Key words: Curriculum Materials, Literacy, K-12
Hi out there,
I am a teacher of the deaf in Melbourne, Australia. As an experienced teacher of the deaf, I have been working in the library as our school librarian. I work with our deaf students who range in age from 5 to 21. The variety of educational needs and levels is very broad.
I am currently studying the area of librarianship and am wanting to research a paper on library programs in the deaf field. Am not sure of the direction of the paper, but would like to find out if there are any specific information skills programs that have been developed and /or are used with deaf students in schools for the deaf anywhere. As any other librarian or teacher of the deaf will recognise, the needs of our students differ from regular school students, and specific skills which are quickly gleaned by hearing students need specific teaching to our students. I am finding myself at a real loss for documented programs. My initial search of the literature has turned up few leads. I would really appreciate any contacts, references to documented papers, or references to librarians in the field with whom I can correspond.
Regards from Downunder,
Bev Novak
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Hi and welcome to the 'net'.....
I work at Gallaudet..... and I believe that our library does have an orientation program that they will 'put on' if a faculty member wants his or her students to be oriented to the library. However, I know nothing about the program......
However, I'll give you the e-mail for one of our librarians - Carolyn Jones <cjones@gallua.gallaudet.edu> she's been very helpful to me with a variety of computer literature searches.
Best of luck.....
I'd be interested about hearing more about your school.
Cheers
Ann Graziadei
Dept of Physical Education and Recreation
Gallaudet University
agraziadei@gallua.gallaudet.edu
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The Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) on the campus of Gallaudet University have two wonderful learning resource centers. One of the unique resource/library oriented programs we have is called "Software to Go." It has a catalog and clearinghouse which was developed to promote the sharing of microcomputer software information, resources and related materials among educational programs for deaf and hard of hearing students. For more information you may contact Ken Kurlychek on this network when he returns from vacation at the end of August. I have also forwarded your questions to him and the directors of both programs.
Marilyn Galloway
Pre-College Outreach Director.
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Dear Bev,
There are a couple of hoh librarians on the beyond-hearing list. You could join that list and get some general suggestions.
I used the Lycos search option and found a few references to general services for the deaf in libraries in general. If you have a web browser and a search option, you can do this topic search, too. There might also be something on the Gallaudet gopher.
These are the websites I found. Go to them and then search for the word deaf or library or librarian.
http://fiat.gslis.utexas.edu/~shaleza/index.html
gopher://gopher.oise.on.ca:70/00/resources/IRes4Ed/resources/dare/Di
ftp://ds.internic.net/pub/list_archives/net-happenings.archive/net-h
gopher://gopher.dana.edu:70/00F%3a/PUB/NSFNET/TELEREAD.TXT
gopher://ericir.syr.edu:70/00/InfoGuides/disabilities
http://www.ucar.edu/pendulum/enable.html
Good luck!
Claire
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Hi Cathy,
I'm teaching in a segregated school for the deaf in Melbourne, Australia.. We have students ranging in age from 5 - 21+. They present with a real variation in academic level. Some are straight Deaf others are multiply disabled deaf.
In working in the library I find that the vast majority of students need much rote and repetition in learning some of the basics on how to get around the library, how to find information, where it can be held - both physically in the library - and also within books. Use of indexes, tables of contents, the details revealed about a book on the title page such as copyright details need to be taught specifically with much follow up practise. Many of these skills, like using the catalogue to locate information, let alone figuring out how to tackle a school project or assignment need to be broken down into small component parts and to be revised constantly. The vocabulary associated with some of these skills also becomes a big teaching issue.
In contrast I have found that hearing students often pick up some of these skills more easily, without the need for as much rote and repetition as we tend to give our students in schools for the deaf. Perhaps your students in a regular school setting have an edge over ours by copying by example. It'd be interesting to check with your school librarian to ask them how they think the deaf students cope with information seeking skills. Let me know what you find out.
How many students are there in your public schools setting.
Good to get your thoughts. I hope some others join in the conversation.
Regards,
Bev Novak.
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Hi Bev, Thanks for reposting this. Often times folks are off line in the summer and don't have as much time to respond.
I'd love to discuss this topic with the list. I think there are several ideas here - many which would correspond to an earlier thread on EDUDEAF on reading comprehension.
Sometimes it is difficult for me to understand fully what folks mean when they post things here. So, I'm asking for some clarification.
I'm not sure I understand your above statement. How are the library needs of my students who are deaf different from hearing children's needs? I teach in a public school. My kids have scheduled library time just as do all of the children. They learn all of the same concepts and skills.
Help me out here - what am I missing? What are the special needs or specific skills to which you are referring?
Looking forward to exploring this with you.
Cathy Brandt
Public School Teacher of children who are deaf (ages 6-12)
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Hi Bev,
Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate it.
>practice. Many of these skills, like using the catalogue to locate information, let alone figuring out how to tackle a school project or assignment need to be broken down into small component parts and to be revised constantly. The vocabulary associated with some of these skills also becomes a big teaching issue.
All of the things you mentioned are skills I teach as a part of my classroom curriculum. It is supported by our school librarian. I give her monthly concept sheets and she works on the skills which are associated with what we are doing.
All of my kids - grades 1 - 5 use encyclopedias, dictionaires, etc., as well as parts of books in order to do typical reading projects.
I have found that it is this integration of these skills into meaningful projects which enables my students to master them with a high degree of success. Teaching of these things as isolated "library" skills simply doesn't make a lot of sense to me. We NEED the library and librarian as a vital PART OF our classroom.
The sharing of this responsibility of teaching these concepts, skills and vocabulary gives the children the meaningful repetition that is needed for successful mastery.
>In contrast I have found that hearing students often pick up some of these skills more easily, without the need for as much rote and repetition as we
They may indeed pick up on the vocab "index" or "table of contents" more readily due to simply HEARING it more often. However, if teachers of the deaf will make all of these vital skills a PART OF their regular reading curriculum and require students to use them in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes students regardless of their ability to hear will soon learn them with ease.
My kids often HAVE TO HAVE an encyclopedia to complete a science project or a social studies project. They use a variety of RESOURCES and use THAT TERM frequently to do their every day school work.
>A regular school setting has an edge over ours by copying by example. It'd be interesting to check with your school librarian to ask them how they think the deaf students cope with information seeking skills. Let me know what you find out.
I'll ask Sandy on Monday. Frankly, I'd venture to say my kids are BETTER users of our Library.
For example, this year one of my fourth grader was working on her writing portfolio which must be turned into the state to be scored. She chose a piece of non-fiction writing from her Primary Portfolio on parrots to revise. She was working independently reading through the Portfolio and choosing which piece she wanted. After she chose and read the one on Parrots she brought it to me and asked if she could go to the library to get an encyclopedia and a book on birds to help her get more information so she could add more details to her report.
>How many students are there in your public schools setting.
In the elementary where I teach there are approximately 285 - 310 kids depending on the year. We typically have 20 - 25 deaf or hard of hearing children.
>Good to get your thoughts. I hope some others join in the conversation.
Hope this helps.
Cathy B.
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Hi Cathy,
Thanks for the prompt response to my entry this morning. I found it all very interesting.
Don't get me wrong. Just because I am a teacher/librarian doesn't mean I am trying to come up with a package for use only by librarians in school libraries. I agree with you completely that for our students to learn and make sense of new concepts they can't be taught or practised in isolation. I most definitely agree that the information seeking skills needed by our students must be generated from the subject teachers and must be "real".
If possible I would love to have a look at what you refer to as your 'concept sheet' which you give to the school librarian on a monthly basis. It may be something we could introduce in our school setting.
I'd also be interested to know if the librarians in your school have some kind of graded (step by step) program that they aim students throughout the school to work through in developing information seeking skills.
I'll also be interested to hear comments from Sandy about the comparison of skill level of your kids vs the other hearing kids in the school. It'd be great to hear that they are indeed better!!
Is there anyone else out there reading this who has some ideas/comments on this subject. Would love to hear. Also curious if there is anything documented (e.g., articles in perioidicals - deaf or otherwise - that anyone has read seen heard of....) Is there any one in a school for the deaf - ie., segregated school who has some thoughts on the subject ?????
Regards from Downunder,
Bev.
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Hi Bev Novak,
Greetings from "up" here!
I just wanted to respond briefly to your questions about library skills with deaf children. I work with multiply handicapped primary age kids at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School/Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. I have seen many of the same problems that you describe when working with my students.
As part of our language arts curriculum, there is a list of library/reference materials skills that I use with my kids. Sometimes I adapt components of the curriculum, depending on the needs of each student. Basically, I require my beginning students to keep track of their library book; they have a weekly checklist where THEY must write down the title of the book and the author. This helps us locate books when they get mixed up with the classroom collection. Later I add additional components; due date,. publishing company, Dewey decimal number, etc. Later, toward the end of the first year we make up a Dewey decimal picture chart/symbol chart. The kids list their favorite books (cats, transportation, fairy tales, etc) using a xeroxed or scanned book cover next the to Dewey decimal number. Each week when we get new books, we add them to our chart. The kids learn how to locate their favorite topics using the chart. Later, I have them look up titles using the card catalog.
There are now several new child friendly book search software programs using graphics designed to help young or pre-literate kids using the library. One, that I have field tested will be put out sometime this year by Scholastic Publishing, titled CAS-LE....I forget what the acronym is for.
I have other activities I use with these kids the following year, but that should be another post...if you're interested.
Kathy Pongor
Primary SOP
KDES/Gallaudet University
Uploaded by: Melissa Close/Kent State University/Deaf Education Major