PLE 5

Being an interpreter, I have little control over the learning environment in the classroom. What I will have to pay attention to is the learning environment for the deaf student individually. I could speak with teacher about her own classroom environment first and give her information about the interpreting process and any adjustments that would be necessary for the deaf student. For example, the student benefits most from seeing the board and teacher at all times but they will also have to see me as the interpreter. This visual necessity includes lighting as well as placement. It is best that the interpreter not be in front of a window that the student might have a glare from. If it is possible, I would request that the student and I be in front of one another as close to the front of the classroom as possible. Aside from the physical environment of the deaf student in the classroom, it is important that an interpreter have somewhat of an established relationship with the student. It is important to know the students needs and language preference in order to make them feel comfortable in their learning environment. It is not often that deaf children get to talk to adults that know sign language so when they get the chance, some of them like to talk a lot. Before and after class they will often have outside conversations and it is important to make sure that relationship is comfortable yet professional. They have to be able to trust you and trust that they are getting all of the information the same as their hearing peers and without any relationship, they will never be able to trust you. If they don't, the interpreter is also the language model so it is vital to make sure that you are modeling language every time you are using it. It is also important to know the students needs, not only linguistically but academically. It is not the interpreters role to ever help or assist a teacher or student, but in much younger grades, it is often acceptable to help in some situations depending on your student. If you have the relationship and know the needs of your student, the learning environment is comfortable, and successful. In my case study, there is a student that is not paying attention. The first step has already been taken and I tried to find out if there was a problem with my interpreting, if I was using the wrong language, if he had different linguistic needs, and he walked away. As an interpreter, I will be the first person to notice this students behavior and it is my role to inform the teacher that he is failing his assignments because of his attention and behavior, not because he is not understanding, or that there is a language barrier. As an interpreter, that is where my role ends. In the case study, the teacher tells me to call and meet with the parents but that is not my place. I am not the instructor, I am simply the language bridge. I can offer to sit in the meeting after the teachers sets it up with the parents since I am the one seeing his behavior the closest but it is not my job or place to set up meetings like that or to do anything about that behavior. I am not a disciplinarian, it is the teachers place to decide on punishments and action, all I can do is provide the information I have from my observations.

PLE 4

I have always been motivated by intrinsic values. When I was younger I was a dancer and practiced and performed just so I could get better, not for a reward. I have always felt that success is my reward. I was always allowed to choose what I wanted to do as far as school and activities. I chose to go to a private all girls college prep school to get the best education. When I got to college, I found my major and loved it so much that getting to do it everyday felt like a reward in itself. Striving to be the best in it, and knowing I am good at it is all the motivation I need. I have always felt like I was very lucky to feel this way because not everyone loves what they do this much and I thought it was just lucky I found my "calling" but I guess I am just really self-motivated. This seems to be within the cognitive-theories of self determination and being able to choose what I want to do. Also within the social-cognitive theories, I believe in my abilities with sign language interpreting which is daily encouragement and makes it not seem like work. I don't know if I would be nearly as motivated if I was more limited in my choices by my family or in school. I have also been much less motivated in activities I do not enjoy. In math classes, I struggle. In history I can barely stay awake, but in the most advanced ASL classes, I show up early, do extra credit, have straight A's, and could answer any question about anything. I have kept thinking about the discussion in class about giving students the opportunity to choose projects. This option to choose has worked so well for me in every aspect of my life so I believe it would work well for other students as well. Most importantly I think teachers can come up with creative was to come up with options that are different enough to appeal to different types of learners while keeping them equally as challenging and educational. Then the students will have more likely to be motivated by the choice and possibly choosing the one that interests them more.

PLE 2

Being a student myself I have experienced many if not all of these teaching assessments first hand. I found it interesting how the chapter pointed out that there are many times that students are being assessed and are unaware of it. Informal assessments are being done constantly on a daily basis just by observing the students. What was interesting to me was thinking how each of these assessments would play out in a deaf residential school working with deaf students. These assessments may vary but are often used for similar things as in the mainstream school (ex. plan for the future, assessing teaching skills, assessing performance) Informal Assessments are constantly being made with deaf students regarding their use of language, and social skills because each student it different. These students may come from hearing families with hearing parents and not know any sign language, or they may come from deaf families and not know any English. These are things that are noticed simply by observing the child in their natural environment using their comfortable language. Formal Assessments are usually altered based on the student and what is observed through the informal assessments. If students have no English skills the tests will have to be given in ASL, using an interpreter, or deaf teacher. These alterations make the line between the next two types of assessments (paper-pencil assessment vs performance assessment) very blurry. Paper and Pencil Assessment ASL actually does have a written form and the students are taught reading and writting so written tests and hypothetical situations are possible for them to be assessed. Performance Tests these are used often with deaf students. They do not have nearly as much experience with the hearing world as mainstreamed students so teachers and volunteer students (like myself) try to set up many "mock situations" in which they would be out in the world and need to use an interpreter and make sure they have the information on how to do so after graduation. Performance tests are extremely important for deaf students. Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment when deaf students reach high school, the amount of traditional assessment is very minimal. The focus is on authentic assessment. The sad truth is that everyone knows the deaf students are going to have a harder time finding employment than any of their hearing peers. To hopefully aid them in ensuring employment, the high school education is extremely authentic. It is always related to real world experiences, and applied to real situations that they can use later in the workplace. Standardized Tests deaf students in mainstream schools do participate in the same standardized tests that we have all endured. As I mentioned before, some students may have slightly differing language skills therefore deaf students are often allowed extra time, or an interpreter. This in no way makes the tests comprehensible to all deaf individuals, therefore bringing average deaf schools scores extremely low. Teacher-Developed Assessments these usually work much better in all settings involving deaf students. In residential schools, the teachers know each of the students language skills and can communicate with the directly and know how to communicate the assessment to the students. In a mainstream school the interpreter is with the student in the classroom and the language is somewhat familiar and can be understood more easily. When the language is familiar, it is much easier whether it be ASL, signed English, spoken English, etc. and that is the main problem with any kind of assessment given to deaf students, not the information. Criterion-Referenced vs. Norm-Referenced Assessments because of all of the challenges and barriers I have listed and the lack of resources for not only teachers of deaf students but even families of deaf children, it is clear that deaf students are extremely behind in criterion-referenced assessments. Most high school deaf children are assessed to be at a fourth grade reading level, but if you have a conversation with them in ASL they are extremely intelligent, they can have a full, intellectual, conversation with you. There are norm-referenced assessments within residential schools comparing deaf individuals to the other deaf students which are beneficial but when there is one deaf student in a mainstream hearing school, these assessments are not going to truly represent the students intelligence because of language barriers.