In this study, the authors examine the content of reflective journals written by six Deaf pre-service teachers during their student teaching in classrooms with hearing students. In doing so, the authors analyze and compare the journal entries to the established literature on student teaching. Results indicate that these student teachers focused on…

After an extensive review of relevant literature, the investigators developed a questionnaire on teacher characteristics and behaviors in relation to master teachers and distributed it electronically to deaf education professionals. The questionnaire recipients represented administrators, experienced teachers (e.g., those with 3 or more years'…

Instrumental Enrichment (IE), one approach to helping students reflect on their problem solving and develop the ability to generalize, has been used to help secondary deaf students learn to think. Improvements due to IE are reported by teachers as well as students. (CL)

A review of the literature suggests classroom techniques for reducing ethnocentrism among deaf and hearing students including providing multiple opportunities for interactions, giving both groups opportunities to discuss openly their reactions to each other, and discussing ways in which all human groups are similar. (DB)

Based on a set of theoretical assumptions relating to the cognitive modificability of low functioning adolescents, a program of Instrumental Enrichment was developed and implemented with 41 hearing impaired secondary students. The primary goals of Instrumental Enrichment included: (1) improving performance in spatial relations, (2) improving…

Describes a study conducted at Gallaudet University to assess the need for programs to improve the cognitive skills of hearing-impaired college students. Indicates that 91 students who received systematic cognitive instruction had better logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and math scores than students who did not receive this instruction.…

A survey of 56 teacher educators in deaf education queried reasons for moving from school classrooms to universities. Respondents indicated the primary reason was to pursue research and a scholarly life and to have a greater influence on hearing-impaired children and deaf education. (Author/DB)

This article reviews current reforms in general and special education and describes a Gallaudet program that prepares undergraduates who are deaf or hard of hearing to meet the needs of students who are deaf. The program requires a full-time internship with hearing students and a master's degree in deaf education. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article addresses the close relationship between reasoning skills and literacy, especially in the context of the education of students with deafness. The importance of providing deaf learners with cognitive strategy instruction applied to various aspects of literacy is stressed. (DB)

Ties together the educational threads of teaching thinking skills and improving the intellectual performance in deaf learners. Identifies six criteria for curriculum or research decisions related to teaching for higher-level problem solving. Applications of these ideas to mathematics are left to the reader. (MDH)

Reports the views of two deaf American graduate students to an intern experience at a school for the deaf in China. Also explains critical procedures to establishing such international internships, necessary cultural and educational accommodations, and issues related to communication modality, educational philosophy, expectations for deaf…

This paper reviews the literature on the intellectual abilities and performance of deaf learners within educational settings. The paper addresses such questions as whether deaf learners learn differently from hearing learners; whether deaf learners have the same intellectual capacity as hearing learners; how opinions have changed regarding the…

A study of the effects of the Instrumental Enrichment cognitive intervention program with 41 severely hearing impaired secondary school students was conducted. Experimental and control groups were compared in regard to general cognitive functioning, problem-solving strategies, reading comprehension, and mathematics. Experimental subjects were…

Describes a university-school collaboration that prepares education paraprofessionals for careers as teachers of the deaf and yields insights and recommendations concerning adult learners. Discusses the contributions adult learners' experience bring to the course, the role of mentors in merging practice with theory, the adult learner's need for…

The study was designed to identify specific components of teacher excellence, focusing initially on the characteristics of the small number of teachers of the deaf who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), then comparing those with the characteristics of other teachers identified as master teachers by…