Should Deaf Students Be Exempted from Standardized Tests?
Monday November 19, 2007
The New York Daily News (November 19, 2007) reports that a public secondary school in New York City, the American Sign Language and English Dual Language secondary school (formerly PS 47), did so poorly on standardized tests that it was "the single worst school in New York." The principal there thinks that at least some of his students should be exempted from the tests, because they often arrive having no language at all. Nationwide, students with disabilities are generally not exempted from standardized tests. Read this article and post what you think - do you agree or disagree with the principal of that school?
Comments
It is not what I agree or disagree with the principal of that school,
The question should be;
Why do Deaf students often arrive having no language at all?
We should get to the root of the problem about why Deaf students often arrive having no language at all.
What is the real culprit of deaf children having no language?… naive parents? oral only ideology education? forbidding sign language ideology?
Come on! Let’s get to the reality on deaf issues.
John Egbert
Getting the deaf people exempt from tests like STAR would go a long way to keep the ASL centrists huddled together like a fortress.
Yes, I do agree that the majority of deaf students should be exempted from taking tests because in frequent cases the tests themselves are pretty much biased because of the fact that these do not relect the experiences or the intelligence of the deaf students.
In case of this PS 47 school, I do agree with Egbert’s comments that we take a look at the causes of the problem out here. It is to my understanding that teaching in dual languages are pretty much impossible..much like attempting to speak English and French at same time ..leaving content that are being taught to be all bobbled up.
And if its true that these students had arrived with no language at all, it would only mean one thing…that they missed the opportunity to acquire the skill of developing speech/visual language at the age of three and six years old. And if its a secondary school…which meant very bad news for those students.
On other hand, I have my own experiences of being tested too much because when I was in school, I had to take more tests than my hearing counterparts..for that I really resented. It is much like being a guinea pig. I would prefer to take standardized tests for college application purposes instead of meeting some state requirements set seperately for the deaf and hard of hearing that had nothing to do with their future goals.
No, deaf students should not be exempt from standardized testing. Doing so would enable the teachers and administration to escape accountability for their failure to educate the students.
And John Egbert’s right. We also need to examine why those students are arriving to school without any language.
No, deaf students should NOT be exempted
from standardised tests. It should be
mandatory for all administrators and teachers to excel at sign language as well as to have higher expectations for students.
Absolutely not! There are many hearing foreigners who can’t read and write and they still take the test. Stop this nonsense! The NAD declined tax breaks! Same thing applies here! REAL-WORLD TOUGH!!! Actually, I DEMAND that EVERY Deaf student are required to take BOTH the REAL SAT and ACT!
AND NO WATERING DOWN VERSION OF ANY TESTS. STATE or SAT OR ACT. JUST SCRAP THE LAME SAT-HI.
The deaf children who arrive without language are immigrants, it is not all deaf children that arrive with no language, just some immigrants, but teaching a deaf chil english and ASL a little latwer in life may take longer to learn both well enough to do standardized test, especially english, remember these children often come from countries where sign is not used, or is but they are not taught well and therefore dont have a grasp of their native language to grasp a second,language
After teaching Social Studies Regents for 15 years, there were some Deaf students (who were considered on the borderline between IEP and HS diploma) having to work harder by attending tutoring and reviewing sessions. It forced them to know the standards and to improve their essay quality. I believe that by not requiring them to take the Regents will lower the bar so I would not recommend for these type of students. Deaf students whose strength are not in English are allowed to have test accommodations in their IEPs that ASL can be used to interpret, not necessarily giving out the meaning, the text to facilitate student comprehension and time extensions are granted.
However, the test is not designed for everyone including hearing students which is why we have State Alternative Test. It is for those who are not meeting the standards and have multi-disabilities.
Typically, Deaf students who don’t have a strong language foundation and receptive skills ended up with an IEP diploma. John Egbert raised a valid point that we need to focus more on WHY they don’t have language foundation. Unfortunately, they find that taking the Regents will cause them nothing but frustration and lowering their self esteem. Mr. Woo, it is true that it is typical for Deaf children who have no language are immigrants but it is still happening to our own American Deaf children arriving to elementary school without strong language foundation since their time was wasted with oral programs where they got to be labeled as oral failures mostly at the age 7.
This kind of topic is not black and white that we should continue giving Regents to ALL students.
First off, I do not agree with standardized tests in the first place. But since they are required by the stupid NCLB, then all students should be required to take the tests, regardless of disability or first language, or lack of a language. I do wish that there was some kind of alternate test available for students, one that focuses on evaluating skills rather than requiring one to understand English in order to pass it. Perhaps they could make a video test, where the questions are signed, and the student has to mark the correct answer. But I’m sure we are far from having that today.
As for John Egbert’s question: Why are deaf students arriving with no language at all? Since I work with these kind of children, I can see some of the reasons. These are not always immigrants. Some parents are simply clueless about sign language. Some parents don’t care and don’t take the time to learn sign language. Some parents are afraid that their child will never talk if they sign. Some parents learn a few signs, then think that they’re good enough and never work to improve. Whatever the reasons, it is always a sad thing to witness.
I’m not sure what approach this school uses, but the bi-bi approach has been successful. It IS possible to teach in two languages at once, but I have yet to be trained in it, so I don’t feel I am qualified to explain it here.
I don’t agree with deaf students being exempted from Standardized tests. Lowering the bar to let deaf students not be educated whatever reasons they are… is inexcusable. Deaf people are intelligent no matter what language they use! People still need to be educated and exempting deaf students from the Standardized Tests is not good. So, keep it up! Yes, they may have to work harder and longer but they’ll succeed in life than to be “spoon-fed” everything and not be assertive and take care of themselves! And Happy Thanksgiving!
Do NCLB really work? I do NOT think so. The research has shown that people do learn 85% from outside of the school setting. Thus, standarized tests are not necessary at all. Hands-on and going on educational field trips with full accessible of 2 languages ARE necessary. (Including at home - everyone’s comments are right re: lack of language especially from home)
Being a deaf student completely mainstreamed in the hearing public schools the entire life myself, I don’t agree that deaf students should be exempt from the tests. I was never exempt. The tests are challenges, hurdles that the disabled people should have to work so they can come out as stronger and smarter individuals. I took the SATs, the AP Exams, the ACT, and the STARS standardized testing. Did I get any accommodations or excuses? No. I was treated just like any other hearing student which was what I wanted. I wanted the equal right and opportunity to equal education. I wanted to push my limits and see how far I could get.
Here’s the proof. I am not trying to brag but I am simply showing you how I have performed given the fact that I push myself academically.
I have been a continous Honor Roll student ever since sixth grade, and currently I carry a 3.67 GPA with two classes in Advanced Placement. I am Captain and President of the Speech and Debate team as well as a contributing staff writer on the Tokay High Yearbook/Newspaper. I got an composite score of 28, out of 32, on the ACT testing. I hit “Proficient” in all sections for the 2007 STAR standardized testing. As a requirement to graduate from my high school in California, I have to pass the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) with at least 350 or higher out of 450. I passed with flying colors, with 447 on the Mathematics section and 450 on the English section.
As of May 2007, my SAT I Reasoning Test is 1770 out of 2400: 570 for the Verbal section, 560 for the Mathematics section, and 640 for the Writing section. I applied to only Cal State Northridge and easily was a shoo-in. So I am an incoming student at Cal State Northridge for Fall 2008, and naturally, all freshmen have to take the ELM (Entry Level Math) and ELP (English Level Placement) tests in order for the school to gauge their skills and place them in the appropriate courses. However, because I scored higher than 550 on both sections, I am already exempt from both tests. So basically as you can see, my future is very bright.
If I can do it, then why should the other deaf students not be able to do it? I am not saying the other deaf students should have perfect scores or anything. I am simply stating that the deaf students will never know their full potential until the teachers and family members push them, work hard with them, and do whatever it takes for them to have decent language exposure and comprehension. I just hate seeing disabled people use their disabilities as crutches in real life because then it’s a waste of potential within themselves that they could have expanded their horizons upon and used it to make a significant difference as a leader in the community.
No, i dont believe that deaf students should be exempt frm taking standardized tests. Many of them want to be treated like they are just as equal as hearing kids. Now having said that, if a child or their parents didnt want them to have to take those types of things while in elementary or high school, then send them to a deaf school. Many of those types of schools are run differently than public schools and just like private schools dont make their students take those types of tests, more than likely they wont either. As for the SATs and other tests, they shoud have to take them just like everybody else, but with someone to help if they get confused. The syntax in sign language is very different and many of the ppl i’ve encountered have horrible englis writing skills, not because they dont know how to write, but ASl is a way of life. Just like spanish, you omit some words you dont need, you change words around, you sometimes dont even need words, just a facial expression, and its hard for them sometimes to understand. And just like Samantha said, it takes alot of work and ppl pushing and helping them. Its not something they can do by themselves.
Now addressing the question of why dont kids come having learn language at all??
PPl think that learning how to speak when you’re daef is easy, I have a deaf friend who speaks, very well i might add, but it took her 12 years. 12 years of intense therapy, getting pulled out of class to go to these sessions, having to feel vibrations to know what the sound is like. Many of the deaf friends i have say that is the worst part of their childhood. And its not that parents aren’t educated about asl, many of them fear what they dont know. We could sit and debate all day long about what they need to do and how they need to do it, but ultimately, many of us aren’t in their shoes. There’s no handbook on how to raise a child or what’s the right way or the wrong way.