Call Back Day #4

Call back day #4 (1/2/17)

Today, we had discussed what we are going to do with the learners and how we are going to make our habitat inviting for the learners to visit their room.

We had a great time together to work as a team to sort out the PB4L display, did planning, updated overview document, sort out puzzles, new toys, set up the area for the learners so that they get a warm welcoming and encouraging the learners to learn. We linked all the documents so that it is transparent for the parents and other learning coaches.

It was a good opportunity for the LCs to know each other, so that we can work together as a team.

Call Back Day 3 - NZSL

Introduction - NZSL

The use of interpreters allows Deaf people to converse within the hearing world.

How difficult for the speaker to learn in the class without interpreter? So it is good to have interpreter for the learners so that they can do well in class.

Different sign language in different places, there are over 300 sign languages

Activity for us to understand deaf learners

Gave a story for us to read without proper word formation. It was hard for us to read. So it will like this for the deaf learners to learn.

Another activity with small letters. How the deaf learners react when the lesson is going and how do they take break in between the lesson.

Another activity to feel the sound in the class. How do I converse with another person when there was a background noise- I used sign language, finger signing, going closer, repeating the words.

What strategies did you use to understand others?

Short conversations, lip movement, visual questions and answers

How did you feel?

Frustrating, losing confidence, overwhelmed, easy to shut down

It is important to gain the student's attention before you start to communicate with them.

How do I get the attention?

Tap on their shoulder, tap on the table, eye contact.

Once got the eye contact, we got their attention.

Can a Deaf student rely on lip-reading only?

People believe 30% of the language is on the lips. The child with limited exposure with language will make it harder for them to understand

Watched a video how hard for us to read the lip movement because people go very fast, different accent, close their mouth and so on. So it is very hard to read the lip movement.

Having a connection with learners are very important to have a good conversation.

The dead bod, nod of bluffing or i don't understand a thing you are saying, but i'm pretending i do.

It's better to get the reply from the learners to make they understood by asking questions instead of just asking did you understand and move one

INCLUSIVE PRACTICES- things to think about...

Classroom routines and games

Assembly

Everyday learning a new sign

Singing with sign language

Notices-how do you share the notices and announcement through visual way.

Play ground- make the instructions very clear or visual

Important information could be written and put it on the whiteboard

Curriculum- include a Deaf perspective

Fire alarms- accessible for the deaf learners

How can Ormiston junior be deaf-friendly?

Learn more sign language, get their attention by jingling or sounding put our hand up when talking, tap them to get their attention

Integrate more NZSL, so that the educators learn and sign language for playing games.

What is an interpreter?

Provide information for the deaf learners. Interpreters are not teachers.

Why are they here?

Provide language access for deaf learners

Facilitate communication between deaf learners and hearing learning coaches/peers

Add to the culture of the school.

What makes for a happy arm waver?

Access to planning- Interpreters look at the planning and get some clarification with the learning coaches to make it easy for the interpreters to interpret well.

Preparation materials for specials events-sometimes it's hard with videos because it changes the pictures for the viewers, but it's hard for the interpreters as they were not looking at the pictures, they just focus on the audio to translate

Consultation when it comes to our needs

Do things a little differently so we don't have to sign- interprets need not have to be there all the time, if the LC's lead the game little different.

What makes interpreters life not quite so easy?

Environmental factors-Very noisy, expose to different weather, background voices make everything louder for the deaf learners and it is very hard to focus.

Lack of access to necessary materials

Janice story about her journey with deaf learners

Immersion is important

Teachers strategy changes-Repetition helps them to understand better, sign language and English language is very different, need to slow down when we talk to the deaf learners.

Need help with facial expressions. Deaf learner really hang on facial expression

Learn more about behaviour- need to understand why they are having behaviour issues. When they don't understand, they get frustrated and behaviour changes.

Abby shares a few brain cells

Communication is key- communication is very important and make sure they understand what we are saying to them

Include NZSL into your daily routine- use the sign language routine regularly in the habitat

Clarify understanding- Make sure they understood by asking more question and see whether they are able to reply back

Use of visual timetable- Use some visual cues so that it will be easy for them to understand.

What can I do next?

I have decided to get their attention first, then talk to them slowly, ask more questions to make sure they understood the conversation, provide visual materials for them to understand better and get support from the interpreters when I need it. Learn the alphabets and greetings and use them regularly in my day to day conversation with all the learners, so that other learners also pick up the sign language and include the deaf learners in their conversations and make them feel comfortable in our environment.

Collaboration

Reflection on Collaboration

Today, I learnt how collaboration work in Ormiston primary. As a new teacher, the game was wonderful and helped me to learn lots of abbreviations and encouraged me to talk to new teachers. Practical games were thought provoking, it helped me to think, share ideas, listen to other people ideas, how to do it and how to include others in the game. It encouraged me to think about the resources to support and make the game successful.

 How could I include all the learners in my teaching and learning process?.I was  thinking how collaboration look like to me in this place and i have decided that the learners are coming from different background and culture and how i will include all the learners to work together as a team. This year what i am going to learn from the learners and other learning coaches through colloborative work.

Now what?
I have decided to work along with Tanya and Sheree to learn from them, plan activities, talk to each other a bit more about the learners to see the different perspectives about each learner and try different strategies to make the learning and teaching more successful.