The presentation was very interesting. It was amazing to hear Barb's story and actually experience what she was thinking. Often times people who have autism and nonverbal are such a mystery to others. I have heard many people say, as well as myself, "I wish I could get in their head and see what they see and think the way they think." The fact that Barb wrote a book and allowed us to enter inside her mind is amazing. When Barb talked about admiring the condensation on the side of a bottle to me was wonderful. It makes you learn to look at things differently and not take things for granted like we do every day. I like very much how Barb and Lois talked about how autism is just a different neurological way of thinking. Many people hear the word autism and think, "Oh that poor thing. That has to be so hard for them and their family." This is the wrong way to look at autism. People with autism are capable of achieving great success, Barb and Temple being great examples of achievement. When I graduate I would actually love to work with kids with autism. I have been looking into grad schools for ABA certification. I have worked with people 'with different neurological ways of thinking" for a few years and absolutely love it I am actually very excited because I just got a job at Breakthrough (an organization that works with adults with autism) here in Knoxville. I think that people need to open their mind up when it comes to people with autism or other disabilities. People who are close minded to this group of wonderful people are only harming themselves. I encourage everyone to work with a person with disabilities, they will make you see the world in a whole new light. I was fortunate to see Temple Grandin a few weeks ago and seeing Barb today was a wonderful treat. It is fascinating to think that she wrote the book even though it took her ten years to complete. Many people would have given up. I believe that Barb has accomplished more in her life then some people who are considered "normal" ever will in their life. I hope that all the soon to be teachers in room today took to heart what Barb and Lois had to say and hope that everyone will take a second and try to see the world from a different perspective at least once a day. 

Today in the discussion I learned the idea of a "model minority". Prior to today I had never heard of that term before. I knew the stereotypes that Asian Americans fall under but did not think of it as a model structure that we as educators almost push on these students. My thoughts about this were more based on the idea of the cultural back grounds of the different ethnic and socioeconomic groups. I strongly believe that many teachers follow stereotypes about their students because of the heavy undertones of society. I know that in the article my group read about multiculturalism and racism, it discussed the idea that the educational systems and processes continue to promote racism, sexism, and classism in the schools and in society. I am a strong believer that as educators and adults working with young impressionable minds, it is our responsibility to model tolerance of every individual. If we are aware of the issues of racism, sexism, and classism within the structure of society and fail to address the issue and model behavior that combats these problems, then we have robbed the students a chance to shape their future in a more positive light. 

I like how the forum articles linked together in a relevant way. I think that all the issues discussed today in class build off one another. I do not think one issue has stronger ties to educational issues more than any other. These issues have been always been present in society which transfers into the schools. Personally, I grew up without a real religious presence in the home. My parents are religious but never pushed the matter on me and my brother. Even though I went to public schools, it seemed that all my classmates were extremely religious to the point that I felt like an outcast because of my views on the institution of religion. I cannot count how many times people told me that I was going to hell because I did not have a religion. Which I always responded with, "You have to believe in God to believe in the devil and considering I do not then I am not too worried," or when I was not in the best mood, "I'll see you there." It was strange to me because in my first elementary school, an inner city school, actually promoted the tolerance of different cultures. Then I moved into the county schools where there was intolerance of any other religion that was not Christianity. I think that it is important that teachers try and promote the tolerance of others. Not only does this build a sense of school community but I also think that is helps reduce the issue of bullying. When students feel that they do not belong within their school then they are not going to want to learn. 

I 

Children who are deaf follow a similar language development as those children who are hearing. That is, if the children have access to language from the start. What do mothers, family, even strangers do to babies when they see them? They talk and talk to the baby even thought they know the baby can't talk back or understands what they are saying. However, this is how children develop language. If a mother or other family members did not talk to the baby from the start then the child would lag behind in language development. The same goes for babies who are deaf. If a baby is deaf what should the mother and family do with the baby from day one? Sign! Start signing to the baby so they do not fall behind. It sounds like an easy thing to do, however, there are several factors that make this difficult like hearing parents and deaf children. Looking at the chart on page 51, there are some things that differ from hearing children and deaf children in terms of language development. In children grades K-2, conversational norms would have to be modeled especially if the deaf student is mainstreamed and if they have hearing parents. Sign language, of course, relies on visual cues to indicate turn taking. For example, putting your hands down to your side or in your lap can indicate that you are finished conversing. Also, ASL does  use -ed or -s to modify words. For ages 3-5, ASL uses would not use the words -the or -a, no pronunciation (unless they were also in speech class), and no use of rhyming words. For 6-8, may have trouble detecting sarcasm because sarcasm is different in ASL and in English. For 9-12, may have a hard time understanding metaphors, proverbs, and hyperboles without formal instruction. If a deaf student is mainstreamed into the a public school, all of the nuances of English are not going to come naturally or through exposure. These things will have to be formally taught or modeled through the interpreter. Children whose first language is English, will be able to learn a lot of the strange nuances of the language through incidental listening where as the deaf student does not have the same luxury. A majority of the English nuances cannot be incidentally learned through the interpreter either. These are things that need to be formally taught in order for the deaf student to understand.   

If the teacher and interpreter are successfully able to develop a contingency contract with Luke, the best way to keep the corrected behavior constant is to have the motivation become intrinsic. If the teacher and interpreter, and maybe Luke's parents, extrinsically reward Luke's corrected behavior at the beginning and slowly remove the extrinsic reward, then ideally his motivation to continue the good behavior will become intrinsic. Once his behavior is intrinsically motivated it will help build his self-efficacy and his self-regulation. Once he gets his behavior under control, hopefully he can see the goals that is able to obtain when he works together with the interpreter. Hopefully too, through this process, Luke will realize that if there are issues that are troublesome he can talk to his teacher to feel more comfortable. When I think of self-regulation the first thing that comes to my mind is a schedule. If I write out everything I have to do and cross off completed goals, I am better able to measure my progress and over all increasing my self-efficacy. Maybe with Luke, having a schedule and list of goals that he can mark off through the day will help his self-regulation and self-efficacy. He can physically see when a goal is reached and know that completing goals and finishing tasks are attainable. 

In the case study with Luke, I would suggest that at the beginning of each week the teacher and interpreter help Luke write out a schedule for the week of what assignments are due and times he can work on them. Maybe the teacher could give Luke a special pen that is only used to cross off a completed task. Eventually Luke could learn how to write out and organize his own schedule, developing more control and autonomy with his school work. I know it helps me when I can physically see what is completed and what I still need to finish. Considering Luck is deaf, maybe making things more hands on and visual will help his self-regulation and self-efficacy. 

PLE 8 

In the case of Luke (the deaf student who has become uncooperative and unwilling to pay attention to the interpreter) one tool from the behaviorist view could be a contingency contract between all parties involved- the teacher, interpreter, and the student. Once the teacher makes an appointment or call his parents and discusses possibilities as to why Luke has been misbehaving, the teacher and the interpreter can work out a contingency contract with Luke. Hopefully once the teacher talks with the parents and maybe gets more incite as to what is causing Luke's behavior, she can better figure out a way to develop a contract that can help Luke get back on track. Once the teacher and the interpreter figure out the student's antecedent that is causing the behavior then the teacher can figure out what would be appropriate consequence. Also, in the case it might be beneficial for the teacher to partner up with the interpreter to work together on a way to correct the behavior. I really believe that there is no other real way to devise a plan of action without first figuring out what is causing this behavior. 

In the constructivist view point, one tool that could be used is to ask more question instead of telling. Instead of telling Luke how he must act maybe the teacher could use the interpreter to ask Luke why he is acting up. The only problem with this is the fact that Luke is not paying attention to the interpreter. I think that the only thing that will work in this case is by using behaviorist method. Especially since the student and the teacher more than likely cannot communicate directly. The benefit of a contructivist tool, asking the student and getting on his level, might make the student feel equal and not less than. However, the communication barrier is a problem considering he is not paying attention to the interpreter. Using social cognitive theory the teacher could use punishment in order to try and get the point across that his behavior is undesirable. Again, the issue of the communication break down causes a problem. If he is not paying attention to the interpreter then he might not understand why exactly he is being punished. It might not make sense to him. I think that using the behaviorist tool of a contingency contract once the teacher figures out what the issue is with Luke will be the only way to solve the misbehavior. 

(8.2)
In a case like this I would inform the deaf student, as well as the hearing student, that they need to work on the assignment themselves. I would encourage the students to try their best to do the assignment. I would tell them that they can do it, they are capable of figuring out the problem. It would be very important for me to encourage the deaf student and the hearing students to collaborate with each other, even if they get the answer wrong, because this type of work is very important for deaf students. Often times deaf students have weak or no conversational skills because there are not a lot of models for them in school or at home. Also, often times in a public school, deaf students will only talk to the interpreter because there is the common language between the two. Encouraging the deaf student to converse and with hearing students will help develop the deaf child's conversational skills as well as build a sense of community in the class between the all the students and allow the deaf student to feel included. So, in this case, it would be extremely important to encourage the students to work together. I would tell them to keep trying and tell them that I will interpret what they think between everyone in the group. Sometimes though, in groups with an interpreter, students tend to shut down a little bit because there is an adult in the group and see the interpreter as a monitor in way. Even the hearing students tend to do this when there is an interpreter in the group. I have to do my best to make sure that when redirecting occurs I need to do it in a positive way and make sure I make every student, deaf and hearing in the group feel comfortable.  

PLE 6

Constructivism- theorectical perspective proposing that learners construct, rather than absorb, knowledge from their experience 

This is the definition that the book gives for constructivism. If I were an interpreter in a classroom where this was the main theory used in practice, what strategies would I use to make sure the spoken message of the teacher and classmates are being accurately conveyed to the deaf student(s)? Well, my role and responsibility as the interpreter is to make sure I follow what the IEP requires for that deaf or hard of hearing student. That means that if the student's IEP requires ASL as the primary source of communication then I will use ASL to convey the material of the teacher and conversations of the students. If the IEP require I use SEE (Signed Exact English) or signed English, then I am required to use those modes of communication to convey the material. Also, it is my responsibility and role to match the signing ability that the student is currently at in their language development in order to make it where they can understand what is being taught in the classroom. In a consrtuctivist classroom, I can assume that the teacher will more than likely implement a lot of social interaction -group work- within the class. Also, I can assume that the teacher will also use discussion as a main part of his/her teaching style, too. In cases where the teacher does a lot of group work and discussion within the class it is important to stress that the teacher enforces the students to raise their hands and be respectful when it comes to turn taking (speaking wise that is). It takes a minute for the interpreter to process the spoken language and then produce that into sign. Giving enough time for the interpreter to get the message out and the deaf student time to process the information will ultimately help the deaf student understand the material better. Also, by giving enough time for these processes to happen, the teacher can encourage the deaf student to participate. Another reason raising hands and turn taking is important is because the interpreter also has to sign whatever the students are saying in discussions or when asking questions. I think working in a classroom where the teacher encourages group activity is beneficial for deaf students. It gives them a chance to work with others and maybe teacher their fellow classmates a few signs here and there. Often times in a public school, the interpreter is the only other person in the entire school who know sign language. Many times the deaf students only has the interpreter to talk to and has a difficult time interacting with their peers. Encouraging the deaf student to participate is very important. And a teacher can do this by structuring the classroom where the deaf student has equal opportunity as the hearing students. If a hearing student can hear something, then it is the responsibility of the interpreter to make that spoken language accessible to the deaf student. 

CSEL Case Study

In the CSEL case study for interpreting it discusses how a student, Luke, is shutting down and the teacher wants the interpreter to set up an appointment with the parents to discuss the issue.

Well, this request from the teacher falls out of the guidelines of an interpreter's jurisdiction. This is not the responsibility of the interpreter but of the teacher. Luke is the teacher's student and overall he/she is responsible for handling behavior issues. The interpreter is there to bridge the communication barrier between the teacher and the student. The interpreter is not in charge of handling issues that may arise with the student. The interpreter would not discipline the hearing students in the classroom. If I were the interpreter I would maybe try to talk to Luke again after class to see if he would open up a little, however, the teacher needs to handle the issue with Luke.

This article (with the link attached at the bottom) explains more in depth the role of the interpreter in the classroom and why being a disciplinarian can actually worsen the communication between the student and interpreter.

"Communication Access Support

Educational interpreters provide communication access to students who are deaf or hard of hearing by faithfully and accurately representing the classroom instruction, teacher/student dialogue, and relevant sound information in the mode of communication used by the student. Depending on the language modality used by the child, the school will assign an educational interpreter who uses one or several of the following: American Sign Language, SimCom, Signed Exact English, Oral, Cued Speech, PSE, CASE, etc. The interpreter’s role is to ensure that the student can fully and effectively access all sound information. Interpreters can convey both what hearing people say and what the student with hearing loss signs.

In the school setting, an interpreter’s role takes on greater complexity because the student is not just a “mini adult” who is deaf or hard of hearing. The educational interpreter’s charge is to act in the best interests of the child. The interpreter will be taking into consideration an individual student’s language level, academic competency, social/emotional development, and interpersonal skills, as well as the professional guidelines of the school, district, and state in which he/she is employed.

Not a personal disciplinarian

Maintaining a healthy student/interpreter relationship depends on mutual respect and a shared understanding of each other’s role. For some teachers, educational interpreters are delegated the role of “classroom cop.” This occurs when a general educator lacks the competence or confidence to communicate directly with the student who is deaf or hard of hearing about problem behavior. Since the interpreter is an adult in a position of authority with an established relationship and he/she has the ability to communicate with the child, teachers often assume (consciously or unconsciously) that discipline will be handled by the interpreter.

This can send a mixed message to the student who is deaf or hard of hearing who realizes he/she is being treated differently than the other kids. It potentially leads to misunderstanding or role confusion for the student, i.e., “she’s upset with my behavior, should I even tell her I don’t understand what the teacher is saying?” In other words, the student may perceive his/her right to communication access is variable depending on his/her behavior. This scenario usually results in serious dysfunction for the interpreter and the student, and the stakes are high. Fall-out between interpreter and student results in a breakdown in communication access and flow for the deaf or hard of hearing learner. This must be avoided by a proactive strategy to which all parties agree that maintains focus on the classroom teacher as authoritarian and disciplinarian.

A Changing Role Based on Student Age/Grade

The interpreter’s role is a changing one—not only from student to student, but from early elementary age to high school. As the child matures into adolescent and teenager, the educational interpreter can play a significant role in empowering the student into self-advocacy. Encouraging a student to take a more active role in determining his/her access needs is crucial. Interpreters can assist in this process by shifting responsibility for communication access to the student. Before graduating, a student who is deaf or hard of hearing should be expected to know how to request interpreter support for classes and extra-curricular activities."

http://www.classroominterpreting.org/parents/Role.asp

PLE: Number 3: For Interpreting Students

(13.1) List five areas you will attend to as you work with educational staff to create a learning environment that is conducive to interpreting.

This topic is extremely important in the area of interpreting. As an interpreter I want to make sure that the teacher or teachers and I have a good relationship with one another. I want to make sure that communication is open between myself and the other team members for the sake of the student's learning. In the first section of chapter thirteen in the book it discusses how to create a setting conducive to learning.
Arranging the Classroom:
I know we have mentioned in class that teachers like to change up the seating arrangement in their classrooms. I remember when I was in middle and high school I liked when we would receive new seating arraignments; I liked the chance of sitting next to new and different people. This is very important for interpreters. When it comes to helping the student learn, the teacher and the interpreter need to work together to find the best seating arraignment so the deaf student can see the interpreter, the teacher, and the majority of the rest of the class. You want to make sure that the deaf student is sitting somewhere, without feeling isolated from the rest of the class, with visual access to his or her surroundings.
Establishing and Maintaining Productive  Teacher-Student Relationships: 
Every teacher wants their students to feel comfortable in the classroom. Sometimes, in public schools with only one deaf student in the class or school, there is a high chance that the deaf individual will feel isolated. They may feel that the interpreter is their only friend and feel uncomfortable talking to the other kids or even the teachers. Also, it may be the first time that a teacher has a deaf student in his or her classroom. Even out of the classroom settings, it happens that when people are conversing to a deaf individual through an interpreter they address the deaf person in third person. For example, "Tell him/her that the meeting is postponed until three tomorrow." It is important that a teacher does not do this to the deaf student. You are talking to the deaf individual the interpreter is only there to bridge the communication gap.
Creating an Effective Psychological Climate:
In this section in the text it mentions promoting an general sense of community and belongingness within the classroom. This is the main topic that Madison and I talked about in our presentation- building a sense of community. This is important for the deaf student in a public school so they do not feel isolated. It is extremely important within the younger grades so that children can starting building a relationship with the deaf individual. Also, younger children are often times easier to mold when it comes to explaining tolerance among fellow classmates and people in general. Teaching a few signs to the class could help break the ice and help build that sense of community in the class. If the teacher wanted to maybe ask the interpreter to help demonstrate signs that the teacher could use in the classroom daily. Also, an important thing that I would do as an interpreter is ask the teacher or teachers to stay in close contact when it comes to the lesson plans and class schedules. Allowing the interpreter to have access to any material prior to the lessons can help the interpreter do some preassignment. This can help the interpreter feel more comfortable with the material and also help the interpreter display the meaning of the lesson better to the deaf student.
Setting Limits:
This is another area that is extremely important for interpreters. Setting limits and outlining the boundaries of what the interpreter is responsible for can be one of the biggest struggles for the interpreter. In some schools you might be the first interpreter they have employed. They faculty might not exactly understand what your role is in the school. Some teachers might try to use you as a teacher's assistant or a monitor for the rest of the class.
Taking Individual and Group Differences into Account:
When it comes to deaf individuals, many hearing people do not know or understand about the differences between the deaf and hearing community. Deaf people have their own history, their own battles with inequality and oppression, and their own language. When people ask me what my major is I cannot just say, "Educational Interpreting", and be done with the conversation. When I reply to people it is also followed up by an explanation that there is a history and cultured tied to the deaf community. Sometimes when students do not understand something or see it as different they shy away from those people. In this area, I would talk to teachers before class starts and talk to the teacher about incorporating signs within the lessons so the other students can learn signs. Many people think too that where ever the student or students go within the school the interpreter is closely following behind. That is not the case. When it comes to recess and lunch, the student is on their own. Helping making the student feel comfortable and the other students around the deaf student will help benefit everyone. The deaf student will not feel so isolated and other children will learn to accept others for the way they are and not judge others. The following website below touches on some information about deaf culture.

http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/deaf-culture.html

PLE: Number 2 :Motivation

Motivation: directs behavior toward particular goals
Growing up I feel that my parents, whether they were consciously aware of it or not, used social cognitive theory as their main parenting style. My parents were firm believers in learning right from wrong through your actions and consequences. They started off with strict rules for my brother and I and eventually the restrictions became less severe. Eventually, the need for correction was not necessary. My brother and I knew what we were to do wanted to do the right thing. Consequence was not our motivation to stay on task and complete goals. The feeling of know what was expected and the right thing to do was the motivation for our actions and goals. I feel this has stayed with me all through my life. Now when I need to complete a goal I am intrinsically motivated because I want to complete the goal. I feel like this is a wonderful way to help motivate children. If I were a teacher I would use this theory in my classroom. I feel this theory builds the most self-worth within an individual. A good way that a teacher could implement this theory in the classroom is by acting in a manner that is also expected of the students. It is not the only thing that a teacher needs to do but it is an important part of the theory. Albert Bandura, the leading psychologist in the development of social cognitive learning, felt that a person could change their way of thinking if exposed to other behaviors. "People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking," Albert Bandura. If I were a teacher another way I would use theory in my classroom would be to explain certain actions or scenarios so the students could evaluate and think and maybe discuss the issues involved. "If people are persuaded they have what it takes to succeed, they exert more effort and avoid focusing on their doubts when problems arise," Albert Bandura. I strongly, strongly agree with this statement. Children are clean slates, if they are encouraged and shown that they have control over the outcome of their actions then they are more likely to build a high sense of self worth. I feel that it is important in a classroom to always encourage students and help them find solutions, not settle with limitations. If I were a teacher this would be my goal: always find a solution to change the outcome of any situation.


   http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologyquotes/a/banduraquotes.htm
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NbTU1EivJs

PLE: Number 1

Although I will not be a teacher once I graduate college, I am interested in the theories and practices behind teaching. After graduation I hope to work in the school systems as an educational interpreter. Having some knowledge of different teaching methods will be extremely beneficial for me and my profession. With educational interpreting it is important that the interpreter and the teacher- along with the other faculty members- work together as a team. I have not had any field experience yet but in my interpreting classes I have heard horror stories- misunderstandings between the interpreter and teacher, lack of role definition, lack of cooperation, etc. I feel that if I have a better understanding where the teachers are coming from and the methods behind their teaching styles then a better line of communication can be open between the teacher and myself. Also, in this class I would like touch again on the different theories that were discussed in the previous EDPSYCH class (210?). My personal objective is to learn more about the teaching world and maybe shed some light on the interpreting world to the rest of the class.