How to Become a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Educator
Interested in becoming a deaf and hard of hearing educator? With a nationwide shortage of deaf and hard of hearing educators, learn how you can improve the quality of education for children with hearing loss.
According to the National Association of the Deaf, there are approximately 308,648 deaf or hard of hearing children between the ages of 5 and 17 in the United States. However, there is a significant shortage of teachers who are proficient in serving the needs of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) — in part because of alack of specialized training programs.
SJU News spoke with Brynne Powell, clinical assistant professor in the special education department and new director of the University’s deaf and hard of hearing master’s program, to explore what it means to be deaf and hard of hearing, and how to become an educator of DHH students.
What does it mean to be deaf or hard of hearing?
An individual who is d/Deaf or hard of hearing is diagnosed with hearing loss, which varies by type and degree. This typically requires services by a teacher of the deaf as soon as possible after the diagnosis, as DHH children are at risk for developmental consequences in language, literacy, academic and social emotional skills. It is essential for families to know all of their options and feel supported in their path of deciding what is best for their DHH child.
What inspired you to become a DHH educator?
As a graduate of a Jesuit institution where I received an undergraduate communication sciences and disorders degree, I had foundational knowledge of speech and language development, as well as audiology. During and after college, I volunteered in a Deaf community, where I was inspired to continue to work with d/Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. This led me to pursuing graduate degrees in deaf education and I have truly loved every minute of working with families and future teachers of the deaf.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your position in the industry?
Learning alongside the individuals with whom I am working has been the most rewarding aspect of being in deaf education. The field is constantly evolving, from new technology to new legislation. Through the positions that I have held in schools, as well as at the university level, I am grateful to be a part of various journeys.
Can you explain the need/demand for deaf and hard of hearing instructors?
There is an increasing need for teachers of the deaf nationally. The gaps in access to services, advocacy and research clearly demonstrate the need for more highly trained teachers of the deaf. This is what makes the Saint Joseph’s Dead and Hard of Hearing (DHH) program so unique — that it can reach individuals in various parts of the country because it’s offered online.
What skills do graduate students need to learn to accommodate DHH students in the classroom?
Graduate students need to learn how to accommodate the ‘whole child’ in order to help d/Deaf and hard of hearing students thrive in the classroom. Regardless of communication modality used and school environment that a DHH child is placed in, Saint Joseph’s graduate students need to become broadly skilled in forming positive relationships with children and their families, understanding language, literacy and social emotional development, engaging in technology and audiological management, and advocating for access.
What might a student-teaching experience look like? How does it strengthen their education?
Graduate students have a wide array of student-teaching options, depending on their local opportunities and interests. Students gain the experience of working full time, side-by-side with a teacher of the deaf while attending seminars through Saint Joseph’s. They can strengthen their abilities to work as a site-based teacher of the deaf in a classroom or provide itinerant services to DHH students in their surrounding areas. Not only do they acquire skills necessary to work in their local DHH schools and programs, but graduate students also gain invaluable knowledge from their peers of how services are provided in other areas of the country.
What can you do with a master’s in deaf education?
Students who attain a master’s in deaf education have the ability to gain state licensure in order to work in various educational settings with a wide range of diverse DHH students. It is my hope that these graduates will be teachers, supporters, advocates and researchers within the field.
