America Deaf Education

I visited California School for the Deaf. The school uses Bilingual Bicultural (Bi/Bi).　I would like to introduce third grades schedule. (I was there from 10am to 11:45am)

The kids went to library in order to listen a story.

The librarian storied "Once there were no Pandas" with Sign Language.

Of course, the librarian is Deaf. She told them the main character first. Then let them guess what happen next page.

When she finished to story the book, the kids must borrow some books from the library.

When the kids returned their classroom, they have their lesson. It is called Literacy Center.

They will have different six work processing: Daily Language review, Mad Lips, Reading, Expand-a-word, Earth day (topic), and Homework. While they work six processing, the teacher calls one student in order to analyze student's reading level. When the teacher analyzed her/him, the teacher will give her/him correct book for her/him reading level.

I like the classroom design because there is open space.

In classroom has small library and uses a lot of visual.

When I was student at Gallaudet University, I lectured Maryland School for the Deaf first and second grades students about Japanese culture. Every Spring, they learn about Japanese Culture.

I was surprised when I asked them one question, "who is from a Deaf family?"

They answered almost all, " yes, I am."

Only one student is a from hearing family. There are high number of Deaf families.

The school uses Bi/Bi, too. I did not see whole class activity there.

I remembered that the kids are very curious about Japanese, so they question me a lot.

They are different form Japanese kids. They are so active.

May, 2001