PROBLEM/SOLUTION DOCUMENT
Submitted by Nancy Frazier, Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Lakeside Middle School, Evans, GA
PROBLEM: Many middle school aged deaf/hard of hearing students are not interested in reading books for fun and enjoyment. They often struggle with understanding the elements of a story (characters, setting, plot, and theme) because of their language deficits and poor reading comphrension skills.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS/ACTIVITIES: I have initiated a monthly literacy activity called the “Book of the Month Project”. Students read short chapter books from my classroom collection or the Media Center, which focus on a particular aspect of literacy. One month the emphasis may be on the characters in the story. Students dress up as one of the main characters and do a class presentation (this is done in October to coincide with Halloween). For the presentation students create a PowerPoint slide show where the students answer specific questions related to their books. Students also use visual aids and props to emphasize certain aspects of the story. Students also begin to formulate their opinions about the books they read, which they include in their presentations. Their classmates, several hearing peers, a school administrator, and media center personnel are invited to grade the presentations using a rubric. The presentations are voiced and videotaped. The “guests” have an opportunity to ask the students questions about the books and to comment on the presentations. Afterwards, my students evaluate their presentations to see what they did well and what they can improve on (eye contact, attention to audience, following directions).
STRATEGIES: 1) Introducing vocabulary and learning the concepts and signs as a pre-reading activity. Students have index cards with signs and synonyms for the vocabulary in the story.
2) Students are given specific questions to answer as they read their story. Their questions/answers are what they use to create their slideshows.
3) For biographies, students “interview” the person and then answer the questions in the first person. This is an excellent way to reinforce subject/verb agreement, which helps students improve their written English skills.
SOLUTION STATEMENT: These monthly literacy activities have sparked my students’ interest in literature. They often look for other books to read by the same author. They enjoy incorporating technology into their presentations. The experience of doing a class presentation in front of an audience has been very valuable; the confidence they’ve gained in being able to present in front of a group of people will better prepare them for high school. They also learn appropriate social behaviors with their peers and with adults.