The impact of using a bilingual approach in writing instruction on the writing performance of deaf students

This collaborative study with a school for the deaf will investigate the impact of using a bilingual approach in writing instruction on the writing performance of deaf students. The study will provide information on students’ value using their first language, American Sign Language, to discuss their writing during peer and teacher conferences.

This research will provide information to educators of the deaf on using a bilingual approach in the writing instruction of deaf students. This study will be significant for teacher preparation programs that prepare teachers for the deaf on the value of using a bilingual approach to teach writing.

Participants will include seventeen 3rd grade students and their teachers from a school for the deaf with a bilingual philosophy in deaf education. Students will participate in the peer and teacher conferences during the writing process in their regular language arts classroom.

Writing samples will be scored by two raters. An interview will be held for each student on their value and perception of their writing. Interview data will be analyzed using the grounded theory approach. A focus group will be held with the teachers to determine their students’ writing performance perceptions.