This Pre-Kindergarten Deaf and Hard of Hearing classroom is purposefully planned to support students’ physical, social-emotional and cognitive learning needs through large and small group instruction and facilitated peer-to-peer play. In this video, Molly Herman and Michelle Wolfe will introduce you to the “why, what, and how” of their classroom for young children who have mild to significant hearing loss. Each part of the learning environment is focused on maximizing student emotional and physical safety through theme-based, differentiated, and adaptive learning experiences. The classroom’s centers extend learning through adult-supported/individual learning as well as peer-to-peer investigation, exploration, and seizes on opportunities to enhance the “fun” of purposeful play.
Pay special attention to how the classroom’s environment and learning activities are organized to 1) support student ownership of classroom routines, 2) individual student choice-making with student management boards, 3) visually enhanced independent and student-to-student ownership of learning and lots and lots of visual cuing in literacy, writing, math, interactive ABCs, and community study family link, and 4) large group adaptations through preferential and alternative seating, student-interest aligned activities and technology. (2e-Organizing Physical Environment: There is total alignment between the learning activities and the physical environment; Distinguished).
