Nil's Case

1. 1.This case study was about a 13 year old boy, named Nils, from Sweden with a severe hearing disability. There were several problems outlined in this case. The first problem was that after arriving to Canada, Nils and his mother found out that the original school Nils had planned on attending-a school for the deaf- was too far away from his home for him to be considered a day student. The second issue was that the sign language this school used was a different form of sign language that Nils learned back in Sweden. Nils and his mother eventually agreed to enrol Nils in his neighbourhood school. Once in his new school, Nils will require a great deal of Differentiated Instruction. One option that was proposed was that Nils would have a signing interpreter who was trained in the signing style used by Nils' former school in Sweden. Nils' teacher is qualified in the area of Special Education. She can use several techniques to help differentiate her lesson plan to accommodate Nils. She may consider granting him more time to complete his assignments, consider using a variety of visuals within her lesson so Nils can follow easily, and she can also make use of manipulatives. Ideally, his teacher will move away from standard lecture-type lesson plans and choose engaging strategies that can stimulate Nils' visual and kinetic learning. By adapting and differentiating her lesson plan, his teacher can help integrate Nils into the classroom which has been the central focus of Special Education Policies in Ontario for the last thirty years. Communication is a very important aspect of learning. If a student feels that they cannot properly take in information or make himself heard, then his entire learning experience will be diminished. As a deaf student, Nils has a right to be properly accommodated so that he can absorb academic content as much as everybody else. In addition to providing Nils with different means of communication (as is discussed in the case study), it is important for teachers and administrators to remember that deaf students, like Nils, will require extra time to complete tasks and will need time to rest throughout the day, since utilizing amplification devices, Total Communication, and sign language is very tiresome (Bennet et. al 216). In this case, Nils also may benefit from being scaffolded. Scaffolding can make language, vocabulary, and concepts simpler because teachers, educators, and even interpreters can match the level of the student. For example, teachers might know that their student is a visual learner, so scaffolding a student by using pictures to explain a math concept will be suitable. Scaffolding students will a hearing disability should be no different. Both Nils’ teacher and, possibly, the interpreter should be on the same page when using scaffolding techniques that are in favor of Nils’. For example, maybe because it might be easier for Nils’ to communicate with the interpreter from Sweden, he can communicate what his likes and interests are to the teacher and she can think of ways she can help Nils’ simplify his learning with things he likes. Having that one on one time with the teacher will help Nils’ quite a bit. Nils could greatly benefit from strategic differentiated instruction, which would involve looking at his situation individually in comparison to how the other students are engaging in class, and augmenting the instruction to benefit his varied needs. In many cases DI can benefit all of the students in the class who do not speak out about their challenges, which lends the change towards a more universal approach to education.

2. Principal

2.1. As the principal, having Nils at my school would make me feel quite nervous. I would want to make sure that everything that could be done, is being done to accommodate him. I would also want his mother to feel like the school has done everything in its power to help her son. In terms of my behaviour, I would have to communicate with the teacher frequently to ensure Nils is being taken care of. I would discuss strategies with his teacher and provide her with many resources to help her differentiate her lesson plans. I would also ask to review the teacher's lesson plans to make sure that she is incorporating different styles of differentiating in her classroom to try and scaffold Nils to the best of her abilities. To ensure that Nils is adjusting well, I would make my presence known to him and arrange to meet with him once a week to ensure he is receiving all the help that he requires. I may also make an effort to get to know his interests and develop a more personal relationship so he feels comfortable in confiding his needs with me. I would also be in communication with Nils' mother. By scheduling regular meetings with her and the teacher, I would try and incorporate a joint effort of support for Nils. If she decided to bring in a sign language interpreter through the Swedish Diplomatic Service, I would have to ensure that this employee was also integrated into the school comfortably. I would make sure to include this interpreter in all of the meetings I have arranged with Nils' mother and teacher so that we can establish the most clear understanding of Nils' progress. In conclusion, my action plan would include regular meetings with Nils' instructor, viewing her lesson plans to ensure they are accommodating to his situation, engaging in constant communication with his mother, and ensuring his interpreter is well cared for and can adapt to the school environment seamlessly. Zachary C

3. Student

3.1. My name is Nils, and I have severe hearing loss. I just moved to Canada with my mom. I feel really nervous when I think about school, because I worry if my hearing loss will have a negative impact on my ability to learn. I live too far away from the school for deaf students, so I will have to attend the local neighbourhood school. I also just found out that North America uses ASL instead of the style of sign language that I am used to from back home. My mom and I are trying to decide how I can best be accommodated: I will use a signing interpreter who is trained in my type of sign language, I will use a type of Total Communication, and/or I will have to learn ASL. I don’t like the idea of having to learn ASL, since that will take up a lot of my time (it’s like a whole new language), and I will be too distracted from my school work. I would like to have a signing interpreter and to use Total Communication, since this will help me to communicate with my teacher and classmates. One thing that makes me feel less nervous about going to school is that I have a really nice teacher. She said that she will support whichever type of accommodation that I feel most comfortable with! I will tell her that I would feel less nervous about school if she provided me with a notetaker and a summary of lessons in advance of the class (sometimes I start to feel really tired in class, since signing is tiresome, so these accommodations would really help me to feel prepared for class) (Bennet et. al 212). I am really good at math. With the help of an interpreter and a type of Total Communication, I can express my other academic abilities too! Felicia

4. Summary

5. Teacher

5.1. I have had many international students come into my classroom with varying strengths and weaknesses, all of which were eventually able to adapt to the school. I am in a situation that pulls me morally, I want to engage one-on-one with Nils as much as possible, however I cannot risk negatively impacting my other students. I have met with Nils and his mother several times now and there is a superb capacity for communication, however I can see that it is not as simple as they hoped it would be. I want to approach this barrier as I would an ESL student. He knows Swedish Sign Language, and needs to learn American Sign Language (ASL). So we need a qualified individual to assist him in his language education. If that happens inside the school walls or at home, that is up to Nils comfort level. I am personally fine with having an interpreter in my classroom, I’ve had one before and they are rarely a distraction. As I do have a tendency towards students with varying exceptionalities, Nils would be just like any other student to me. I have a passion for Differentiated Instruction, thus augmenting my instructive practices wouldn’t take too much out of my day as I am constantly navigating more universal approaches to education. I have considered trailing the following with Nils: placing him near the front of the classroom, so that he can better see me speak as most individuals hard of hearing can read lips to some degree. Potentially using classroom technologies such as a sound system that hooks us to a Bluetooth device that Nils can wear. Alternatively I would allow Nils to choose where he sits in the room, and subtly ensure that all of my teaching is done with my body facing the classroom, never talking towards the board and always ensuring that instructions are delivered verbally, written, and repeated back to me. I have also considered conferences with Nils on a daily or weekly basis, and remaining in communication with his mother, until he is comfortable enough to come to me if he is in need of some assistance or clarification. The conferences could be done with all students to avoid drawing attention to Nils, and again like many of the proposal plans here, would benefit all of the learners in my classroom. Conferencing with Nils and checking in on his progress at home would be a fantastic way to navigate this new hurdle! Darby

6. Parent

6.1. As a mother of a thirteen-year-old teenaged boy, who not only transitioned different schools but also countries, I am feeling anxious for Nils. There has been nothing but a great deal of change in a short period of time for my son. If I was in Nils’ shoes, I would want an easy transition as possible. I think there is a lot of factors that comes into play when thinking about the three possible actions. So far, I am thinking that it would just add a lot more pressure and stress on Nils to learn a whole new language (ASL). He has already adjusted to the sign language in Stockholm for a very long time and making him CHANGE to learn something else is too much for a teenager to take. I am preferring for the Swedish interpreter to come to his classes and for Nils’ to use a total type of communication. This way he is comfortable and using his prior learning back in Stockholm. He already wears two powerful hearing aids so total communication would just help suit the need of what Nils need since he is used to wearing these aids. I am grateful, however, that his teacher is qualified and interested in special education. I am willing tom, as a concerned mother, talk to her about some of the possible strategies or DI she is willing to include if I do make these choices. I believe that constant communication between his teacher and I will make it easier for Nils’ to be integrated and part of the classroom. Possibly, she can share some of the DI she uses at school can be used at home when I help Nils’ so that these instructions and expectations for Nils’ is constant and established a routine. For instance, I know Nils is very strong at Mathematics. Should she inform me about how using visual aids and drawing might help him? At this point, I think routine and a familiarity for Nils’ is the way to go. Sheena D