Including deaf children in mainstream schools
Presented on Thursday 14 September 2006
Marian Grimes, Scottish Sensory Centre
Deaf pupils are more diverse than hearing pupils
How do deaf pupils access information and participate in a mainstream class?
Pupils may use different strategies/combinations of strategies in different situations.
English-based strategies
Accessing information
Uses amplification
Uses lipreading
Uses manually-coded English
Reads text (eg; notes on class content etc)
Contributing to class
Uses speech
Uses manually-coded English
Writes text
BSL-based strategies
Accessing information
English/BSL Interpretation
Contributing to class
BSL/English interpretation
Factors affecting participation strategies
The pupil
- Type/level of deafness
- Linguistic/cognitive aptitudes and abilities
- First/preferred language
- Literacy skills
Factors affecting participation strategies
The specialist service
- Type of service
eg; language policy; delineation of staff roles - Availability of staff/equipment/training resources
Factors affecting participation strategies
Type of class
- Lecture-style
- Q & A
- Group discussion
- Practical workshop
Environmental noise
Specialist in-class personnel
Teachers of deaf children
Direct teaching (eg; individs and sub-groups)
Monitoring of access services (staff and equipment)
Direct access (eg; notetaking, modification of materials, BSL/English
interpretation etc, etc)
Advice/collaboration
Specialist in-class personnel
- Classroom assistant
- Support for learning teacher
- BSL/English interpreter
Types of mainstream placement
- Individual placements
- Mainstream schools with unit/resourced base/department
- Mainstream schools with no special base, but attended by a group of deaf children
- ‘Designated integrated’
- Split placements
Who is responsible for monitoring strategies used by pupils?
How does this overlap with responsibilities for learning?