Education for the Deaf - Essay Example

Education for the Deaf Insert Insert s Education for the Deaf Introduction Education is a right to everyone irrespective of the ability, nationality, race or gender or even disability. As a result, the deaf have the right to access education and be taught by well-trained and qualified teachers and educators. Deaf education is designed and implemented specifically to meet the educational, linguistic, social, cultural and the cognitive abilities of the individual student. Therefore, the focus shifts to the educators that are responsible for educating and teaching the deaf. There is ample and enough research studies that indicate the impact that the teacher level of skill has on the performance of the deaf child. There are various standards of qualifications that any educator wishing to venture into this field must adequately and sufficiently fulfill in order practice. Such standards, development programs, and laws have become more sophisticated in the preparation of teachers to be properly prepared for the challenge of deaf education. The following scholarly papers looks at the background of the laws and regulations in the country that regulate the standardization of deaf educators. Secondly, it looks at the importance of using and the provision of qualified teachers for deaf students in an educational setting. Thirdly, the qualification and acceptance standards for deaf teachers. Fourthly, the implications of these standards and or the qualification and laws on deaf education. Finally, the future aspiration for deaf teachers’ skills in deaf education. Background of the laws and Acts relating to the qualification of deaf education teachers The laws touching on certifying the teachers involved in the education of the deaf have become more efficient over the years as new forms of legislations. They are written to protect the rights of the deaf in their pursuit of education. For example, through the introduction of such laws like the IDEA and NCLB there is the need to support and outline the requirements of the potential deaf students’ educators. Some of these laws, for example, place a strong emphasis on the need to have appropriate certification on sign language and the passing of examination standards. There is a case of a young child named Hector (United States Department of Education, 2004, p.1). Hector, a disabled child, forced to undergo education in a school and with educators who did not have the necessary or the requisite skills to handle his situation well. Such unfortunate disability forced Hector to attend a school that was not sensitive to his plight. As a result, Congress enacted a law that was and is intended to correct the situation in both Hector’s situation and the situation of millions of others in the same scenario. The law known as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Perhaps what is not surprising are the conditions that existed for children like Hector before the enactment of the Act. Their situation and fate of those with disabilities was dim, especially those who were deaf. The states and the educational systems that existed prior to enactment of the bill paid little attention to the special needs of those with disabilities (United States Department of Education, 2004,p.2). This law was helpful because it was critical in creating an effective program for early intervention to handicapped children. Today it is state that the program has been applied to over 200,000 recipients (infants and toddlers) where the impact is significant (United States Department of Education, 2004, p.1). Children were merely accommodated, which is a nice way of saying that they were tolerated instead of being assessed, educated and rehabilitated. The need for assessment is because it will determine the best way of formulating and designing teaching approaches and strategies that are particular or specific to their needs. Such poor treatment of those with the disabilities was repeated all over the United States with tests that led to inappropriate labeling. Resulting in an ineffective education to the children with disabilities (United States Department of Education, 2004, p.6). No Child Left Behind Act was as a result of the IDEA Act was not being specific enough in handling the educational issues with the disabled. Thus, NCLB was enacted after recognizing the fact that IDEA had created a one-size fit all approach for all learners. The Act provided different categories with methods providing for accountability. The background informing this Act was the reducing standards of learning in terms of reading proficiency or English. It provided the necessary funding that was not there before and the necessary steps that incorporate research-based programs in certain areas. NCLB catered strongly to the important area of those with specific disabilities, for example, the Act finally mentions those who are deaf with necessary measures to improve their learning abilities. The Act finally recognizes the different disabilities and offers means of raising their educational standards (Moores,2005, p.77). The Act was also in response to involving parents in the learning and student learning options and a focus on doing what works based from a scientific research. Such an approach uses scientific assessments to determine the best approaches to ensuring the educational needs of the deaf and other disabled children are met effectively and up to the required levels (Cortiella, 2006, p.6). Importance of providing qualified teachers for deaf students in educational settings The educators were long qualified to teach the deaf if they attain their state licenses from the approved deaf education programs. The nature of the content of the educational material that is suitable to the deaf calls for teachers and educators with different roles in the educational setting. Their importance cannot be underestimated. They include: The teacher dealing with deaf students is expected to provide important expertise in the accommodation and communication of strategies that are geared towards delivering the educational needs of the deaf child. The strategies need to be in a manner the child can understand. The teacher is also important in providing the knowledge and skills for adapting the intended or prescribed curriculum and applying the differentiated learning and literacy strategies to support student learning and success. Furthermore, the importance of the educator is seen in that he or she is important in making necessary adaptations to the classroom to ensure the success of the deaf learner (Luft, 2008, p.432). Such importance is especially for a consultant who advises the general educator. Secondly, the importance of the teacher is seen when it comes to tailoring the educational or curriculum needs specific to a deaf or hard hearing child. The teacher is tasked with providing content expertise so that the general curriculum is made accessible to the student and learners. Their deaf specific knowledge and skills come from sharp need during such times because they tailor the educational material in a way that the child can understand and learn. Additionally, the teachers are important in initiating collaborative differentiation of the learning content together with the family of the deaf student to ensure the content and the learning of the child is optimized to the required level. These teachers’ importance is also seen in that they are critical to providing adaptive teaching methods as they modify literacy and learning methods to ensure efficient learning. The teacher is important in the provision of specialized teaching means and methods or applicable learning materials, strategies and curriculum. The teacher’s importance cannot be underestimated because they are the cornerstone of ensuring adequate learning outcomes for the deaf student and child are met (Luft, 2008, p.434). Qualification and acceptance standards for teachers of the deaf There is a current persistent shortage of teachers with adequate preparation to handle the requirements of teaching for the deaf. It is because that the current demand for the teachers outstrips the supply (Johnson,2004, p.79). The shortage is because the number of the deaf students is increasing, for example, there was an increase of 12,461 deaf and heard hearing students between the schools going ages. Under the same growth period, there were more than 791deaf educators. The short supply is attributable to the required level of qualification and the acceptance standards for the teachers in the profession. They include: The teacher must primarily hold a Bachelor’s degree that enables them to practice as normal educators and teachers. It is the first step and mandate of becoming a fully-fledged teacher. There are other steps that are required for the teacher to be able to teach the deaf and those with other disabilities. These steps or rules were introduced with the enactment of the two legislative Acts of IDEA and NCLB. For example, there was the introduction of stricter rules relating to how the educators and teachers were certified. The teacher needs to obtain a full State certification as a special education teacher. The teacher needs to have passed the State special education teacher licensing examination. The license is granted upon the passing of the examinations. The special education teacher needs to receive a high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive and is classroom-focused. It ensures they have a positive and long-lasting impact on the deaf students (U.S. Department of Education, 2006, p.2). Implications of these standards or qualifications and laws/acts on deaf education There are a number of implications that the standards and the Acts of qualifications in deaf education are bound to create. For example, in the case of Hector, he was able to attend school without the added pressure of learning at the pace of those with no disabilities. Furthermore, more methods that catered to his learning speed and his abilities were introduced. Hector experienced a different form of learning and education going forward. That one is just one of the implications that the laws are bound to have on the learning strategies and approaches of the deaf students. The laws and Acts created a variety of means through which there were ways of ensuring the qualification of teachers delivering the educational and literacy needs of the deaf students. The need to have qualified teachers in the classroom became a norm. The complementary implementation of both Acts redefined the need to have academic and disability based knowledge and skills. The laws resulted in the increase in the general education of the deaf and hard hearing students. The qualified teachers also work in a number of direct and indirect instructional support roles in facilitating deaf student success with the educational content in the classroom environment. The laws and acts also made it possible and a requirement that special teachers work collaboratively in ensuring high learning results and achievements for all students including those learners with disabilities such as deafness (Luft, 2008, p.438). Future aspiration for deaf teachers’ skills in deaf education There are a number of aspirations for the teachers that are involved in the important field of deaf education. Some of the aspiration includes increasing the level of learning and experience. Learning can be improved by employing cognitive strategies, being up to date, having a passion for the teaching profession and working collaboratively with other players. Furthermore, it calls for the demonstration of communication skills. All these efforts are towards enabling and promoting independent learning (Smith & Allman, 2010, p.523). Another lacking skill that needs to be incorporated is the inclusion of cognitive strategies in deaf student teaching and education (Martin, 2014, 189). The inclusion of cognitive strategies will help the deaf learners with reasoning and problem-solving skills. The teachers need to have an understanding of the cognitive abilities so that they can impact the learning of the deaf students differently and positively. The strategy should be integrated with extra training in critical thinking for the teachers. These strategies should be complemented by sign language. The American Association of Sign Language reports that enrollments in sign language classed has been increasing by 16 percent annually (Ashton, et al.,2010, p.7). Such enrollments are for purely educational purposes and communication. The language is a mainstay in teaching deaf learners and, therefore, it should be widespread. Furthermore, such strategies should be within the confines of producing highly qualified teachers for the deaf (Dorn, 2014, p.20). Conclusion In the examination of the background history of deaf education in the country, it is clear how immense parents and educators played in ensuring that deaf students attained learning. Parents and educators devoted themselves to finding ways of highlighting the need for change and effective ways of enabling these kids acquire the skills necessary to be successful in the world. Their efforts were finally rewarded when legislators enacted the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (2001). The later act was meant to ensure that deaf children received the best from qualified teachers (Luft, 2008,p.429). These were meant to correct the inherent difficulties in educating students with learning disabilities. Previously, it was a one size fit all approach that was used in the educating all learners. These measures left children with disabilities at a disadvantage in acquiring education. The Acts called for the use of qualified teachers and educators in the process. It called for special education and licensing for them. Additionally, it called for special standards to be used. These standards and qualification criteria ensured that the teachers dealing with the deaf had the necessary knowledge, skills and experience in handling the special style of education. Such measures clearly highlight the importance of the teachers in the educational setting. The above essay has clearly highlighted all the important topics of deaf education and the required standards for teachers. Furthermore, it has looked at the future standing for improving the field. References Ashton, G., Cagle, K., Kurz, B. K., Newell, W., Peterson, R., & Zinza, J. E. (2010). Standards for Learning: American Sign Language. New York: American Sign Language. Cortiella, C. (2006). NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to know and Do. Minneapolis: National Center On Educational Outcome. Dorn, R. I. (2014). Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) Resource Manual. Washington, DC: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Johnson, H. A. (2004). U.S. Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Programs: A Look at the Present and a Vision for the Future. American Annals Of the Deaf, 75-91. Luft, P. (2008). Examining Educators of the Deaf as "Highly Educated" Teachers: Roles and Responsibilities Under IDEA and NCLB. American Annals Of the Deaf, 429-440. Martin, D. S. (2014). Instrumental Enrichment: impacts upon learners who are deaf. Transylvanian Journal of Psychology, 178-194. Marvelli, A. L. (2010). Highlights in the History of Oral Teacher Preparation in America. The Volta Review, 89-115. Moores, D. F. (2005). The No Child Left Behind and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Acts: The Uneven Impact of Partially Funded Federal Mandates on Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. Americal Annals for the Deaf, 75-80. Smith, C. E., & Allman, T. (2010). Meeting the Challenges of Deaf Education Teacher Preparation: Innovative Practices in Online Learning. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 523-532. U.S. Department of Education. (2006). IDEA Regulations: Highly Qualified Teachers. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. United States Department of Education. (2004). History: 25 Years of Progress in Educating Children with Disabilities Through IDEA. Washington, DC: United States Department of Education. Read More