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Unlocking the Foundations of Reading for Learners who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Module 3: Special Considerations for Reading Achievement

Staying up to date on reading research while meeting and assessing the literacy needs of learners who are deaf or hard of hearing may feel like a juggling act. This module series is designed to provide educators and practitioners with what they need to implement best practices and provide access to reading instruction for each deaf or hard of hearing learner they serve.

This module is the third in the series and will dive into special considerations for reading achievement for learners who are deaf and hard of hearing. Some of the considerations that can impact literacy development are language deprivation, executive functioning, early detection and intervention, and quality of instruction.

This module is brought to you by The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness in partnership with The Teaching Diverse Learners Center at OCALI and The American Printing House for the Blind (APH). If you are providing instruction to learners who are blind/visually impaired, you can find the parallel set of modules in the APH Hive that will allow you to explore the process of teaching reading, examine how to strengthen reading skills for all students, and evaluate the impact of visual impairments on learning to read. Both sets of modules have embedded information from the Teaching Diverse Learners Center’s Ensuring Access to the General Curriculum for ALL Learners video series which explores strategies grounded in research in a 10-part resource designed to support all educators.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify three factors that can impact literacy achievement for learners who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Explain the long-term impact of language deprivation on literacy development.
  • Name two ways in which educators can intervene and decrease the lasting impacts of barriers faced by DHH readers.
Estimated Time to Complete: 1 hour

Angelica Gagliardi, M.Ed., Outreach Specialist, The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness at OCALI. Angelica Gagliardi, M. Ed., provides outreach services with The Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness. She was a Teacher of the Deaf for ten years serving students in residential programs, day school programs, and mainstream programs throughout her career. Angelica has a passion for literacy, which was the focus of her graduate degree, and is a Master Teacher for the Fairview Learning Program. She works as adjunct faculty at Kent State University helping our soon-to-be educators develop high expectations for Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners by using research-based strategies to provide full access to grade-level standards. 

Kelly B. Cartwright, PhD., Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Teacher Preparation at Christopher Newport University. Kelly B. Cartwright, PhD is Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Teacher Preparation at Christopher Newport University, where she directs the Reading, Executive function, And Development Lab (READLab), and is a Research Scholar for the Center for Education Research and Policy. She is the recipient of numerous educational awards, including the 2023 State Council of Higher Education in Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award. Her research, supported by grants from the US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, explores neurocognitive and affective factors that underlie reading processes and difficulties across the lifespan. Her groundbreaking book, Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators, now in second edition, is the first comprehensive text at this intersection. Kelly has served on the Board of Directors of the Literacy Research Association and as Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. She regularly works with K-12 teachers throughout the US to understand and improve reading for struggling students, and these experiences inform her research. Kelly can be followed on Twitter/X at @KellyBCartwrig1

Various organizations have approved modules and webinars in the Learning Hub for continuing education credit.


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Table of Contents

Locked Pre-Assessment Locked Early Intervention and Kindergarten Readiness Locked Executive Functioning and The Active View of Reading Locked Additional Considerations Locked References Locked Post-Assessment Locked Survey