Count Us In
Presented on Monday 23 June 2008
Including Deaf pupils in Mainstream Classrooms
Judith Croft, Principal Teacher of the Deaf in Charge of Auchmuty High School Resourced Base for Deaf Pupils
Aims
- To remind mainstream staff of HMIe's recommendations for Base for Deaf Pupils.
- To look at examples of good practice, where deaf pupils are fully included in the lesson.
- To explore ways of working together so that we can incorporate this good practice in the classroom at Auchmuty High School.
HMIe's recommendations:-
"Staff in the Resourced Base for Deaf Pupils did not always share formally or consistently, the steps required to ensure that deaf pupils participate fully in learning."
What does good practice look like?
- "Deaf pupils have regular planned and monitored opportunities to take the lead in learning activities."
- "Teachers regularly check to ensure that pupils have understood teaching points and instructions."
- "Teachers understand what deaf pupils are communicating and always take time to hear the contributions of deaf pupils."
- "Visual approaches are used to support learning."
- "Subject teachers regularly review with specialist support staff, the attainment of deaf pupils."
The Main Point...
"Staff who work together, eg: Class Teachers and Teachers of the
Deaf, have specified times to meet together and plan, co-ordinate and evaluate
their contribution to pupils' learning."
What is there to plan?
As Teachers of the Deaf, we would like to know:-
- What are the learning outcomes?
- What parts of this unit of work are challenging?
- How long will the unit of work take to complete?
How can we overcome the time constraints?
- Liaison written in to our working time agreement.
- Contact Terri to tell her a meeting is arranged for mutual non-contact time, so that no "please take" is arranged.
- Have an agenda/planning sheet and stick to it, so as not to take up more time than is necessary.