As a teacher who has taught deaf and deaf-multihandicapped children, I was challenged daily to come up with new teaching strategies that work for each of my students. Since each of my students were extremely unique, I had to adapt each lesson or activity specifically to their abilities. This required much work on the part of myself and my assistants.

For some of my students, their "academic" program is very simple: coloring activities, cutting and pasting, interactive play, and sign language. Other students, who have progressed more, have routines that are similar to core curriculum instruction but are severely modified to each of their abilities. While other students are involved with a very typical educational program or are mainstreamed with their grade level hearing peers.

I have developed much of my own curriculum due to visual and learning needs of my students. Information on classwork is limited to the most important and concrete ideas. For example, for reading clocks, a page may have 6 clocks per side and a place to write the appropriate time. There are no written instructions since it has been explained through sign language and demonstration. My younger students with minimal sign language skill are working with matching colors and shapes, sorting activities, instruction in sign language and fine motor activities.

The students I have worked with are all deaf. In addition, some of them also have other challenges including but not limited to: Cerebral Palsy, Cortical Visual Impairment (Cortical Blindness), Developmental Delays, Orthopedic Handicaps, and Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, etc.).

If you have any questions about my teaching strategies or have any suggestions that you would like to share, please write me.