BOOK REVIEW:

DEAF LEARNERS; DEVELOPMENTS IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

CHAPTER – OVERVIEW: CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION IN GENERAL EDUCATION AND IN EDUCATION OF DEAF LEARNERS

By: Aena Munirah Abd. Rahim (P 51977) Perdagangan & Keusahawanan

OVERVIEW: EDUCATION OF DEAF LEARNERS

3 main questions have been asked and discussed:

1) Place to learn

2) Method to educate

3) Cyllabus or subjects to be taught These 3 issues relate with each other There were major changes in these 3 issues and

several implications from them

PLACE TO LEARN Trend in recent years – together with hearing children

(school-under one roof) Began after WW II – attended residential schools for the

deaf or separate day schools for the deaf in large cities Increase in the number of deaf children – state legislator

reluctant to build separate facilities because that was thought to be temporary – establishment of separate classes within the public school

Public Law 94-142: the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) – less deaf children enrolled to separate school for the deaf

The trend continues to this day

METHOD TO EDUCATE In essence, involves centuries-old-oral-manual

“methods war” American Sign Language (ASL) English bilingual approach

1st half of 19th century – residential school emphasized on vocational aspect for the deaf students plus only basic for English, Math & moral

2nd half of 19th century – emphasized on vocal communication skills; less relied on signs – lessons in speech, speechreading and English structure (practice)

SUBJECT TO BE TAUGHT

CURRICULUM FOR DEAF LEARNERS

• Many deaf children wanted to attend same school as hearing children – separate class or not

• State & federal agencies provided access to general education curriculum for all including deaf children

• Programs for deaf children have adopted and adapted regular curricular – curricular variation across and within states

• Challenges – how to provide access to regular curriculum for deaf children and facilitate mastery of math, science, social studies literature (English & communication skills)

cont.....

• Limited success because existing curriculum was concerned more on language and communication skills than the academic subjects

• Moores, Jatho & Creech (2001) – review on 130 peer-reviewed articles reflected the lack of emphasis on academic content – only 3 articles dealt with mathematics

• Many teachers of deaf children lacked skill and training in subject that they teach

• Teachers of deaf children are as capable as any other teachers and the deaf children are capable of meeting the standards required – purpose of this book

OVERVIEW OF GENERAL EDUCATION

• Early – general education not important because deaf education was thought to be apart from it

• Today – general education becomes relevant because of the inclusion and raised expectation on the deaf learners

• Foundations of the American school system (affect roots of deaf education) were based on several principles

• Butts & Cremin (1953) – three-dimensional model; cohesive values, social characteristics, segmented pluralisms – used as a way of analyzing also what is at stake in deaf education

cont......• Late 18th century – different trends in American

educational system

• After World War I – need to consolidate and standardize the curriculum to deal with increasing school population

• 1960s – federal government responded with the National Defense Education Act, which put federal funds into educational innovation; publication of The Process of Education (Bruner, 1960) which called for important curriculum reform and exciting curriculum projects in social studies, mathematics & science

• 1970s – renewed focus on basic skills in mthematics and literacy that to some extend eclipsed many of the innovations of the 1960s

cont......• 1980s – renewal of some educational experimentation;

increase in criticism and condemnation on the system

• However, the nation survived and even prosper

• 1983 – Gardner's Frames of Mind was published – there are multiple intelligences that could and should be fostered

• 1990s – continued receive criticsms about the system

• Schools were increasely required to adhere to national curriculum standards

• Early 21st century – No Child Left Behind (massive federal law – required comparative public ranking of school successes

QUESTIONS:• What are the three important issues that been

discussed among the educators of deaf students?

(Apakah 3 isu atau persoalan yang dibincangkan oleh kebanyakkan pendidik pelajar bermasalah pendengaran?)

• What are the terms that been used by the authors in referring the normal or typical student?

(Apakah istilah yang digunakan oleh penulis untuk merujuk kepada pelajar normal atau biasa?)

• What was the implication to the deaf children after the Public Law 94-142: the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) was enacted?

(Apakah implikasi kepada pelajar pekak selepas Public Law 94-142: the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) digubal?)

THANK YOU.....