Assisting deaf/hh students outside of the classroom can help with understanding notes and textbooks and develop study skills, as well as provide encouragement and foster self-confidence.
As their classroom instructor, make sure that the deaf/hh students realize you are as interested in helping them as you are the hearing students and will to overcome any communication barriers.
- When students do come for our office hours and an interpreter is not present, be sure to enunciate words clearly, facing the student while speaking, and write back and forth on the board, on paper, through texting, or on a laptop.
- For simple questions, you can also encourage students to seek your help via email.
- Some campuses may also provide tutors that are knowledgeable both in your content area and in sign language. If your campus provides this support, ensure that students are aware of this service, and communicate regularly with those support staff as they can be a valuable asset.
