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Teachers

Teachers of deaf and hard of hearing (ToDs) play an integral role in their students’ education, as they bring expertise in communication development, instructional needs, and access accommodations to the team. Often serving as case managers, ToDs provide insight, guidance, and resources to colleagues, families, and community organizations supporting their students. The resources on this page are designed to provide teachers with quick and easy access to information and opportunities that can be helpful as they support their students’ success in school and beyond.

Literacy Resources

Literacy Resources

How can I help my DHH students develop literacy skills? 

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing can face significant challenges developing the language and literacy skills needed to succeed in school and to become self-sufficient adults. For many years, PaTTAN has been working in tandem with national experts to conduct research through pilot projects and to offer trainings on literacy development of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. As a result of these efforts, tools for assessing students and informing instruction based on data driven decisions have been developed. 

Learning to read for a child who is deaf or hard of hearing is a complex process, impacted by many factors, and with no one best approach to meet the variety of needs of these learners. Decisions about instruction, materials, differentiation or accommodations need to be based on data collected through assessment and should be individualized to the student’s needs. 

PaTTAN has collaborated with Dr. Lana Santoro to create a series of Toolkits focused on building the skills of reading for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each kit includes a webinar, powerpoint and resource packet for implementing intervention strategies. 

  • Building a Professional Learning Community - Getting Started Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Word Analysis Toolkit: Optimizing Word Reading-Decoding, Word Analysis, and Word Study Interventions Link
    • Word Analysis Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Word Analysis Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Fluency Toolkit: Bridging Decoding and Comprehension with Fluency Interventions Link
    • Fluency Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Fluency Webinar PLC Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Retelling Toolkit: Building Comprehension with Text Structure and Retelling Interventions Link
    • Retelling Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Retelling Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Vocabulary Toolkit: Teaching Words to Build Comprehension Link
    • Vocabulary Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Vocabulary Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Comprehension Strategy Toolkit: Building Comprehension with Main Idea Identification and Summarizing Link
    • Comprehension Strategy Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Comprehension Strategy Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Content Engagement Toolkit: Building Comprehension with Quality Questioning Link
    • Content Engagement Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Content Engagement Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - The Writing Process Toolkit Link
    • The Writing Process Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • The Writing Process Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Micro-Level Writing Link
    • Micro-Level Writing Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Micro-Level Writing Webinar Viewing Guide Link
  • Expanding the Literacy Toolkit - Genre and Discipline-Specific Writing Toolkit Link
    • Genre and Discipline-Specific Writing Toolkit PLC Guide Link
    • Genre and Discipline-Specific Writing Webinar Viewing Guide Link
Important Documents
Student-Led IEPs
What is a Student-Led IEP?  
  • A Student-Led IEP is your student’s annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting in which your student plays an integral role in planning, providing input, and/or leading. 
How does the Student-Led IEP Process help my student? 
  • Be a leader 
  • Be a good communicator for themself 
  • Work with a team to solve problems 
  • Focus on how to reach their goals 
  • Take responsibility for their learning 
  • Plan for their future 
Having an active part in their IEP process helps your student: 

How can our school team benefit from the Student-Led IEP Process? 
  • Have a greater sense of collaboration, partnership, and effective engagement with all IEP team members 
  • Be more culturally aware and responsive with the student and family 
  • Support the student to be more successful in their classroom learning, take ownership of their education, and gain needed skills for their future. 
  • Feel less tension in IEP meetings and get to know and understand the student 
  • Enjoy the student’s ability to showcase their growth, self-advocacy, and personal vision 
  • Use the IEP process as a teaching tool in skill development and the transition process for the student. 
  • Supporting a student’s involvement in their IEP process helps you: 
  • Where can I get more information about the Student-Led IEP process? 
DHH Professionals Repository
What is the DHH Professionals Repository?   How can I sign-up for the DHH Professionals Repository? 
Community Organizations
  • Pennsylvania Educators of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (PESDHH) is a grass roots organization of teachers and other educational professionals serving students across PA, who are deaf or hard of hearing. Through continuing education of service providers and decision makers along with advocacy and collaboration, our mission is to ensure that all students with hearing loss have appropriate, quality services delivered by highly qualified personnel, regardless of their geographic location. 
  • Council for Exceptional Children - Division for Communication, Language and Deaf/Hard of Hearing ( https://exceptionalchildren.org/engage/special-interest-divisions) DCD focuses on improving the education of children with communicative disabilities or who are deaf or hard of hearing. Members receive Communication Disorders Quarterly. 
  • Hands and Voices ( https://www.handsandvoices.org/) is a parent-led, professionally-collaborative organization infused with the life experiences of adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, that is dedicated to serving families with children who are D/HH without a bias around communication modes or methodology 
  • Council on Education of the Deaf  (https://councilondeafed.org/) The Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) is an organization sponsored by eight major national organizations dedicated to quality education for all deaf and hard of hearing students 
  • Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing ( https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/odhh/Pages/default.aspx) is an information, resource, and advocacy center for deaf and hard of hearing Pennsylvanians. 
PA Expanded Core Competencies for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (PA ECC-DHH)
www.paeccdhh.org

 

What is the Pennsylvania Expanded Core Competencies for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (PA ECC-DHH)? 
  • The Pennsylvania Expanded Core Competencies for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (PA ECC-DHH) is a comprehensive description of the unique needs of children/students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including the supplemental learning and functional skills that may be needed to support their educational success and the delivery of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). 
Readiness, Communication: American Sign Language, Communication:
  • Spoken Language, Self-Determination & Advocacy, Social-Emotional Competencies, and Technology are designed to help educators, students, and families identify the skills which deaf and hard of hearing students must develop to fully access their education and succeed in school and beyond. Many of these skills are those that are incidentally developed by their typically hearing peers, but which must be acquired through explicit instruction by deaf and hard of hearing students.  
How can the PA ECC-DHH be used to support my students’ educational needs? 
  • You can utilize the assessments section to help attain a baseline of your students’ present levels of performance; this data can then be utilized to identify areas of need in the various content rubrics and subskill areas. These needs can then be paired with core standards to help inform the creation of your students’ IEP goals.