Foreign Language Learning Experiences of Deaf and Severely Hard-of-Hearing Czech University Students
Bd.29,Nr.3(2019)
This paper presents qualitative research on the experiences and opinions of four Czech native speakers learning English as a second language all of whom are either deaf or severely hard-of-hearing and are currently pursuing or have recently finished university studies in the Czech Republic. Within the framework of an international project, the two male and two female respondents were interviewed individually in order to get an insider’s perspective on the needs, difficulties and preferred teaching and learning strategies of students with hearing loss. The descriptive-interpretative analysis of the data followed the principles of qualitative research and yielded four main themes: learning experience, motivation, teaching modality, and learning strategies and learner autonomy. The results highlight the importance of learning experience gained in primary and secondary education and the need for teachers who provide positive motivation for deaf learners and are fluent users of Czech Sign Language. The findings can enrich the knowledge of language teachers, teacher trainers as well as language policy makers and are transferable to similar contexts.
deaf; foreign language learning and teaching; motivation; learner autonomy; teacher education
Act No. 384/2008 Coll. on sign language and communication systems of deaf people. (2008). Retrieved from https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2008-384.
Act No. 563/2004 Coll. on pedagogical staff. (2004). Retrieved from https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2004-563.
Allen, T. E. (1994). Who are the deaf and hard of hearing students leaving high school and entering postsecondary education? Retrieved from http://gri.gallaudet.edu/AnnualSurvey/
whodeaf.html
Basovníková, S. (Ed.). (2010). Annual activity report Masaryk University 2009. Brno: Masaryk University.
CERMAT [Centre for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement]. (2016). Maturita bez handicapu. [School leaving examination without handicap.] Retrieved from https://maturita.cermat.cz/files/files/uprava-podminek/Podrobna-charakteristika-uzpusobenipodminek_ver2016.pdf
Čejková, I. (2018). Žákovské hodnocení výuky na gymnáziu: Výpovědi sexty A. [Students’ assessment of teaching at grammar school. Accounts of the class sexta A.] Pedagogická orientace, 28(3), 408–434. doi: https://doi.org/10.5817/PedOr2018-3-408
Český statistický úřad [Czech Statistical Office]. (2014). Výběrové šetření zdravotně postižených osob. [Selective Survey of Persons with Disabilities]. Retrieved from https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vyberove-setreni-zdravotne-postizenych-osob-2013-qacmwuvwsb#
Council of Europe. (2001). Common european framework of reference for teaching, learning and assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Csizér, K., & Kontra, E. H. (in press). Foreign language learning characteristics of Deaf and severely hard-of-hearing students. The Modern Language Journal.
Domagała-Zyśk, E., & Podlewska, A. (2019). Strategies of oral communication of deaf and hardof-hearing (D/HH) non-native English users. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 34(2), 156–171. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1581399
Dörnyei, Z. (2001). Teaching and researching motivation. Harlow: Longman. https://doi.org/10.1075/hop.5.mot1
Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (Eds.). (2009). Motivation, language identity and the L2 self. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847691293
Eilers-crandall, K. (2008). Reading and writing English as a foreign language: Factors leading to success for deaf adolescents and young adults. In D. Janáková (Ed.), Teaching English to deaf and hard-of-hearing students at secondary and tertiary levels of education in the Czech Republic (2nd ed., pp. 88–96). Prague: VIP Books.
Filozofická fakulta UK [Faculty of Arts CU.] (2015). Specifika výuky angličtiny pro neslyšící a nedoslýchavé studenty. [Specificities of English language instruction for Deaf and hardof-hearing students.] Retrieved from https://ujkn.ff.cuni.cz/cs/specifika-vyuky-anglictinypro-neslysici-studenty/
Fleming, J. (2008). How should we teach deaf learners? Teaching English as a written language to deaf European students. In C. J. Kellett Bidoli & E. Ochse (Eds.), English in international deaf communication (pp. 123–153). Bern: Peter Lang.
Fonioková, Z., & Sedláčková, J. (2013). Reading strategy instruction for deaf learners of English: Definitions, contexts and implications. In E. Domagała-Zyśk (Ed.), English as a foreign language for deaf and hard of hearing persons in Europe (pp. 135–152). Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL.
Gaustan, M. G. (1999). Including the kids across the hall: Collaborative instruction of hearing, deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 4, 176–190. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed/4.3.176
Guilloteaux, M. J., & Dörnyei, Z. (2008). Motivating language learners: A classroom oriented investigation of the effects of motivational strategies on students’ motivation. TESOL Quarterly, 42(1), 55–77. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2008.tb00207.x
Gulati, B. (2016). Visualizing: The most effective way to teach EFL to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. In E. Domagała-Zyśk & E. H. Kontra (Eds.), English as a foreign language for deaf and hard of hearing persons: Challenges and strategies (pp. 153–167). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Hájek, J., & Bojar, Š. (2013). Výroční zpráva o činnosti univerzity Karlovy v Praze za rok 2012. [Annual activity report Charles University in Prague 2012.] Praha: Nakladatelství Karolinum.
Herzig, M. P. (2009). Understanding the motivation of deaf adolescent Latino struggling readers (Doctoral dissertation, University of California). Retrieved from http://eprints.cdlib.org/uc/item/1r7825k9#page-104
Higher Education Act No. 111/1998 Coll. (1998). Retrieved from https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/1998-111
Holcomb, T., & Peyton, J. K. (1992). ESL literacy for a linguistic minority: The deaf experience. Retrieved from ERIC database (ERIC Digest ED353861). http://www.ericdigests.org/1993/deaf.htm
Horwitz, E. K. (1987). Surveying student beliefs about language learning. In A. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds.), Learner strategies in language learning (pp. 119–129). New York: Prentice Hall International.
Hsieh, H.-F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687
Janáková, D. (Ed.) (2008). Teaching English to deaf and hard-of-hearing students at secondary and tertiary levels of education in the Czech Republic. Proceedings 2004 (2nd ed.). Prague: VIP Books.
Kontra, E. H., & Csizér, K. (2013). An investigation into the relationship of foreign language learning motivation and sign language use among deaf and hard of hearing Hungarians. International Review of Applied Linguistics (IRAL), 51(1), 1–22. doi: 10.1515/iral-2013-masthead1
Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Machová, P. (2014). Metodika výuky angličtiny u studentů se sluchovým postižením. [The English language teaching methodology for learners with impaired hearing]. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Univerzita Karlova, Prague.
Masaryk University. (2014a). Zajištění přístupnosti Masarykovy univerzity pro osoby se zdravotním postižením. [Providing accessibility of Masaryk University for persons with disabilities.] Retrieved from: https://is.muni.cz/do/mu/Uredni_deska/Predpisy_MU/Masarykova_univerzita/Smernice_MU/SM08-14/Smernice_MU_8-2014.pdf
Masaryk University. (2014b). O studiu osob se specifickými nároky na Masarykově univerzitě. [The study of persons with specific needs at Masaryk University.] Retrieved from: https://is.muni.cz/do/mu/Uredni_deska/Predpisy_MU/Masarykova_univerzita/Smernice_MU/SM09-14/Smernice_MU_9-2014.pdf
MŠMT [Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports] (2017a). Rámcový vzdělávací program pro základní vzdělávání. [Framework Educational programme for elementary schools.] Retrieved from http://www.msmt.cz/file/43792/
MŠMT [Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports] (2017b). Rámcový vzdělávací program pro základní vzdělávání. [Framework Educational programme for secondary schools.] Retrieved from http://www.msmt.cz/file/43792/
MŠMT [Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports] (2018). Statistické ročenky školství výkonové ukazatele [Sstatistical annual reports performance related indicators]. Retreived from http://toiler.uiv.cz/rocenka/rocenka.asp
Mole, J., McColl, H., & Vale, M. (2008). Deaf and multilingual. A practical guide to teaching and supporting deaf learners in foreign language classes (2nd ed.). Direct Learn Services. E-book available from http://www.directlearn.co.uk/ashop/catalogue.php?exp=7|&cat=8
Moores, D. F. (2010). The history of language and communication issues in deaf education. In M. Marschark & P.E. Spencer (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of deaf studies, language and education (pp. 17‒29). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195390032.013.0002
Oxford, R. (2013). Teaching and researching language learning strategies. New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315838816
Parault, S. J., & Williams, H. M. (2009). Reading motivation, reading amount, and text comprehension in deaf and hearing adults. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 15(2), 120–135. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed/enp031
Pritchard, P. (2013). Teaching English to deaf and severely hard-of-hearing pupils in Norway. In E. Domagała-Zyśk (Ed.), English as a foreign language for Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons in Europe (pp. 113–134). Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL.
Regulation No. 27/2016 Coll., on the education of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and talented pupils (2017). Retrieved from http://www.msmt.cz/dokumenty-3/vyhlaska-c-27-2016-sb-o-vzdelavani-zaku-se-specialnimi-2?lang=1
Řehořová, Š. (Ed.). (2018). Annual activity report Masaryk University 2017. Brno: Masaryk University.
Sari, H. (2007). The influence of an in-service teacher training (INSET) programme on attitudes towards inclusion by regular classroom teachers who teach deaf students in primary schools in Turkey. Deafness & Education International, 9, 131–146. https://doi.org/10.1179/146431507790559996
Sedláčková, J. (2016a). Reading in English as a foreign language in deaf university students. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Masaryk University, Brno.
Sedláčková, J. (2016b). Challenges of the reading comprehension development of deaf learners in the foreign language classroom: Putting theory into practice. In E. Domagała-Zyśk & E.H. Kontra (Eds.), English as a foreign language for Deaf and hard of hearing persons: Challenges and strategies (pp. 109–134). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Simms, L., & Thumann, H. (2007). In search of a new, linguistically and culturally sensitive paradigm in deaf education. American Annals of the Deaf, 152, 302–311. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1353/aad.2007.0031
Švaříček, R., & Šeďová, K. (2007). Kvalitativní výzkum v pedagogických vědách. [Qualitative research in educational sciences.] Praha: Portál.
Teiresias [Centre for Students with Specific Needs Masaryk University]. (2018). Adaptace výuky [Instructional Adaptations]. Retrieved from https://www.teiresias.muni.cz/studium/radne-studium/adaptace-vyuky
Thumann-Prezioso, C. (2005). Deaf parents’ perspectives on deaf education. Sign Language Studies, 5(4), 415–440. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/26190781. https://doi.org/10.1353/sls.2005.0020
UNESCO (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education. Salamanca, Spain: UNESCO and Ministry of Education and Science, Spain. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/SALAMA_E.PDF
Univerzita Karlova (2017). Standardy podpory poskytované studentům a uchazečům o studium se speciálními potřebami na Univerzitě Karlově. [Standard support provided for students and applicants with special needs at Charles University.] Retrieved from https://cuni.cz/UK-8144.html
United Nations (2007). Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/convention full.shtml
Youngs, C. S., & Youngs, G. A. (2001). Predictors of mainstream teachers’ attitudes towards ESL students. TESOL Quarterly, 35, 97–120. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/3587861
Dieses Werk steht unter der Lizenz Creative Commons Namensnennung - Nicht-kommerziell - Keine Bearbeitungen 4.0 International.
Copyright (c) 2020 Jitka Sedláčková, Edit H. Kontra