA certification," Kannon told board members. "This has been discussed for a very long time."
Smith said eight interpreters need further testing to meet the new guidelines. In all, 12 interpreters work at Shoals, Stonewall and Capital High School.
Her son spends much of his day with students who do not have disabilities. He reads on a third-or fourth-grade level, and has trouble with many assignments.
Many of Kannon's complaints have focused on her son's teacher, Russ Shepherd. She says Shepherd interprets for deaf students too much, does not provide enough one-on-one instruction, does not simplify tests and does not re-teach material when a student might need further explanation.
Shepherd disagreed.
"I also teach. I've taught math in seventh and sixth grade," he said. "What you're asking me to do is what I'm [already] doing."
Shepherd noted the positive stories about Stonewall's hearing-impaired program. He mentioned three former students who became "A" students at Capital. In another case, he removed a student from an abusive home.
"I'm very proud of the [hearing-impaired] program at Stonewall," he said. "We've had very good success."
Kannon said she was encouraged by improvement at Stonewall, but asked for better continuity in the hearing-impaired program from elementary to middle and high school.
Most board members said they were pleased with the progress that Smith and Superintendent Ron Duerring noted.
"Like any other programs, there's always room for improvement," Duerring said.
Interpreters for deaf students in Kanawha County are on target to satisfy new state guidelines, the county's lead teacher of the deaf said Monday.
Keith Ann Smith, the county's lead teacher of the deaf, told county school board members that interpreters have had extra training and help to tackle their weaknesses. Interpreters must pass the first part of a new state assessment by July, and show additional improvement by 2010.
Still, at least one parent has her doubts.
Christine Kannon's son is in the hearing impaired program at Stonewall Jackson Middle School. She worries the teaching he receives at Stonewall is far behind his instruction at Shoals Elementary.
"The fact remains that you have interpreters that have not made the EIPA certification," Kannon told board members. "This has been discussed for a very long time."
Smith said eight interpreters need further testing to meet the new guidelines. In all, 12 interpreters work at Shoals, Stonewall and Capital High School.
Her son spends much of his day with students who do not have disabilities. He reads on a third-or fourth-grade level, and has trouble with many assignments.
Many of Kannon's complaints have focused on her son's teacher, Russ Shepherd. She says Shepherd interprets for deaf students too much, does not provide enough one-on-one instruction, does not simplify tests and does not re-teach material when a student might need further explanation.
Shepherd disagreed.
"I also teach. I've taught math in seventh and sixth grade," he said. "What you're asking me to do is what I'm [already] doing."
Shepherd noted the positive stories about Stonewall's hearing-impaired program. He mentioned three former students who became "A" students at Capital. In another case, he removed a student from an abusive home.
"I'm very proud of the [hearing-impaired] program at Stonewall," he said. "We've had very good success."
Kannon said she was encouraged by improvement at Stonewall, but asked for better continuity in the hearing-impaired program from elementary to middle and high school.
Most board members said they were pleased with the progress that Smith and Superintendent Ron Duerring noted.
"Like any other programs, there's always room for improvement," Duerring said.