Examining Educators’ Perspectives Regarding Implementing a Bimodal Bilingual Deaf Education Pedagogy in a Regional Program
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Authors
Sumner, Michelle
Issue Date
2025-09
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
deaf education , bilingual deaf education , bimodal bilingualism
Alternative Title
Abstract
Historically, deaf education pedagogy has shifted between oral/aural instructional methodology and sign systems. The problem addressed in this study is that educators’ diverse perceptions can hinder the fidelity of implementing a bimodal bilingual pedagogy within the deaf education classroom. This leads to the perpetuation of inequities and marginalization of deaf students who use ASL and affiliate with Deaf culture and the Deaf community. The purpose of this study was to examine educators’ perspectives regarding implementing a bimodal bilingual deaf education pedagogy in a program in the Western United States. The translanguaging framework for deaf education grounded the study. Research questions asked participants about student diversity, methods of instruction, assessment, and benefits and challenges of bimodal bilingual instruction. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Eighteen educators participated in either a focus group or an individual interview, and responses were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: Educators prioritize language, vocabulary and self-advocacy skills by leveraging small group or individual instruction. ASL is used as the primary language for whole-group instruction. Deaf students' language needs and access to Deaf role models are prioritized over social integration in isolating mainstream environments. Active training is essential for effective incorporation of both ASL and spoken English instruction to accommodate language-diverse students. Finally, families need accessible resources for creating deaf-friendly spaces in the home. The implications of the results are that hearing educators should critically evaluate their own position, privilege, and power; training is a critical first step; regionalization and critical mass are critical for building language and self-advocacy skills; a formal language policy is warranted; and families need training and resources. The contributions to practice include addressing the gap between theory and practice of implementing a bimodal bilingual pedagogy.