Class Act: Communication: First Day of Class

It’s the first day of class, and it’s always a busy time.

You’re uncertain, and perhaps nervous, as you consider how you will communicate with the deaf and hard-of-hearing students who will be in your class. Or perhaps communication with this group of students is not part of your classroom plan. Or perhaps you assume that the interpreter or captionist will take on this responsibility in your classroom.

This section concentrates on communication – essential for teaching and learning, and a primary classroom responsibility. However, we encourage you to read the other three “First Day of Class” sections you’ll find in the listing above.

As you think about the situation, you realize there are a number of communication issues.

How will the deaf and hard-of-hearing students understand you?
How will you understand these students?
How will these students understand hearing students who ask questions? How will they reply to your questions of the class? How will they make comments?
How will hearing students understand the deaf and hard-of-hearing students?
How comfortable are hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing students in communicating with you and each other in your classroom?

These are all appropriate questions, and issues that are not addressed simply. This entire web site seeks to provide strategies for dealing with these, and other related issues. However, the material below provides some direct answers to communications issues and the first day of class.

(NOTE: The next few paragraphs are repeated in slightly different forms at each of the other three “First Day of Class” pages on this web site.)

On the first day of class you set the tone – perhaps without realizing it – for the communications practices in your class for the whole term. If you are uncertain about how to handle each communication situation that arises on the first day, that’s normal; we address those issues in this section of the web site.

But if you are, or become, impatient, irritated, or upset with situations surrounding communications with deaf and hard-of-hearing students, your behavior is a problem. The first day of class is the opportunity to indicate to all students that you want to be understood, that you want to understand each and every student, and finally that you want students to understand each other.

The ultimate responsibility for all aspects of the class – including communications – is yours. An interpreter or captionist if present can be helpful but you must lead the class by example, and perhaps by explicit rules, regarding communications behaviors in class. You may wish to read the “Rules” section under “Communication” for additional information.

If there are problems with communications on the first day of class, try to resolve the issues privately with the students (and interpreter or captionist if present), after class.

Require students asking or answering questions to raise their hands, and to keep their hand raised after you have recognized them until the deaf and hard-of-hearing students (or interpreter or captionist if present), have recognized who is speaking. Yes, this is awkward, but by beginning this process on the first day of class, you make it a daily classroom habit.

If you know a few signs (“good morning,” etc.), use them. It will make deaf and hard-of-hearing students feel welcome. But even more significant will be the effort you make in this regard during the term. If you continue to learn sign language (and other communications skills), and improve your skills during the term, it will have a beneficial effect on your relationships with these students.

NOTE: Please click on the icon at the left to go to a page with videos of a number of ‘survival signs’ that you can study as a way to begin learning sign language.

Finally, take a few minutes to introduce yourself to the deaf and hard-of-hearing students and to any support personnel that may be in your class.