Poetry Class with deaf & hearing students

Here are some pictures of my english class - we have been doing poetry this past 5-weeks & today was my last day with this class. We had some great success - lots of students including my deaf students wrote some beautiful poetry & presented them to the class!

This class has been a real challenge for me. I had to learn how to work with a sign language interpreter whilst teaching & had to refrain from signing or otherwise my deaf students would get confused as to which person they would look at for signs - me or the interpreter.

Here are some good tips for hearing teachers working with sign language interpreters or teaching to both deaf & hearing students:

(i) Talk next to the teacher! So deaf students can see both of you at the same time. Deaf people, including myself, dont like 'tennis ball match' interpreting!

(ii) Talk slowly & clearly with good sequenced structure - so the interpreter may have sufficient time & an easier time in translating the spoken english into sign language.

(iii) Dont talk at the back of the classroom - if you do - make sure you get the attention of your deaf students also before you talk.

(iv) Make sure your interpreter is ready to translate before you speak.

(v) Encourage hearing students to sign also.

(vi) Encourage equal participation & understanding between deaf & hearing students.

(vii) Be visual - write instructions, lesson topic or new key words on the board; provide photocopy handouts; provide visual concept mapping exercises etc.

(viii) Talk with your interpreters before starting your lesson e.g., make sure the interpreters know what you are going to talk about & make sure they have time to create or find signs for new vocubulary as they will need to teach the deaf students these new signs so they may understand the sign language interpretation such as signs for poetry words - poetry, similies, metaphors, figures of speech, idioms etc.

(ix) Make sure your sign language interpreter has sufficient signing skills too! Very important!

(x) Have fun! Its great fun having both deaf & hearing students in the class! The hearing students love it too!