Cultural Literacy for Deaf Learners

Hearing Factors x Literacy

Literacy PK-3

We typically learn many early reading concepts through what we hear, but also what we can touch, see, and manipulate.

Literacy 4-6

We typically learn many literacy concepts through what we hear, but also what we can touch, see, and manipulate.

Literacy 7-12

We typically learn to understand many complex literacy concepts through what we hear, but also what we can touch, see, and manipulate.

How to incorporate cultural literacy

Composition Projects: Multimodal
Literacy 7-12

For adolescent learners, the Composition process can become more robust, as learners begin to express ideas through multiple media, which includes visual, audio, and digital production.

Authentic Audiences & Purposes
Literacy 7-12

When adolescents can connect and communicate with authentic audiences about their interests and values, reading and writing become more personally meaningful and relevant.

Acting/Role Play
Literacy 7-12

Physically acting out a text or enacting major themes from texts enhances reading comprehension, particularly as texts become more complex.

Multiple Texts
Literacy 7-12

Providing multiple texts on the same topic or theme allows students to interact with multiple perspectives and develop their critical thinking skills.

Creating Visuals

Literacy 7-12

When students express information visually, they are activating more cognitive processes while problem solving and increasing their experience with alternate texts.

Incorporate Students' Cultural Practices
Literacy 7-12

Learning about students' cultures and connecting them to instructional practices helps foster a Sense of Belonging and mitigate Stereotype Threat.

Selecting Culturally Responsive Texts

Literacy 7-12

Selecting culturally responsive reading materials, including multicultural and diverse texts, is critical for supporting all students.

Read-alouds

Literacy 7-12

Reading aloud to adolescents models Reading Fluency as texts become more complex and disciplinary in nature and therefore, more difficult to understand.