Social status is a “position in a social system occupied by . . . individuals” who have a set of expected roles and behaviors they maintain based on their statuses (Schooler, 2018). Generally, individuals of a similar social status are linked by a common historical experience and participate in a specific social structure, or the existing pattern of behaviors and organization in society (Schooler, 2018). In the classroom, students can be taught a social structure through the curriculum and classroom climate. If, for example, teachers use class roles and/or instructional methods that do not cater to the needs of deaf students, it can encourage the idea that hearing students are of a higher social status (within the classroom) than deaf students. Therefore, it would be difficult for a deaf student to improve their social status within the classroom if teachers/students lack awareness about deaf culture and needs, and there is a discrepancy in the educational services offered to these students.
It is a sad reality that students can bully others based on their differences, or the attributes they find inferior, because they have never been exposed to them. However, changing the existing social structure between the deaf and hearing student starts with changing the way they interact with one another and finding ways to avoid the instants that can encourage bullying. Teachers play a crucial role in the social development of their classroom and set a precedent on how comfortable students feel in it and how they interact with each other. In order to establish a positive and healthy classroom climate, a teacher must be aware of her students, including those who are deaf or hearing impaired, and their unique learning needs (Hemberger and Morrow). Usually, inclusive classroom strategies focus on modifying instructional methods and social activities for students who have a learning disability or a behavioral disability. Assuming that learning and/or behavioral disabilities are the only possible disabilities your students may possess—or that students with a hearing impairment also do not have another disability—puts those students at a disadvantage. This is because instructional methods and social activities already do not consider that child’s hearing impairment. It also ignores how they may feel in the classroom and only helps to isolate a deaf student, which reduces their chances of feeling comfortable interacting with hearing students in the future and changing the organization of the social structure in the classroom.
In order to best help establish a positive and inclusive environment is to acknowledge a student’s hearing impairment, but allow this acknowledgment to be a moment of learning for hearing students (Hemberger and Morrow). For instance, if a deaf student is comfortable enough, teachers can educate hearing students about deafness and permit them to ask questions. Ignorance can cause irrational fear and/or discrimination against a deaf student. But teaching others about the disability can allow all students to recognize their differences, and show hearing students how students with a hearing impairment are just like them except they communicate differently and adapt to their surroundings based on their experiences as a deaf student. Additionally, this teaching moment can let hearing students become acquainted with an educational interpreter or the assistive technology deaf and hard-of-hearing students may use in the classroom, which can lessen the isolation of these students (Hemberger and Morrow). Apart from providing teaching moments on tolerance, this can help a student with a hearing impairment feel grounded and significant in the classroom, which fosters their confidence and self-esteem when communicating with others and participating in lessons and activities.
According to Charrow and Wilbur, educational instructors and interpreters must change the way they and other students perceive deaf students (1975, p. 353). For instance, deaf students can be perceived as a “linguistic minority” rather than a generally inferior population of students (1975, p. 353). By changing the way others look at deaf students, we can challenge the stereotype that these students are simply language-less or incompetent because they do not speak a spoken language. This acknowledges that a deaf student is intelligent and competent, but that the instruction and activities in a classroom is based off English as the dominant spoken language rather than the language that deaf student may be used to. Although it may not be simple and can work differently for various students, instructors and interpreters can alter educational services and instruction to meet the needs of a student who has a hearing impairment. For example, understanding the meaning of word problems in mathematics may be difficult for a deaf student. Therefore, interpreters must ensure that they relay to the student everything that is going on in the classroom and the processes necessary to solve the problem, so they effectively gain the student’s understanding. If a student feels out of the loop and becomes confused, they may shut down. Consequently, their participation during their math section of the class day can decrease, which can follow them into another subject, or for as long as they are in that classroom.
Apart from the way teachers can affect how deaf and hard-of-hearing students may feel in the classroom and changing the way others perceive the disability, additional educational services need to be provided to deaf and hard-of hearing students. These extra services can ensure that they make up for the discrepancy between the progress deaf students may achieve and the progress hearing students may achieve. This is because it can be difficult for a deaf/hard-of-hearing student to excel in an educational system that relies on the use of English to express—both orally and written—their knowledge in a subject. It puts deaf and hard-of-hearing students at a disadvantage from the get-go. According to the Commission on Education of the Deaf (COED), an individual educational plans (IEP) need to be developed for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and consider several factors: “communication needs and the child's and family's preferred mode of communication; linguistic needs; severity of hearing loss and potential for using residual hearing; academic level; and social, emotional, and cultural needs including opportunities for peer interactions and communication” (Department of Health, 2015). Likewise, the classroom environment needs to adhere to one of the provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that calls for the “least restrictive environment (LRE)” for a deaf student (Department of Health, 2015). This does not mean that a student with a hearing impairment should be placed in a classroom exclusively for students with a hearing impairment, but that mainstream, inclusive classrooms need to be better-prepped to accommodate both the academic and social success of deaf students and hearing students instead. If a deaf student is excelling academically in an educational setting, they may be less inclined to seclusion in the class, or participate more often.
Similarly, an educational interpreter must work closely with the general education teacher and other multidisciplinary teams to ensure that they are being consistent with the instructional methods that are modified for the student and the positive classroom climate being built and maintained for all students. Even prior to their arrival in the classroom, the educational interpreter’s role and responsibilities need to be established to avoid misunderstandings (Hemberger and Morrow). Misunderstandings can cause a deaf student to lose complete and unrestricted access to the curriculum and whatever else may be happening within the educational environment. Interpreters must be aware that communication is one of the key factors in ensuring a deaf student’s complete involvement in the classroom and in interacting with their peers. While an interpreter is meant to maintain a deaf student’s understanding, they should not ever be the student’s voice and make decisions for that student (New York State Education Department, 1994, p. 3). As previously mentioned, teachers can use some class time to introduce an interpreter in the classroom, if the deaf student is comfortable with it. However, if a student is not comfortable with an interpreter being introduced to the class out of fear of being ostracized—or even being put in the spotlight or any other reason they may have—then teachers and interpreters can attempt other ways to include them in the educational environment. For example, changing the placement of the student and the interpreter to another area in the class that allows for the student to be visible to the teacher, or vice versa, can remove the interpreter from being visible to all students, but still helpful and visible for the deaf student.
Although they are not the voice of the student, interpreters may still want to be aware of the cultural and experiential background of the student they are interpreting for. According to the New York State Education Department, interpreters need to demonstrate “specialized knowledge about deafness” (1994, p. 15). This specialized knowledge includes, but is not limited to:
Knowledge and understanding of the etiology of hearing loss; communications, educational and sociological impact of deafness; use of assistive listening and communication devices; the deaf community; political and social organizations of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing persons; principles and techniques of educational and other kinds of interpreting; and cultural and intercultural communication (p. 15).
Realistically, interpreters may not all have the same specialized knowledge that is stated in the guidelines, but their priority should still be the student and keeping that student involved in their classroom. An interpreter can still get to know their student, their past experiences in classrooms, how they felt, and what—according to the student—worked best for them previously. This can help to guarantee that the interpreter is implementing strategies to keep the student up to date in whatever educational setting they are in.
In conclusion, teachers and interpreters are the key for establishing a positive and inclusive environment in the classroom. If educators and interpreters educate themselves and hearing students about deafness and the deaf community, and provide efficient instruction and strategies to assist deaf students academically and socially, then deaf or hard-of-hearing can be more prepared to succeed in all subjects, especially in building relationships and improving the way they interact or are perceived in the social structure of the classroom. Moreover, they will feel significant enough in the classroom to alter and improve their social status and challenge those stereotypes that divide themselves and their hearing peers.