Welcome to 15 Principles Training, !

The following 15 principles are best practices for how to read aloud to deaf and hard of hearing children. These principles were developed to give parents and teachers of deaf children skills and strategies for reading aloud in American Sign Language.

Introductions – Getting To Know You

Table of Contents

  • Introductions
  • Getting to Know You Quiz
  • Pre-Knowledge Check
  • What does the Research Say?
  • Observe
  • Fathers
  • Reflective Question
  • Key Takeaways

Introductions

Welcome!  We are thrilled for you to join us on this journey to understanding the 15 principles of Reading to Deaf Children. This learning journey will provide you with the following components:

  • We will share some research-based principles that illustrate the best methods for reading aloud in American Sign Language (ASL) to deaf and hard of hearing children. From research, evidence shows that reading to deaf and hard of hearing children using ASL has a positive impact on the development of their literacy skills, among other skills. 

  • Like we shared earlier in the Learning Plan introduction, the 15 principles were developed based on information gathered from how Deaf parents read to their Deaf children. From these observations through video documentation, specific approaches emerged that families used during their story sharing.  

  • Each Principle will be discussed in detail, and how they play a role in literacy development in deaf children. You will have opportunities to see several videos of reading aloud to deaf children in action.

  • Language and cultural factors will be discussed to show their connection to the story reading process, and how they play a critical role in language & literacy development.

Getting to Know You Quiz

Pre-Knowledge Check

What does the Research Say?

“The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.” ~ National Academy of Education, Commission on Reading, 1985


In 1985, after analyzing 10,000 different research reports, the National Academy of Education, Commission on Reading, decided that reading aloud to children is the most important factor in success. Research has also shown that Deaf children with Deaf parents showed higher levels of academic achievement. Many hearing parents and caregivers know they should read to their deaf and hard of hearing children, but they feel they don’t know how. 


David R. Schleper, who created the Shared Reading Project, wondered what Deaf parents were doing when reading to their Deaf children so he started to look at the research conducted with them.

To download the PDF below, click the three dots in the top right corner. 

Observe

Observe

As you learned about your role earlier, one of your tasks will be to train tutors in how to use these principles. So, given that, it is very important for you to understand each of them and how they work together. Researchers watched a deaf adult read to a deaf child. Let’s do the same thing now and see what behaviors the adult uses when reading to the child.

Please watch the video above, then answer the reflective questions:

Reflect

Reflective Questions: Did you see examples of the research illustrated in the video? What behaviors did you notice?

Based on what was learned from observing Deaf adults reading to their deaf children, Dr. Schleper wanted to find out what the impact would be if the principles he observed deaf adults using with their children were to be taught to hearing parents with deaf or hard of hearing children. And thus the 15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children and Shared Reading Project began its formation. 

Before we cover each of the 15 Principles, take a look at the Research section to explore more of the research that continues to support the 15 principles. 

Fathers

Fathers who read recreationally had sons who read more and scored higher than boys whose fathers did little or no recreational reading.

Janelle M. Gray, “Reading Achievement and Autonomy as a Function of Father-to-Son Reading” (master’s thesis, California State University, Stanislaus, CA, 1991)

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The research on hearing children shows that having the father or another male adult read to children has a definite impact on a child’s achievement. And families where fathers read recreationally, had sons who read more.

Reflective Question

1. What is the same about deaf children and hearing children in terms of language development?

2. What impact do fathers have when reading to children?

3. What are some of the things deaf mothers do when reading to their children?

Key Takeaways

Reading Aloud is Crucial for Literacy Development

  • The National Academy of Education found that reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for building literacy skills. This applies to both hearing and deaf children.

Deaf Parents' Effective Strategies

  • Research shows that Deaf parents use ASL, maintain eye contact, use fingerspelling, and connect stories to real-life experiences when reading to their children. These strategies help children engage and develop reading skills.

Bilingual Approaches Enhance Reading Ability

  • Studies confirm that teaching children using both ASL and written English improves their reading abilities by leveraging their cognitive processes and visual learning strengths.

Engaging Reading Techniques Improve Comprehension

  • Intentional strategies such as maintaining attention, elaborating on text, and connecting stories to the child’s experiences enhance comprehension and make reading enjoyable.

Parental Involvement and Expectations Matter

  • High parental expectations and involvement, including participation by fathers or male role models, positively influence children’s reading achievement and foster a love for reading.
Go to Module 2: Principles 1-5