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Count Us In: Achieving Success for Deaf Pupils

Dimensions of excellence

Dimension 1 Engages young people in the highest quality learning activities

This dimension is concerned with the learning experiences of pupils, the teaching process and how well the needs of groups of pupils and of individual pupils are identified and met.

Learning as personal development

Relationships, emotions and values play significant roles in enabling successful learning. Pupils achieve well within a culture where relationships are consistently friendly and trusting, with a strong sense of community and shared values. For deaf pupils this means a sense of community and belonging within their own local community and the deaf community. For pupils attending mainstream schools, full inclusion and being valued within this community is important but access to the wider deaf community may also be important for a sense of identity.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Strong commitment to understanding and valuing deaf culture in all establishments where deaf pupils are educated.

Prompts

• Deaf Awareness training for staff and pupils of high quality is an integral part of the annual school calendar in all schools with deaf pupils.
• Sign language classes are available through the extended curriculum and as part of the formal curriculum.
• Deaf pupils have opportunities within the curriculum to learn about deaf culture and community.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Significant contribution of deaf role models, both auditory-oral and signing, to school life.

Prompts

• Deaf adults and/or former pupils have an active and beneficial role in the school.
• Pupils have regular contact with deaf adults who use spoken communication and those who sign.
• Deaf staff are employed, where possible.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Regular, well-planned and evaluated opportunities for pupils to meet other deaf pupils, and to make links with the deaf community.

Prompts

• Staff are aware of the contribution the deaf peer group can make to pupils’ learning and broader achievements, and the research which supports this.
• Schools/authorities organise opportunities for deaf pupils to meet other pupils on a regular basis, for example, through provision of transport and high quality
  well-organised activities.
• Deaf pupils and their families receive information about activities organised specifically for deaf children/families by other organisations and within the deaf community, and are supported to attend when appropriate.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Deaf pupils who are confident individuals and are included in the life of the school.

Prompts

• Deaf pupils have regular planned and monitored opportunities to take the lead in learning activities.
• Deaf pupils effectively use a variety of communication methods for contact with other pupils.
• Hearing pupils are taught, and make effective use of, tactics for effective communication with deaf pupils and staff.
• Hearing and deaf pupils understand each other, and communicate at an age-appropriate level.
• Deaf awareness is incorporated into the personal and social education programme for the school and delivered by deaf pupils, where appropriate.
• Deaf pupils participate in all activities available through the school, including study support, and cultural and sporting activities.
• Deaf pupils take on roles of responsibility within the school, and have opportunities to contribute to decision-making within the school.

Promotion of active learning

Learning is most effective when pupils experience a range of approaches to learning and teaching in a stimulating environment. Pupils become more active in their learning when the purposes of learning are shared, and when they are engaged and aware of themselves as learners. Because of their greater difficulty in accessing knowledge of the world and what is being discussed around them, deaf pupils may have significant challenges in understanding the purpose of what they are learning and how it relates to previous learning. It is important for their teachers to understand the impact of their hearing loss on their learning and to adapt teaching and learning approaches in the classroom to take account of pupils’ needs. In particular, they need to be explicit about what they are looking for, encourage deaf pupils to express views and ask questions, and regularly check their understanding of key ideas.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

A wide range of learning and teaching approaches which enable deaf pupils to become successful learners.

Prompts

• Pre-teaching and/or opportunities for consolidation ensure pupils have followed lessons fully.
• Teachers regularly check to ensure that pupils have understood teaching points and instructions.
• Teachers understand what deaf pupils are communicating and always take time to hear the contributions of deaf pupils.
• Pupils understand what teachers are saying through audition, lipreading/ speechreading, signed support or interpreting.
• Visual approaches are used to support learning.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Full involvement of deaf pupils in all aspects of learning in the class, enabling them to become effective contributors.

Prompts

• Deaf pupils have appropriate support so that they are able to communicate and develop their own ideas.
• When planning group activities, teachers take account of the needs of deaf pupils.
• In class, comments, questions and answers from other pupils are interpreted or explained to deaf pupils.
• Class teachers or support teachers regularly check pupils’ prior knowledge.
• Strong links between home and school enable parents to support development of a wider knowledge base for pupils.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Access to high quality technological support to promote independent communication and learning.

Prompts

• Professionals with appropriate expertise assess what each pupil requires to maximise hearing and access to learning.
• Pupils’ audiological needs are fully met through use of the best available technology.
• Systems are in place to ensure that pupils have replacement equipment and fast efficient repair services in case of breakdown.
• Each pupil’s ability to manage his/her equipment is well developed over time.
• Classrooms are always adapted to maximise learning, for example through avoiding extraneous noise, reducing reverberation and ensuring appropriate light for lipreading and signing.
• Videos are always subtitled and/or transcripts are available.

Meeting children’s learning needs

Identifying, meeting and reviewing the needs of the range of deaf pupils is a complex process, requiring specialist skills, flexibility and knowledge and understanding of the full range of research into language development. In particular, identifying their linguistic needs, and planning to meet them in order to reduce potential barriers to learning and participation should be recognised as an ongoing process, which may change over time, and which is central to the process of making educational provision for deaf pupils.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Access to high quality assessment and informed advice about the full range of language and communication choices, free from attitudinal bias, at all key points of discussion and review of children’s needs.

Prompts

• Professionals with appropriate skills regularly assess pupils’ language needs, for example, educational audiologists, speech and language therapists, educational psychologists.
• Pupils and parents are fully involved in discussion about how best to facilitate access to the curriculum and optimise language development.
• Parents have a named knowledgeable person who will give them independent advice and support concerning their child’s needs.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Appropriate levels and type of support to ensure linguistic access for all pupils.

Prompts

• Pupils have a range of communication options in school which include lipreading, radio-aids, group aids, sign support, BSL and interpreting between English and BSL.
• Professionals value English language and BSL equally and this is reflected in the advice given to parents.
• Sign-supported English is taught and used to support the curriculum for pupils for whom this is identified as best option.
• Pupils who would benefit from it are taught BSL as part of their curriculum.
• Pupils have access to very good support for developing auditory-oral approaches, including access to speech and language therapy if required.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

The highest quality support which is well planned and delivered by staff with appropriate competencies and experience.

Prompts

• Pupils are consistently asked about the support they need and how support staff, teachers, communicators and learning assistants can best contribute to their learning.
• Pupils are fully involved in discussion about how to organise any necessary tutorial time, and their views are given due weight.
• Pupils meet regularly with staff to evaluate the quality of their support.
• The support provided meets pupils’ needs very well and pupils are positive about their support.
• Where BSL is pupils’ first language, they are taught by teachers who are fluent.
• Pupils who require it have qualified interpreters to enable access to the curriculum.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Schools which ensure that staff working with deaf pupils are appropriately skilled and aware how best to meet their needs.

Prompts

• Teachers who wholly, or mainly, teach children who are deaf have the appropriate additional specialised knowledge, understanding and skills to enable them to operate as effective teachers of deaf pupils, as defined in Regulation 4 of The Requirements for Teachers (Scotland) Regulations 2005 and associated guidance.
• Teachers or communicators who act as interpreters for pupils using BSL have the appropriate level of skill.
• Teachers who have deaf pupils in their classes, but who do not wholly or mainly teach deaf pupils, have been appropriately trained and supported by specialist teachers so that they can ensure the needs of the deaf pupils are met effectively.

Dimension 2: Focuses on outcomes and maximises success for all learners

This dimension concerned with the curriculum, the learning experiences planned for pupils, and their achievements. It also considers how we judge how well pupils are doing, both individually and as a group, in relation to other learners, and how we engage with parents to support their learning.

Planning the outcomes of learning

Curriculum planning for deaf pupils needs to focus on ensuring that they achieve the outcomes of the Curriculum for Excellence. Planning should ensure that pupils have access to the same range of learning opportunities as other pupils, but also that they have their specific needs met through a curriculum designed to address and meet these needs.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

A curriculum for deaf pupils which takes full account of the principles identified in Curriculum for Excellence, is based on a clear identification of their needs and is designed to address and meet these needs.

Prompts

• Deaf pupils have the same access to subject choices in secondary schools as other pupils, with no unnecessary reduction to choice caused by tutorial time.
• Additional tutorial support in primary schools is carefully planned so pupils do not miss out on any specific area of the curriculum.
• Deaf pupils fully understand the purpose of learning activities, and what they have to do to achieve the outcomes required.
• Deaf pupils have access to specific programmes they need, such as programmes for learning BSL and awareness of deaf culture.
• Approaches to learning English language are adapted to take account of specific challenges for deaf pupils, and when pupils are BSL users, make effective use of their first language.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Joint planning among professionals working with deaf pupils which is regular, high quality and focuses on learning outcomes and strategies.

Prompts

• Staff who work together to meet pupils’ needs, for example, class or subject teachers and teachers of the deaf, have specified times to meet together to plan, coordinate and evaluate their contributions to pupils’ learning.
• Staff working together ensure pupils receive the appropriate support to meet learning outcomes agreed in their IEPs.
• Planned learning activities for deaf pupils, whether in class, small groups, or individual have a clear focus, enhance pupils’ learning and are regularly evaluated.

Assessing the outcomes of learning

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Engaging pupils in regular discussion about their progress in learning and the kind and quality of work required to achieve success in agreed outcomes.

Prompts

• Deaf pupils have the confidence and the opportunity to indicate to staff if they have not understood what has been said or taught.
• Tutorial time is used very effectively to help pupils to reflect on what they have learned, and through thoughtful and probing questions helps pupils to identify any areas which they have not fully understood.
• Deaf pupils and their parents are actively involved in assessments and their views are included in assessment reports.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Assessments in the classroom and external assessments which take account of the specific learning and support needs of deaf pupils.

Prompts

• When pupils undertake any assessments they have the same supports available as they normally use to access the information they require.
• Special examination arrangements are very well planned and have been discussed and agreed with pupils.
• BSL interpreters supporting examinations have an appropriate level of signing skills and subject knowledge.
• Pupils have had opportunities to familiarise themselves with and practise using special arrangements.

Reflecting and recording success based on outcomes

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Regular review and monitoring of the attainment of deaf pupils by schools and authorities.

Prompts

• Information about deaf pupils’ attainment is used to identify and address barriers to learning including teaching approaches and levels of support.
• Subject or class teachers regularly review with specialist support staff the attainment of deaf pupils.
• Profiles of attainment for deaf pupils reflect the profile of attainment of all pupils across the authority.
• Clear progression is evident for deaf pupils, for example, through monitoring of individual pupils’ attainment levels at all key stages.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

A strong focus on raising attainment and achievement, and high expectations.

Prompts

• Pupils are positive and ambitious about what they can achieve.
• Pupils are encouraged to have high aspirations for post-school life.
• Pupils have information about the support available for further and higher education and how to access it.
• Leaver destinations of deaf pupils reflect the profile of leaver destinations of pupils generally.
• Deaf pupils achieve as well as their peers in arts, sports, citizenship and enterprise.
• Deaf pupils take part in school councils, and take on responsibilities across the school.

Dimension 6: Works together with parents to improve learning

Works together with parents to improve learning

Parents of deaf children may have a wide range of experiences of what it is to be deaf, varying frames of reference and different degrees of awareness of the barriers to learning. Some may be deaf themselves. Some may have access to a range of communication approaches. Others may have access to spoken and written English alone. Some may face greater challenges than others in supporting their children and helping them to communicate. Schools and services need to take into account the full range of parents’ needs and skills when working with them to improve their children’s learning.

Developing parents’ support for their children’s learning

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Clear information for parents about education authority policies and the choices available to their children, based on the principles of informed choice.

Prompts

• Parents receive full and balanced information about the options for developing their children’s communication and are given the appropriate support to ensure they understand the information provided.
• Parents are informed realistically of the support available for different options, for example, whether there are the skills available locally to provide the curriculum on BSL, or support a child with sign-supported English in class.
• Parents are aware that decisions about support and communication can be reviewed and adapted at any time as appropriate.
• Parents are encouraged to seek independent advice and advocacy as appropriate.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

High quality accurate and balanced information to parents about their children’s progress in school.

Prompts

• Parents have a named knowledgeable person who will give them independent advice and support concerning their child’s needs.
• Information about their child’s progress is clear and unambiguous.
• Parents clearly understand their child’s current levels of performance.
• When a child is achieving more slowly than his or her peer group, parents and pupils have a good understanding of the reasons why, and of the steps being taken to support the child.
• Parents understand their child’s options and progression routes, and staff check that their aspirations are being met.
• Appropriate technology is in place to enable deaf parents to communicate with the school, such as textphone systems.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Strong links with home which enable learning to be continued there and which help parents contribute to their children’s learning.

Prompts

• Workshops and resource packs illustrating work in curricular areas are enhanced by specific advice and help, such as description of new concepts and vocabulary to be covered, visual resources and, when appropriate, signed vocabulary.
• Staff provide parents, particularly parents of younger pupils, with very regular, sometimes daily, information about what their child has been doing in school, to promote discussion and language development at home.
• Staff encourage parents to take active roles in their child’s learning, and pay due attention to parents’ knowledge of their child’s strengths, difficulties and learning styles.
• As a result of the steps taken by the school, most parents help their child engage with learning, sustain their attention, and develop their language and ability to communicate in a range of situations.
• As a result of partnership among school, parents and child, all have high aspirations and pupils are confident.

SIGNPOST TO EXCELLENCE

Active support for parents by schools and authorities to address their specific needs as parents of deaf children.

Prompts

• Through the quality of relationships among home, school, personnel from the education authority and other agencies such as health, parents have a very good understanding of the impact of their child’s deafness on his or her development and learning.
• Parents have access to high quality conveniently-timed classes in BSL.
• Parents have clear easily understood information about technological aids, how these can support their child, and how they can support their child in using them.
• Parents understand the latest technology available and other relevant issues.

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