Deaf ESL Students - Gallaudet University

ing suggestions and asking questions as
the students compiled their information
and brought it to class. Before students
selected their masks, each selected
his or her country. This was a
critical decision. Some students had
taken art classes and others had not.
Students’ talents, backgrounds, and
experiences varied enormously. So
before they chose the masks they
would recreate, students were asked to
assess themselves and their art skills.
There was no point in a student
attempting to recreate an elaborate
and complex mask if he or she did not
have the resources.
Resources and Time
Creating the Masks
Each student had to locate the country
he or she had selected on a map, trace
its outline, and color in his or her own
map. They had to be sure to include
the surrounding countries and bodies
of water or land formations that might
have influenced the materials incorporated
in the region’s masks. Students
had to include directionality in the
form of a compass rose. The students
then made rough sketches of the
masks that they selected and a list of
the materials that would be required.
Next, students conferenced individually
with me. Once approval was
given, students began to apply the
Spring 2000
knowledge that they had gained. As
they worked on their masks, they
began to learn another skill—how to
budget their time.
Exploring Language
Paragraphs and Presentation
Once the masks were completed, each
student had to write a paragraph
explaining important facts about his or
her mask and present it to the class. I
facilitated a discussion about maskshow
everyone puts on a mask occasionally
and how, maybe, this is a good
thing. Students also had to write a 150to
200-word essay in which they
explored a time they had “masked
their feelings” or “put on a mask.”
Students explored language through
this exercise. They received extra credit
for supplying explanations for the
terms “masking tape” and “masking
noise.” With writing complete, students
made presentations to another class—a
group of fifth grade deaf and hard of
hearing students in another school.
Reinforcing Learning
Baseball on a Cultural Diamond
After the students found all their information,
they submitted it to me and I
added it to my own and made up
handouts for everyone to study. Then
the students and I generated questions
about each country. Some of the questions
were deliberately crafted to be
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