A "Signability Index" is presented for sign language interpretation of children's books. The index is based on such variables as reading rate, sentence length, quantity of text used to express thoughts, word imagery, and complexity and concreteness of passages. Suggested books for classroom reading are listed, categorized by six levels of…

This article encourages hearing individuals in the elementary school community to learn sign language. Suggestions include having students teach students, having family sign classes, incorporating sign instruction throughout the day, giving everyone a name sign, and having schoolwide events in which signing is featured. (DB)

A Florida elementary school mainstreaming 30 children with deafness and hearing impairments has developed a collection of signed videotapes for teachers, parents, and students to borrow. Videotapes include signed story books, tapes for teaching sign language, and tapes made by students. (DB)

Describes ways one teacher of deaf and hard of hearing elementary students used videotape recordings to communicate with parents on classroom activities and on the progress of individual children. Tapes show the teacher introducing new signs; teaching speech skills, academic activities, and inclusion activities; or speaking directly to parents…

Suggestions are offered for teaching young children with hearing impairments to read and write. The strategies emphasize the importance of making the sign-to-print relationship explicit, helping children understand that there is not always perfect sign-to-word correlation, increasing students' metalinguistic knowledge, and building comprehension.…

Highlights a music program for students with deafness that allows them to explore music in ways that are hands-on and visual. The formation of a sign choir that integrated students with deafness and hearing students is also described as well as an interactive deaf/hearing drama group. (CR)

A hearing teacher for whom American Sign Language is a second language identifies nine strategies developed for reading and telling stories to deaf children. These include: ask obvious questions related to the story, portray written dialog as conversation, emphasize points by saying the same thing with different signs, and adapt the story to…

Principles of "shared reading," in which a book is read by the teacher, then by teacher and students together, and then by the students independently, are discussed and applied to language acquisition and reading instruction of deaf and hearing impaired children. Students use the book to help them write and compare English and American…

This article describes "Hands On," a research project employing interactive computer/videodisc technology to teach English to deaf children with American Sign Language (ASL) skills. Elementary school students can read a story in printed English text, watch an ASL-signed version of the story, access a list of vocabulary words, or caption a story…

Discusses how teachers can teach science to elementary students with deafness. Urges the need to provide scientific knowledge in an accessible language and to encourage "hands on" experiences with a variety of materials. Addresses how science can increase competency in reading and writing English. (CR)