‘It's more peaceful without any support’: what do deaf pupils think about the support they receive in mainstream schools?

Abstract

Our third article turns its attention to the views of young people on the support they receive in school, with deaf education supplying a particularly useful context to explore this issue. Here Joy Jarvis describes a research project carried out to establish what the pupils saw as facilitating or inhibiting their inclusion in a mainstream context. She concludes that in addition to the benefits of specialist teaching and sensitive support in class, more attention should be paid to the development of peer support.

Exploring the social inclusion of deaf young people in mainstream schools, using their lived experience

“…These factors are related to deaf awareness amongst hearing peers and teachers, which is positively related to the social inclusion of deaf children (Hadjikakou et al, 2008). This includes monitoring the behaviour of other pupils to reduce teasing and exclusion (Jarvis, 2003).…”

“…Peers can also facilitate inclusion when they accept and include deaf children, while anticipating difficult communication situations and filling the gaps in information (Eriks-Brophy et al, 2006). Deaf pupils often report support from friends in school both in terms of social inclusion and in lessons when additional explanations are needed and ideas can be shared and developed (Jarvis, 2003). At times being seen as different can lead to additional resources being allocated to deaf pupils and this can support an inclusive school ethos, which can be further supported by the teacher of the deaf who can raise deaf awareness within the school setting (Jarvis, 2003).…”

“…Deaf pupils often report support from friends in school both in terms of social inclusion and in lessons when additional explanations are needed and ideas can be shared and developed (Jarvis, 2003). At times being seen as different can lead to additional resources being allocated to deaf pupils and this can support an inclusive school ethos, which can be further supported by the teacher of the deaf who can raise deaf awareness within the school setting (Jarvis, 2003). As well as what others can do to support inclusion there are also certain skills and characteristics that a deaf individual can have that facilitate inclusion.…”

“…Findings suggest that deaf pupils are generally seen as unpopular by their peers, are socially marginalised and accepted at a superficial level (Ridsdale & Thompson, 2002). Overemphasis on the hearing loss can lead to unwanted attention (Iantaffi et al, 2003), coddling, low expectations of achievement, setting limits which can create barriers to teaching deaf students in mainstream classes (Eriks-Brophy et al, 2006;Jarvis, 2003). Teachers may struggle to manage or understand audiological equipment, which can add to the embarrassment that the deaf child may already feel from wearing hearing aids or radio aids that make their hearing loss more visible (Ridsdale & Thompson, 2002;Jarvis, 2003).…”

“…Overemphasis on the hearing loss can lead to unwanted attention (Iantaffi et al, 2003), coddling, low expectations of achievement, setting limits which can create barriers to teaching deaf students in mainstream classes (Eriks-Brophy et al, 2006;Jarvis, 2003). Teachers may struggle to manage or understand audiological equipment, which can add to the embarrassment that the deaf child may already feel from wearing hearing aids or radio aids that make their hearing loss more visible (Ridsdale & Thompson, 2002;Jarvis, 2003). Deaf pupils with a range of needs may have difficulty working collaboratively with peers or in joining in discussion type activities, preferring more practical lessons to language based lessons (Ridsdale & Thompson, 2002).…”