Making Science Accessible to Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing Chad E. Smith, Ph.D. Texas Woman’s University Jennifer Borgman, M.S. Sherman RDSPD 2010 Statewide Conference on Education of the Deaf Ft. Worth Texas

“Tell Me And I Will Forget. Show Me And I May Remember. Involve Me And I Will Understand.” Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman - Chinese Proverb

Agenda Internet Resources Internet Resources Content Content Language Language Experience Experience Hands-on experiences Hands-on experiences Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Internet Resources Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Internet Resources Deaf Scientist Corner Deaf Scientist Corner Wiki Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

General classroom tips for science General classroom tips for science Online Sign Dictionaries Online Sign Dictionaries Online pictionaries Online pictionaries Internet Resources Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Video Instructions for Experiments CONCEPTS INSTRUCTIONS MATERIALS CONCEPTS identified visually; INSTRUCTIONS provided visually, textual, sign, and step by step; MATERIALS readily available. Thermal changes in chemical reactions Constant speed & gravity Moving fluids in plants Carbonation Light bending Rust Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Content, Language, & Experiences Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Content Ideas that are difficult to relate Complex issues that age requires but function level hasn’t allowed Resources for promoting content: – Internet pages – Sign language videos – Sign language dictionaries Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Example of Teaching the Content The Scientific Method The Scientific Method – Problem: – Problem: Always a question (??) – Hypothesis: – Hypothesis: Always an “I think …” statement – Experiment: – Experiment: Steps of the Project – Materials: – Materials: Lists what we used – Results: – Results: Tells what happened – Conclusion: – Conclusion: Tells if the hypothesis was right or wrong. Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman Teach students ways to organize their learning.

Language Use of graphic organizers Journals Breaking down the language conceptually High interest, low level reading texts Teaching the written language so students can function textually Signing the content isn’t enough; accessible does not mean sign language Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Teaching the Language of the Content Vocabulary Vocabulary (have signs for terms) Print Print (be able to spell/write/read) Relationships Relationships (identify how elements relate) Questioning Questioning (be able to inquire about topic) Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Tips for Making Language Accessible Use Use consistent signs conceptually Create Create word wall for vocabulary Teach Teach word parts Explain Explain how sign and content are related (i.e. bond, rock types, photosynthesis, force, gravity Give Give student examples IN PRINT of how term(s) used (i.e. metamorphic) Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Breaking Down the Language Scientists were impressed by him. However, he was poor so he decided to get a job. He started teaching math. He had a lot of ideas for creating a flying machine but he didn’t have the money to make it. He dreamed about flying into space. He dreamed that people would live on other planets. He wrote about his dreams in books. He would even put bugs in little boxes and attach them to kites so they could fly. mathbugs Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Reading Grade Level Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Graphic Organizers in Science To IDENTIFY content To CLARIFY the language To PROMOTE the experience To LEAD to writing Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Graphic Organizers - Brainstorming d d DNA deoxyribonucleic acid twisted ladder phosphate molecule deoxyribose sugar bases This process reviews the language and leads to writing. Put the topic in the inner circle. Then ask students what they remember about the topic and write those words in the outer circle.

Graphic Organizers: A Pathway to Writing DNAstands for deoxyribonucleic acid looks likea twisted ladderhas phosphate molecules deoxyribose sugar bases Courtesy biology-online.org Courtesy Yale University DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA looks like a twisted ladder. DNA has phosphate molecules, deoxyribose sugar, and bases. Topic from inner circle Connecting Words Connecting Words Descriptions from outer circle Writing from the organizer

Experience hands-on Locate hands-on ideas readily accessible Select materials that are readily accessible Conceptualize Conceptualize ideas Align Align the experience with the concepts Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Accessibility Examples Teaching sound Teaching sound (sensory accessibility) Gravity & Newton’s Three Laws of Motion Gravity & Newton’s Three Laws of Motion (sign language issue) Erosion Erosion (abstract concept) Particle movement Particle movement (abstract concept & sign language issue) Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Hands-on Experiences Heart Diagramming Density Jar Unpoppable Balloon Hot & Cold Air Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Hands-on Learning & Language The following slides show examples of hands-on learning items.REMEMBER, All science concepts All science concepts need to have printed language included. Students MUST know how to interact within the subject in print for assessment purposes. Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Density Jar Use Use real-life items to teach complex topics that students can SEE Teach Teach the importance of the concept. Involve Involve students to interact with the elements What vocabulary should you teach with this? What real-life applications can you discuss with this? What elements of those applications can you teach? Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Cow’s Heart (or free at meat markets!) Can be purchased at local grocery store. (or free at meat markets!) Use real parts when teaching anatomy & physiology. Encourage students to touch/feel Photo: Diagram: Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Unpoppable Balloon Teach surface tension Allow students to see that perceptions are not always reality Investigate why balloon popped What questions do you ask students PRIOR to doing this? What elements of language should be included with this activity? Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Hot Air / Cold Air Teach Teach cold air sinks, hot air rises Ask Ask how students know there is air in bottle (not think) Ask Ask students how to demonstrate an idea of something they cannot see Demonstrate Demonstrate how to show a concept that you cannot see What questions do you ask prior to this project? How would you set up this project? Other than hot air/cold air, what concepts can you teach with this? Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

What have we learned? Science can be fun & accessible content, language, experience Success in science comes from access to content, language, and experience Signing in science does not equate to access languagevocabulary, print, relationships & questioning Incorporating language (vocabulary, print, relationships & questioning) into science is an absolute necessity. Making Science Accessible Chad Smith & Jennifer Borgman

Contact Information Chad E. Smith Jennifer Borgman Contents of this presentation may be found at