Signing for academic success

NEA Today, Sep 1999

Name: Leslie Darling

Job title: Interpreter for the hearing impaired

NEA local affiliate: Lansing (Michigan) Educational Assistants

Experience: Five years

What I do: I facilitate communication between deaf and hard-of-hearing students and teachers, parents, administrators, and peers.

My credentials: I have a Bachelor of Science in psychology and an educational interpreter's associate degree.

How I help students achieve:

As long as a child requests an interpreter, then one is made available for all classes, extra-curricular activities, and school meetings. There are 11 of us at Everett High School. We do whatever we can to help the deaf and hardof-hearing students succeed here. Just last week, one of my students requested a note-taker during our first hour class, and I was able to get a volunteer. It really helped the child relax and concentrate on what I was signing to him, instead of worrying about taking notes.

I also work with five hearingimpaired students in a Communications Skills class, where we go over new vocabulary and practice American Sign Language skills. I also try to teach the students how to be better consumers and ask for what they need.

For example, we teach them how to use a TY, which is a small device that attaches to the phone enabling a hearing impaired person to type in what they want to say, while displaying what's being said on the other end of the line.

We also teach them their rights as hearing impaired citizens, such as the right to a free interpreter for extra-curricular activities or note-taking services.

How I team up with my colleagues: I keep communication lines open. I may make suggestions to teachers on successful techniques for teaching the hearing impaired, such as using overhead projectors and the blackboard, rather than just lecturing. I also help them find videos or movies with captions, and I give input at IEP meetings. We've built an attitude of friendly rapport that serves our students well.

To contact Darling, send E-mail to leslie_darling@hotmail.com.