Teaching grammar to deaf and hard-of-hearing students within a whole-language perspective involves recognition of students' developmental needs and the needs of the task. Strategies for teaching grammar include comparing student work with standard writing; identifying and classifying nouns and verbs; clarifying the roles of modifiers; and building…

Describes a program in which five children (ages 8-13), including two with profound deafness, were taught English using whole language strategies combined with mini lessons in grammatical structure. The lessons were reinforced with assigned written language practice for classwork and homework, which was incorporated into the students' journals.…

This article discusses applications of the Cloze whole language technique for teaching reading to deaf students. Techniques described include using Cloze questions in shared reading, predicting language in written text, solving Cloze exercises with teamwork, working with minimal clues, predicting in patterns, and using Cloze techniques for…

This paper describes the process of training teachers of students with hearing impairments to use whole-language teaching methods. The paper discusses success with whole language, resistance to whole-language methods, effects on students, effects on teaching, and advice to other trainers. (JDD)

Principles of whole-language instruction are being implemented with upper elementary students at the Nebraska School for the Deaf. Students conduct cross-genre studies involving book, stage play, and movie versions of familiar tales. The approach incorporates language arts, social studies, science, art, and speech activities. (DB)

Spelling instruction for students with deafness is examined in the context of the whole-language approach. Stages in the development of spelling ability are identified, and five strategies for young writers are suggested. (DB)

Traditional Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals focusing on mastery of skills taught in isolation are inappropriate for primary-level whole-language classrooms containing children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Sample goals and objectives that measure students' growing ability to read and write are presented. (JDD)

A group of Ohio teachers of deaf students received in-depth training in the use of whole-language strategies, focusing first on writing strategies, followed by reading instruction and integration of reading and writing. The training plan involved group instruction, reading materials, observations, individual conferences, teacher-trainer dialogue…

A teacher at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (District of Columbia) recounts how she learned to use the Whole Language approach to writing instruction, to encourage student writing and conduct teacher/student conferences, and to stimulate students' reading interests. (DB)

Applies principles of whole-language instruction to the teaching of sign language skills. Emphasis is on the holistic use of sign language in natural communicative situations. Some materials for this approach to sign language instruction are suggested. (DB)

This review of research on the use of whole language with students with hearing impairments identifies recurring themes, such as whole language is effective for students from a variety of backgrounds and age levels, and literacy development of deaf students exposed to a literate environment parallels that of hearing students. (JDD)

Students with deafness in a whole-language classroom complete writing exercises and then edit what they write at the "editors' table," where teams of students work with dictionaries, grammar guides, lists of commonly misspelled words, self-editing forms, and proofreading checklists. Use of the "editors' table" approach has created a community of…

The use of invented spelling in educational programs for students with deafness is described. Students use a variety of spelling strategies, such as visual, kinesthetic, sounding out, handshape in sign language, and functional spellings. Methods of encouraging risk taking in spelling are discussed, and the changing use of spelling tests is noted.…

Setting low standards and expectations for the language achievement of students with deafness or hearing impairments results in a self-fulfilling prophecy. A whole-language approach is based on a philosophy of high expectations and recognizes differences among students as factors that add richness to the exploration of language. (JDD)

A teacher at the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind recounts his experience implementing a whole-language approach with an elementary class of students with hearing impairments. The effort, focusing on insects, utilized dialog journals, word banks, shared reading, guided reading and writing, independent reading, and theme activities. A…