Review: Guidelines for Multilingual Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Programs

Tang Shiyuan

1. Introduction

Multilingual deaf education is an essential field that requires specialized teacher preparation programs to effectively address the needs of deaf students who come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This report presents comprehensive guidelines for designing and implementing multilingual deaf education teacher preparation programs. These guidelines aim to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge, skills, and strategies to support the academic and linguistic development of deaf students in multilingual contexts. The goal of the guidelines is to support the effort to create transformative curricular changes within teacher preparation programs by providing guidance for how to transition to or align with a Multilingual Deaf Education perspective.

2. Content composition and main points of the Guide

2.1 The main content composition of the Guide

This Guidelines mainly consists of six parts and the most important part include three parts. The part of Theoretical Framework makes a briefly introduction about the process of selecting the theoretical framework, and finally they align with two of the five propositions in the Deaf pedagogy framework recently proposed by Skyer (2020): the adapted tools proposition and the multimodal proposition.

From the part of Redefining Biingual-Bicultural in the 21st Century you will know the latest definition of some key word such as Multilingual Deaf Education, Multiculturalism, Heritage language/heritage language learner, Deaf culture, Multimodal strategies, etc. And they strongly recommend that teacher candidates entering graduate Deaf education programs have a background in education (e.g., elementary, early childhood, special education, secondary) and/or academic content knowledge (e.g., mathematics, arts, science, Deaf studies, social studies, physical education, technology).

The part of Key Components of a Multilingual Deaf will give you a clearer understanding of the seven key components that essential in a quality multilingual program, The seven components are include: (1) language competencies of teacher candidates; (2) identity development, socioemotional health, and well-being; (3) deaf studies, social justice, and equity; (4) multilingual instructional strategies; (5) assessments of Deaf students in multiple languages; (6) methods courses and teaching pedagogy; (7) collaboration and resources.

2.2 The main points of the Guide

In my opinion there are four key points of the Guide. The first one is the Program Objectives. The first step in developing a multilingual deaf education teacher preparation program is to define clear objectives. These objectives should focus on enabling teachers to:

• Understand the unique needs and challenges of deaf students from various linguistic backgrounds.
• Develop proficiency in sign languages used within the local deaf community.
• Acquire knowledge of diverse multilingual educational approaches, methodologies, and resources.
• Promote inclusive and culturally sensitive learning environments for deaf students.

The second point is the Curriculum Design. The curriculum of a multilingual deaf education teacher preparation program should be designed to cover both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. It should include the following components:

• Deafness and Multilingualism: Understanding the impact of deafness on language acquisition and the challenges faced by deaf students in multilingual environments.
• Sign Language Proficiency: Providing intensive training in the sign languages used by the local deaf community, including linguistic features, grammar, and vocabulary.
• Multilingual Education Strategies: Introducing effective pedagogical approaches for supporting deaf students in multilingual classrooms, including bilingual and bicultural education models.
• Assessment and Individualized Instruction: Teaching strategies for assessing the academic and linguistic needs of deaf students and developing individualized education plans.
• Cultural Competence: Developing cultural awareness and sensitivity towards diverse deaf cultures and communities.

The third point is the Practical Experience and Fieldwork. To ensure practical competence, multilingual deaf education teacher preparation programs should incorporate supervised field experiences. These experiences should include opportunities for teachers to:

• Observe and collaborate with experienced multilingual deaf educators.
• Engage directly with deaf students and their families in diverse linguistic and cultural settings.
• Apply theoretical knowledge and instructional strategies in real-world classrooms.
• Receive constructive feedback and mentoring from experienced professionals.

The fourth point is the Collaboration and Partnerships. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders is crucial for the success of multilingual deaf education teacher preparation programs. Partnerships can be established with:

• Deaf communities: Involving deaf individuals, deaf organizations, and community leaders in program development, curriculum design, and field experiences.
• Educational institutions: Collaborating with schools, colleges, and universities to facilitate practical experiences and access to resources.
• Language professionals: Engaging sign language interpreters, linguists, and language experts to contribute to the program's linguistic components.

3. Conclusion

Multilingual deaf education teacher preparation programs play a vital role in equipping teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to support deaf students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. These guidelines provide a foundation for designing comprehensive programs that address the unique needs of multilingual deaf learners. By incorporating these guidelines, institutions can contribute to the creation of inclusive, culturally sensitive, and effective educational environments for deaf students worldwide.

Literatura

[1] Kurz, Ch.  - Golos, D.  - Kuntze, M.  - Henner, J.  - Scott, J.  Guidelines for Multilingual Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Programs. USA, Gallaudet University Press, 2021. ISBN 978-1-944838-95-9 (paperback) / 978-1-944838-96-6 (ebook) / 978-1-944838-97-3 (Manifold). 

Kontaktní informace / Contact information

Tang Shiyuan

Department of Special Education, School of Education, Chongqing Normal University (CNU)t, Faculty of Education Palacky University Olomouc

Zizkovo nam 5

771 11 Olomouc

Czech Republic

272430720@qq.com