I support the ASL/English bimodal bilingual approach for educating students who are Deaf (Nussbaum, Scott, & Simms, 2012).  I believe that through whole language strategies my students can develop ASL and English skills that will allow them to maximize their potential academically and socially.  Being bilingual “addresses the social and academic language needs of diverse deaf learners while also providing instruction in content areas (Garate, 2012).” I use the Socratic method and inquiry-based method to engage my students in the learning process.

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I believe that incidental learning is paramount in the “development of social skills, cognitive skills, and self esteem” of Deaf children and youth (King).  Incidental learning happens at home, in the hallway, on the playground, at school events, in stores, or playing sports. When Deaf students have full language access they benefit from incidental learning, which is vital to their socio-cultural, emotional, and cognitive development.

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I am a facilitator of student learning through creating and constructing knowledge together. Through the mutual sharing of thoughts, opinions, and expectations for the classroom, my students and I can create a safe environment that will be beneficial for learning and teaching. My classroom culture will be built to allow my students to be bold in their ideas and persevere in their efforts to reach their goals.

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References

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Garate, M. (2012, June). ASL/English bilingual education (research brief no. 8). Retrieved from https://vl2.gallaudet.edu/research/research-briefs/english/aslenglish-bilingual-education/

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King, J. F. (n.d.). Incidental learning and the deaf child. Logan, UT: Author.

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Nussbaum, D. B., Scott, S., & Simms, L. E. (2012). The "why" and "how" of an ASL/English bimodal bilingual approach. Odyssey, 13, 14-19. Retrieved from https://www3.gallaudet.edu/Images/Clerc/articles/Odyssey_SPR_2012_NussbaumScottSimms.pdf