Literacy development in deaf students: Case studies in bilingual teaching and learning

This study examines literacy learning in three students within the context of their school, a bilingual/bicultural educational program for deaf students, and their homes. A bilingual model has been applied to educating deaf students who are learning American Sign Language (ASL) as their first language, and English as a second language in written form. Although the theory of using a child's understanding of one language to learn another makes intuitive sense, the implementation of this theory, particularly with deaf students, is a complex and confusing process. Part of this confusion is due to the fact that bilingual education with deaf students differs from spoken language bilingual programs in several ways, including language modality (signed and written), only one language having a written form, and students arriving at school with varying levels of exposure to an accessible language. The purpose of this study was to reduce the gap between theory and practice, and provide descriptions of the teaching and learning strategies used by teachers, parents, and students within a bilingual/bicultural learning environment for deaf students.; The findings suggest that successful strategies, such as using ASL as the language of instruction, balancing direct and indirect teaching, making translation conceptual rather than literal, and using multi-modal (print, signs, words, pictures) information, contribute to literacy learning. Findings further indicate that some inconsistencies in applying a bilingual approach with deaf students continue to exist which limit its effective implementation. The limitations reflect that the shift from a deficit model to a cultural view of deaf students is not yet complete. The feasibility and implications of a transition to a cultural perspective of deaf education are also discussed.