Different Deaf Education Settings |
.
|
There are various types of Deaf education settings in which Deaf and hard-of-hearing kids are commonly enrolled in.
Bilingual Deaf Schools
Bilingual Deaf Schools are schools that enroll only D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students and adopt a bilingual approach to instruction in the classroom by using the native sign language and the written language of the country. The two languages are assigned equal status in the classroom. It is also common to find D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students with additional disabilities enrolled in the classroom as well. These settings encourage students to develop a sense of pride in their Deaf identity as they promote being "Deaf" as a culture.
Oral deaf Schools
Oral deaf schools are schools that enroll only deaf and hard-of-hearing students and only use an auditory-oral approach to communication and instruction in the classroom. In such settings, sign language is normally not encouraged or permitted. Learning to listen via the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants is the focus as well as developing and acquiring speech. The philosophy is the deaf students should aim to integrate into the larger hearing society as much as possible.
Integration in Mainstream Schools
This setting is becoming more and more common especially in the western world where one or more D/deaf or hard-of-hearing students are integrated into the mainstream classroom alongside their hearing peers either with the support of an educational sign language interpreter or a teacher assistant in the classroom. Sometimes, the student can be withdrawn from the classroom by a teacher of the Deaf for lessons if one to one support is required.
Bilingual-Bicultural Schools
Bilingual-Bicultural schools are mainstream schools where there are D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students enrolled within a classroom of hearing students. However, this differs from typical integration in mainstream schools. They adopt a co-enrollment approach where the class is team taught by a regular classroom teacher and a teacher of the deaf. Both teachers know sign language. In this classroom, sign language and written/spoken language are given equal status in the classroom and are taught to both the hearing and D/deaf and hard-of-hearing kids. The hearing students get to learn about Deaf culture while the D/deaf and hard-of-hearing kids benefit from being able to communicate with the hearing kids and learn about hearing culture. This kind of setting aims to break down communication barriers and foster an appreciation for diversity in the classroom.
*For a list of Deaf education settings around the world, click here.
Bilingual Deaf Schools
Bilingual Deaf Schools are schools that enroll only D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students and adopt a bilingual approach to instruction in the classroom by using the native sign language and the written language of the country. The two languages are assigned equal status in the classroom. It is also common to find D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students with additional disabilities enrolled in the classroom as well. These settings encourage students to develop a sense of pride in their Deaf identity as they promote being "Deaf" as a culture.
Oral deaf Schools
Oral deaf schools are schools that enroll only deaf and hard-of-hearing students and only use an auditory-oral approach to communication and instruction in the classroom. In such settings, sign language is normally not encouraged or permitted. Learning to listen via the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants is the focus as well as developing and acquiring speech. The philosophy is the deaf students should aim to integrate into the larger hearing society as much as possible.
Integration in Mainstream Schools
This setting is becoming more and more common especially in the western world where one or more D/deaf or hard-of-hearing students are integrated into the mainstream classroom alongside their hearing peers either with the support of an educational sign language interpreter or a teacher assistant in the classroom. Sometimes, the student can be withdrawn from the classroom by a teacher of the Deaf for lessons if one to one support is required.
Bilingual-Bicultural Schools
Bilingual-Bicultural schools are mainstream schools where there are D/deaf and hard-of-hearing students enrolled within a classroom of hearing students. However, this differs from typical integration in mainstream schools. They adopt a co-enrollment approach where the class is team taught by a regular classroom teacher and a teacher of the deaf. Both teachers know sign language. In this classroom, sign language and written/spoken language are given equal status in the classroom and are taught to both the hearing and D/deaf and hard-of-hearing kids. The hearing students get to learn about Deaf culture while the D/deaf and hard-of-hearing kids benefit from being able to communicate with the hearing kids and learn about hearing culture. This kind of setting aims to break down communication barriers and foster an appreciation for diversity in the classroom.
*For a list of Deaf education settings around the world, click here.
