The experience of deaf students in secondary mainstream classrooms

Abstract

Aim:This article aims to explore the classroom experience of students of secondary age who are deaf and who are being educated in mainstream secondary schools in England. In this approach, there is considerable emphasis on hearing the authentic voice of the students separate from the influence of their teachers and parents.Method:In-depth interviews were conducted in the students’ homes. Recordings of the interviews were transcribed and employed to identify themes in the data, adopting a ‘Grounded Theory’ approach. Further analysis of the themes led to a consideration of what implications there may be for the students, for the adults who support their learning, including educational psychologists, and for policymakers.Findings:The findings indicate that both the medical and social models of disability may need to be reappraised in terms of the framework they provide for guiding schools in educating their students. An alternative model, the risk and resilience model, is considered, which recognises the importance of the active contribution which the students may make in maintaining their placement in their schools.Conclusions:The evidence arising from this investigation suggests that the learning outcomes for deaf students in mainstream classrooms are finely balanced. Not to learn from the students about their experience would be to overlook a rich source of information on how schools and teaching might be improved and the underperformance of deaf children addressed.