Literacies: Overview
The model shares information about the challenges of deaf and hard of hearing students’ reading and writing skills. These challenges affect their success in many school subjects. The model shows four main sections in grey. Three of these sections have their own factors.
- The sections are linked in different ways. Some have one-way effects (shown by a solid arrow), while others have two-way effects (shown with a double arrow).
- Two sections, People’s Roles and Deaf Education Systemic Factors, directly influence the language and literacy development of deaf and hard of hearing students.
- Perspectives and Partnerships, has an indirect impact on these students’ language and literacy growth.
Click on the different parents of the model for more information or click on ten button below to download the full document.
People's Roles
The section on the top left, People’s Roles, includes both professionals and parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. These two groups are important in giving education and language support to these children. They often serve as the first support system and advocates for the children. They also make sure these children get the resources and accommodations needed to succeed both academically and socially. The People’s Roles section includes two factors: Professional Knowledge and Mindset and Parental Involvement and Support Needs.
Professional Knowledge and Mindset
What qualified professionals know and think about different deaf education topics is called Professional Knowledge and Mindset. People who took the survey said that if professionals do not have experience, qualifications and training, and signing skills, they may not be able to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. This can affect these students' reading and writing and academic development. Some professionals without the needed knowledge might make decisions that do not help deaf and hard of hearing students to learn to read and write. This includes professionals’ motivation to support these students. Professional development and teacher training programs can help educators better understand how to support the learning needs of these students. Professional Knowledge and Mindset directly influences Parental Involvement and Support Needs, EHDI Impacting Early Literacy, Early Language Acquisition Challenges, and Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges.
Factors Influenced by Professional Knowledge and Mindset
Professionals who do not have the right knowledge or training can directly affect how well parents can support their deaf or hard of hearing children with reading, writing, and learning. This include decisions professionals make and the information families get. This can make it harder for these students to develop strong language and literacy skills.
People who took the survey shared several challenges, like not enough qualified early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) professionals. Also, EHDI professionals need more training. These problems can harm the early language development of deaf and hard of hearing students. Some early intervention professionals make decisions that do not support these students’ language and literacy growth.
Also, when professionals do not fully understand how young children learn language, it greatly impact the early language development of deaf and hard of hearing students. This can later influence their success in reading and writing, and in other school subjects.
Professionals who do not know a lot about deaf education or who do not sign well can affect how well deaf or hard of hearing students develop language skills early on. Also, some educators’ attitudes and beliefs can hurt these students' reading and school progress. For example, some professionals may have low expectations or may not fully commit to help these students. Sometimes, schools or teachers may think these students cannot meet the usual grade-level standards for subjects. This can lead to passing them without making sure that they have truly understood the material. These professionals may want to avoid any complaints from parents or school leaders. Some teachers may also not have the motivation or creativity to find ways to help deaf and hard of hearing students succeed in their learning.
Two-Way Interactions Between Professional Knowledge and Mindset and a Factor
Professionals who do not have the right knowledge or training can directly affect how well parents can support their deaf or hard of hearing children with reading, writing, and learning. This include decisions professionals make and the information families get. This can make it harder for these students to develop strong language and literacy skills.
Factors that Influence Professional Knowledge and Mindset
Professionals need to work together to improve the education of deaf and hard of hearing students. This includes sharing resources and information with each other. This will help these students to succeed.
Some people who took the survey mentioned that some professionals believe that using two languages (like ASL and English) at the same time is not helpful for deaf and hard of hearing students and that it can hinder their reading and writing skills. Additionally, some professionals might have certain beliefs or ideas about how to teach reading and writing.
Parental Involvement and Support Needs
The People’s Roles section includes Parental Involvement and Support Needs. People who took the survey shared parents need support and resources (such as information) to help their deaf or hard of hearing child’s reading, education, and other subjects, like math. Respondents mentioned some barriers that make it harder for parents to be involved, such as a lack support from Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI), money and time limits, and not having enough information or getting incorrect information. Some respondents also noticed that some families seemed less involved in their deaf or hard of hearing child’s literacy development.
The Parental Involvement and Support Needs is connected with the Deaf Education Systemic Factors section including EHDI Impacting Early Literacy, Early Language Acquisition Challenges, and Language Access Challenges.
Factors that Influence Parental Involvement and Support Needs
Professionals who do not have the right knowledge or training can directly affect how well parents can support their deaf or hard of hearing children with reading, writing, and learning. This include decisions professionals make and the information families get. This can make it harder for these students to develop strong language and literacy skills.
Professionals have different beliefs about language and these beliefs can affect how parents support their deaf or hard of hearing children's reading and language skills, as well as how they meet these children’s needs. First Language and Literacy Beliefs affect how both parents and professionals understand language learning and development. This impacts how well deaf and hard of hearing students do in school, develop language skills, and grow socially and emotionally.
Another collaboration need is about creating partnerships between families and schools. There is a need for schools and families to work together so that parents can support the success of their deaf and hard of hearing children.
Two-Way Interactions Between Parental Involvement and Support Needs and a Few Factors
People who took the survey shared that the EHDI system offers very few suitable programs, services, and resources. This makes it hard for families to support their young deaf and hard of hearing children. With confusing or incorrect information, and limited options, families struggle to find helpful resources to communicate with their children. Since EHDI does not provide the support families need, these families miss out on that help. This affects their children’s reading skills and language development. Also, some parents do not get all the options they need from EHDI resources and services. Instead, they may receive information and support from EHDI professionals who have their own ideas about how children should learn language and what early support they need.
There is a two-way connection between Early Language Acquisition Challenges and Parental Involvement and Support Needs, according to survey responses. Challenges in early language learning can affect how parents are involved and what support they need. For example, some challenges families face include little to no communication at home and not enough exposure to language for their deaf or hard of hearing children.
Parental involvement is important for how deaf or hard of hearing children develop their language skills early on. This includes how parents help their children learn language and support their learning at home. This support helps these students to develop different skills, including reading and even math. Parents also need information and resources to help their young deaf or hard of hearing children develop language skills early.
There is a two-way connection between Language Access Challenges and Parental Involvement and Support Needs. People who took the survey said that if deaf and hard of hearing children do not have access to a suitable first language, they may struggle to develop school, language, and social skills. Some families do not use the language that best fits their deaf or hard of hearing children, which limits their language access. When families face challenges in learning or using the right language early on, their deaf and hard of hearing children may start school with a weak language foundation, making it harder to meet grade-level expectations.
Some people who took the survey also shared that parents of deaf or hard of hearing children are not always as involved as they could be in helping their kids with reading and other kinds of learning. Some people talked about how resources and laws affect how well families understand ways to support their deaf and hard of hearing children. Families could connect with communities and schools to better support their deaf and hard of hearing children. Also, schools and organizations can provide parents with resources so they can better communicate with their children. This support can help deaf and hard of hearing children develop language and reading skills more quickly and encourage parents to be more involved in their children’s education. Addressing these challenges can help deaf and hard of hearing children connect better with peers, families, community members.
Perspectives and Partnerships
The bottom left text box in gray shows the third model section, Perspectives and Partnerships. This section has two factors:
- Collaboration Needs
- First Language and Literacy Beliefs
These two factors are connected to the factors in the other two parts of the model, which is one way: People’s Roles and Deaf Education Systemic Factors. People’s beliefs can influence their understanding and mindset, and how parents support their deaf and hard of hearing children. How professionals and families work together also influence their abilities to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. These connections are marked in orange, showing an indirect effect on deaf and hard of hearing students’ language and literacy development. Perspectives and Partnerships are important in the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The beliefs and commitment of both professionals and parents to work together affect how well they understand and meet the needs of these students. This teamwork can greatly influence the students' language and literacy development.
First Language and Literacy Beliefs
The First Language and Literacy Beliefs factor talks about the beliefs and misunderstandings that professionals and parents have about how deaf and hard of hearing children learn language and how knowing one or two languages relates to their reading and writing skills. People who took the survey shared that opinions differ on whether these children should learn only one language, like English, or both English and ASL. These beliefs can either help or make it harder deaf and hard of hearing students to develop reading and writing skills. For example, some parents and professionals think that deaf and hard of hearing children should only learn English, without using ASL. Others believe that including ASL is important for supporting their language development. First Language and Literacy Beliefs influence Professional Knowledge and Mindset, and Parental Involvement and Support Needs.
Factors Influenced by First Language and Literacy Beliefs
Some people who took the survey mentioned that some professionals believe that using two languages (like ASL and English) at the same time is not helpful for deaf and hard of hearing students and that it can hinder their reading and writing skills. Additionally, some professionals might have certain beliefs or ideas about how to teach reading and writing.
Professionals have different beliefs about language and these beliefs can affect how parents support their deaf or hard of hearing children's reading and language skills, as well as how they meet these children’s needs. First Language and Literacy Beliefs affect how both parents and professionals understand language learning and development. This impacts how well deaf and hard of hearing students do in school, develop language skills, and grow socially and emotionally.
Collaboration Needs
Collaboration means that people or groups work together to reach specific goals. People who took the survey mentioned that professionals, deaf programs, families, and schools need to work together well to improve and support the literacy and school success of deaf and hard of hearing students. Schools, parents, and different communities can be part of this teamwork. The Collaboration Needs factor is connected to two factors in the People’s Roles section of the model and one factor in the Deaf Education Systemic Factors section.
Factors Influenced by Collaboration Needs
Professionals need to work together to improve the education of deaf and hard of hearing students. This includes sharing resources and information with each other. This will help these students to succeed.
A collaboration need is about creating partnerships between families and schools. There is a need for schools and families to work together so that parents can support the success of their deaf and hard of hearing children.
A few people who took the survey said it is important to share information and resources, like materials and curriculum, between schools. This sharing is essential to help deaf and hard of hearing students reach their full potential.
Deaf Education Systemic Factors
The Deaf Education Systemic Factors model section has four different factors:
- EHDI Impacting Early Literacy
- Early Language Acquisition Challenges
- Language Access Challenges
- Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges
These factors are important for deaf and hard of hearing students’ language and literacy learning. These students need EHDI services, early language learning, full language access, and school support. All four factors, based on comments, show direct, two-way relationships with the two factors in the People’s Roles model section. These connections show how important professionals and families are for deaf and hard of hearing students’ language and literacy development.
EHDI Impacting Early Literacy
The first factor in the Deaf Education Systemic Factors model is called EHDI Impacting Early Literacy. This factor includes different educational, healthcare, and community programs aimed at helping very young deaf and hard of hearing children, their families and professionals who work with them. Some people who took the survey shared different ways that EHDI affects how deaf and hard of hearing children develop langauge. For example, there are not enough thorough screening and detection systems to check children’s hearing levels at a young age or to offer the right early support services. This can make it harder for them to develop strong language and reading skills. EHDI Impacting Early Literacy is connected with Professional Knowledge and Mindset, and Parental Involvement and Support Needs.
A Factor that Influences EHDI Impacting Early Literacy
People who took the survey shared several challenges, like not enough qualified early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) professionals. Also, EHDI professionals need more training. These problems can harm the early language development of deaf and hard of hearing students. Some early intervention professionals make decisions that do not support these students’ language and literacy growth.
Also, when professionals do not fully understand how young children learn language, it greatly impact the early language development of deaf and hard of hearing students. This can later influence their success in reading and writing, and in other school subjects.
Two-Way Interactions Between EHDI Impacting Early Literacy and a Factor
People who took the survey shared that the EHDI system offers very few suitable programs, services, and resources. This makes it hard for families to support their young deaf and hard of hearing children. With confusing or incorrect information, and limited options, families struggle to find helpful resources to communicate with their children. Since EHDI does not provide the support families need, these families miss out on that help. This affects their children’s reading skills and language development. Also, some parents do not get all the options they need from EHDI resources and services. Instead, they may receive information and support from EHDI professionals who have their own ideas about how children should learn language and what early support they need.
Early Language Acquisition Challenges
The second factor in the Deaf Education System Factors model is called Early Language Acquisition Challenges. This factor is about how deaf and hard of hearing children learn one or more languages at a young age. This is important for their reading skills and success in school. People who took the survey pointed out that families need to interact and use language with their deaf or hard of hearing children during early years. This interaction helps to make sure that when these children start preschool, they have language skills and knowledge they need. Often, children start preschool needing more help with language learning. Teachers might have to give them more support to help them learn the words and ideas they need to know. This support may be needed throughout their school years. Teachers may need specialized training and feedback to better help deaf and hard of hearing students develop their language and reading skills. This should start as early as preschool. Without a strong base in language and literacy, these students can have a harder time learning, succeeding in school, and growing socially and emotionally. Early Language Acquisition Challenges is connected with Professional Knowledge and Mindset, and Parental Involvement and Support Needs.
A Factor that Influences Early Language Acquisition Challenges
Professionals who do not know a lot about deaf education or who do not sign well can affect how well deaf or hard of hearing students develop language skills early on. Also, some educators’ attitudes and beliefs can hurt these students' reading and school progress. For example, some professionals may have low expectations or may not fully commit to help these students. Sometimes, schools or teachers may think these students cannot meet the usual grade-level standards for subjects. This can lead to passing them without making sure that they have truly understood the material. These professionals may want to avoid any complaints from parents or school leaders. Some teachers may also not have the motivation or creativity to find ways to help deaf and hard of hearing students succeed in their learning.
Two-Way Interactions Between Early Language Acquisition Challenges and a Factor
There is a two-way connection between Early Language Acquisition Challenges and Parental Involvement and Support Needs, according to survey responses. Challenges in early language learning can affect how parents are involved and what support they need. For example, some challenges families face include little to no communication at home and not enough exposure to language for their deaf or hard of hearing children.
Parental involvement is important for how deaf or hard of hearing children develop their language skills early on. This includes how parents help their children learn language and support their learning at home. This support helps these students to develop different skills, including reading and even math. Parents also need information and resources to help their young deaf or hard of hearing children develop language skills early.
Language Access Challenges
The third factor in the Deaf Education System Factors model is called Language Access Challenges. This means making sure that people can receive, use, and express themselves in the languages that work best for them. Some people who took the survey talked about the challenges that deaf and hard of hearing students face, which include having little to no access to the following:
- Language models
- Native or first language exposure
- Visual language
- Social language environment
- Types of interactions with different groups
These challenges can affect the reading and language development of deaf and hard of hearing students. Language Access Challenges is connected with Parental Involvement and Support Needs.
Two-Way Interactions Between Language Access Challenges and a Factor
There is a two-way connection between Language Access Challenges and Parental Involvement and Support Needs. People who took the survey said that if deaf and hard of hearing children do not have access to a suitable first language, they may struggle to develop school, language, and social skills. Some families do not use the language that best fits their deaf or hard of hearing children, which limits their language access. When families face challenges in learning or using the right language early on, their deaf and hard of hearing children may start school with a weak language foundation, making it harder to meet grade-level expectations.
Some people who took the survey also shared that parents of deaf or hard of hearing children are not always as involved as they could be in helping their kids with reading and other kinds of learning. Some people talked about how resources and laws affect how well families understand ways to support their deaf and hard of hearing children. Families could connect with communities and schools to better support their deaf and hard of hearing children. Also, schools and organizations can provide parents with resources so they can better communicate with their children. This support can help deaf and hard of hearing children develop language and reading skills more quickly and encourage parents to be more involved in their children’s education. Addressing these challenges can help deaf and hard of hearing children connect better with peers, families, community members.
Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges
Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges is the fourth and final factor in the Deaf Education Systemic Factors model. Assessment involves checking how well deaf and hard of hearing students are developing their language skills and succeeding in school. Curriculum includes the academic programs or lesson plans designed for deaf and hard of hearing students. Instruction is the teaching process that helps these students learn different subjects. People who took the survey discussed three main areas for Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges:
- Some schools and professionals do not place or assess deaf and hard of hearing students correctly.
- The curriculum and programs often do not meet these students’ academic or reading needs.
- Schools and teachers face issues like different language needs, limited time, inadequate teaching methods, poor educational practices, not enough information, and limited strategies for helping deaf and hard of hearing students improve their language and academic skills.
Two-Way Interactions Between Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges and a Factor
Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges is directly connected to the Professional Knowledge and Mindset in the People’s Roles model. This connection works both ways. Assessment challenges involve the decisions professionals make about how to help deaf and hard of hearing students, such as:
- Educational placement and assessment
- Curriculum use
- Teaching methods and strategies
A Factor that Influences Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction Challenges
A few people who took the survey said it is important to share information and resources, like materials and curriculum, between schools. This sharing is essential to help deaf and hard of hearing students reach their full potential.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students’ Language/Literacy Development
The fourth model section at the bottom is Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students’ Language/Literacy Development. This section is shaped by three key sections of the model. Together, these sections influence the experiences and outcomes related to language and literacy development for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- People’s Roles, which highlights the important roles of professionals and parents.
- Deaf Education Systemic Factors, which includes the overall educational structures and methods.
- Perspectives and Partnerships, which focuses on the shared beliefs and collaborative efforts of everyone involved.
The Literacies model looks at different factors that affect how deaf and hard of hearing students develop their language and literacy skills. This includes not just reading and writing but also skills in science, math, and studies related to Deaf culture. These factors are important in shaping the educational experiences and results for deaf and hard of hearing students. Together, they create a complex environment filled with both challenges and opportunities that require careful actions by professionals, families, and the students themselves. These roles are crucial in deaf education and practices and ultimately influence the language development and literacy potential of deaf and hard of hearing students.