CaseStudyAnalysis#1

NotinMyGroupHesHardofHearing

ADeafstudentpubliclyobjectstotheinclusionofaclassmateinhissmallgroup
becausehedoesnotwanttoworkwithahardofhearingclassmate.

Ms.Collinswasafirmbelieverineducationthatismulticulturalandhadthepotentialtolead
socialreform.Sheorganizedhercurriculumaroundissuesofrace,gender,class,disability,
language,andaffectionalorientation.Sheusedthelivesofstudentsinherclassasthestarting
pointforaddressingsuchissues.

OnthedayMs.Collinsstudentswerebusilyengagedinsmallgroupdiscussionsabouttheir
familyheritageprojects.Shehadaskedstudentstosharetheinformationabouttheirethnic
heritagethattheyhadobtainedfromtheirparentsorguardiansthenightbefore.Ms.Collins
hopedthatnotonlywouldthesmallgroupdiscussiongiveherstudentsopportunitiestoexpress
themselves,buttheymightalsohelpidentifydifferencesandsimilaritiesamongclassmates.
Further,shethoughtthediscussionswouldhelpthembemorethoughtfulaboutwhatelsethey
wouldneedtofindouttomaketheirprojectsmorecomplete.

Asshemovedtothesmallgroupofstudentsintherearoftheroom,John,aDeafstudentnewto
theclass,saidtoherashepointedtoaclassmatenamedKim,Idontwantherinmygroup.
Sheshardofhearing!Theothergroupmemberscoveredtheirmouthsandlaughed.

Ms.Collinswascaughtbysurprise.Consistentenforcementofclassrulesestablishedatthe
beginningoftheschoolyearhadpreventedtheuseofsuchlabelsinherclassuntiltoday.She
noticedthatKimappearedembarrassedbyJohnsremarks.

Doyouknowwhathardofhearingmeans?sheasked,inanefforttodetermineifJohnwas
justrepeatingsomethinghehadlearnedfromsomeoneelse,withoutknowingwhatitmeant.

Yes,repliedJohn.Itswhenonepersondoesnotsign.

Ms.Collinswasbaffled.Shethoughttoherself,ShouldIreprimandJohnformakinghis
judgmentpublic?HowshouldIrespondtoKim.?

Ms.Collinswasawareofthetremendouscontroversyovertheinclusioninherschoolprogram
aswellasotherprogramsinthecountry.Shewoulddiscussthematterwiththeprincipal.

QuestionsforReflection

1.ListpossiblefactorsthatmayhavemotivatedJohntosaywhathesaidaboutKim.What
culturalinformationmighthavehelpedJohnunderstandaboutthosewhoarehardofhearing?

Badexperiencesbyahardofhearingperson?
Fearofoppression?
CanbedifficulttohaveaconversationduetoalackoffluencyinASL?
Fearofchange(maybetherehadbeennohardofhearingstudentinthatclassforalong
time)?
Lackofhardofhearingstudentsinthatprogram?
Prejudicetowardshardofhearingorhearingstudents

AccordingtoJohnsbehavior,hisstatementispowerful.Hischoiceofwordsisharsh.As
ateacher,Iwouldbeinawe.ThattypeofbehaviorisnothappeningasfrequentlyasIthinkI
havebeenseeingattheprogramsthatserveDeafandHardofHearingchildren.However,I
wouldhavetoreflectaboutwhattypeofissueIshouldaddresswithJohn.Mycultural
informationsuggestionistopresenttoJohnistodevelopabetterrelationshipbetweenJohnand
severalhardofhearingstudentscooperativelearningdiscussionorproject.Bankss(2010)five
dimensionsofmulticulturaleducationshadonedimensionaboutknowledgeconstruction.
Knowledgeconstructioniswhentheteachershouldstepintohaveaoneononediscussionand
repairJohnsassumptionabouthardofhearingstudents.Banks(2010)encouragesteacherstobe
awareofprejudicesandtodevelopapositiveattitudeaboutthethreeidentitiesofDeafandHard
ofHearingStudents(Deaf,HardofHearing,andOral).Lastly,theteachershouldencourage
interactionbetweenJohnandKimorotherhardofhearingstudentstofigureouthowtowork
witheachother.Inaddition,Banks(2010)believesthatalackofinteractionbetweentwo
differentgroupswillcreatemoreproblems.

2.Writeseveralsentencesillustratinghowyouwouldhandlethesituation?Wouldyourespond
differently(a)ifJohnwasnotanewstudent,(b)ifJohnwerenotDeaf,or(c)ifJohnhadcultural
issues?

Ms.Collinclearlystatesthatherclassroomisdiversefriendly.Shewantsallstudents
whoarediversetofeelsafeinherclassroomenvironment.Nobodyshouldfeelliketheyare
betterthansomeoneelse.Everystudenthasequalaccesstotheinstructionandtheirlearning
environment.

Doyouknowwhathardofhearingmeans?sheasked,inanefforttodetermineifJohnwas
justrepeatingsomethinghehadlearnedfromsomeoneelse,withoutknowingwhatitmeant.
Yes,repliedJohn.Itswhenonepersondoesnotsign.(Laird,DED534,Spring2015)

Ms.CollinaskedaquestionthatIwouldprobablynotaskJohninfrontofKimandthe
class.Asateacher,IwouldhaveaskedJohntocomeoutintothehallwithmetohavea
discussion.IwouldhaveaskedJohnthathisstatementsareunacceptableandthateverystudent
iswelcomeinmyclass.John,youdoknowwhathardofhearingstudentmeans?Ifhe
respondedbackthathethinksthathardofhearingstudentsdonotsign,IwouldsayJohn,notall
hardofhearingstudentsdonotknowASL.Therearesomehardofhearingstudentsherethatdo
knowASLandyoumaynotrealizethattheyarehardofhearing.Youknowmyclassroom
environmentpolicyistowelcomeanytypeofstudentinthisclassregardlessofgender,race,sex
orientation,disabilities,orevenbasedonhearing.Kimrecentlytransferredhereandshewantsto
learnASLandDeafculture.Pleasegiveherachance.Youwillbeworkingwithherforone
week.PleasegobackintheclassandapologizetoKim.Hopefully,Johnwouldbeableto
recognizethathisapproachishurtingothersandfigureoutabetterapproachtoworkwith

students,otherthanjusthisdeafpeers,thathemaynothavehadtheopportunitytosocialize
with.

3)Whatstories/books/videotapes/websiteswillyourecommendforJohntoread/viewsothathe
canlearnmoreaboutthosewhoarehardofhearing?Whydoyourecommendtheseresources?

StewartandKluwin(2001)encourageteacherstobeawareofstudentslearningstyleand
helpseekingawareness.Asateacher,IwouldneedtoreflectabouthowIwouldpresentthe
informationtoJohn.First,theinformationwilldependonwhatgradelevelheisin.Second,I
wouldevaluatehisreadingcomprehensionandhisaccesstoelectronicinformationsuchasa
videoortheInternet.Asateacher,IwouldmakeJohnreadASeasonofChange(Hodge,1987).
ThisbookwillsupportJohnsgeneralunderstandingofhardofhearingstudentsandhelphim
realizethattheydohavethesamestrugglesashedoes.TalkingwithHardofHearing
PeopleHeresHowtoDoItRight(Bruman,2011)canbeagoodbookforhimtofigureout
differentstrategiesabouthowtobetterapproachKimbasedonherstatusasahardofhearing
individualandempathizewithherstruggles.Also,thereisathirdbookthatIcouldencourage
theclasstoreadtogethertomakeKimfeelwelcomeinmyclass.MyHardofHearingLife:
StoriesFromBehindtheHearingAids(Dixon,2013)seemstobenewandrelevantforthe
culturalsensitivityissueinmyclassroomenvironment.Thosebookswouldbegoodforreading
duringmylanguageartsorhumanitiesinstruction.Lastly,thelastbookIwouldloveforJohn
andtheotherstoreadisWhoeverYouAre(Fox,2006).MemFoxalwayshasagreatmoralvalue
inherbooks.Lately,Ifindmyselflovingherbooksfordiversitypurposes.Shedoescarryagreat
messagetochildren.Johnwillbenefitfromherbookintheend.WhoeverYouAreinforms
studentsthatweareallthesameundertheskinandthatwillletJohnknowthatHardof

HearingstudentsarethesameasDeafstudentsexpectfortheirauditoryinputs.Allfourbooks
wouldbeagoodstartforJohntounderstandthathardofhearingstudentsdohavetheirown
struggles,usuallyarewillingtolearnASL,andwanttobeincluded,notexcludedfromthe
community.

References
Amazon. (2015).Search Engine. Retrieved on March 30, 2015. www.amazon.com
Banks, J. & Banks, C. (2010). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ:Wiley
Harris Communication. (2015). Books & Multimedia. Retrieved on March 30, 2015.
https://www.harriscomm.com/books-multimedia.html
Stewart, D. & Kluwin, T. (2001). Teaching Deaf and hard of hearing students: Content, strategies, and curriculum.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.