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First-graders, hearing & deaf, sign togetherThe Capital Times
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- By Karyn Saemann
- The Capital Times
Tricia Meinholz's education began last year in a kindergarten classroom lined with alphabet posters. Alongside each letter was a corresponding American Sign Language handsign.
This year, paint smocks and building blocks gave way to the first-grade business of math, science and reading -- beginning with words, then whole sentences, then entire books.
But the sign language remained.
"Last year's hesitant conversations have blossomed into confident banter." |
In a continuing experiment that began in the fall of 1997, Tricia, fellow deaf student Tristan Bollig and a third hard-of-hearing student were enrolled in a regular first-grade classroom at Park Elementary School in Cross Plains.
It's been the job of Shannon Hastreiter, teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing, to help Tricia and Tristan wade through English grammar.
The third student, Cody, has some hearing and hasn't needed as much language assistance. His mother asked that his last name not be used.
American Sign Language, Hastreiter explained, forgoes word endings including plurals. ''Three dogs'' is simply signed ''three dog.'' ''Running'' is simply signed ''run.''
''I had concerns,'' Hastreiter said. ''For deaf students, English and language are difficult in general.''
But there's much more to this experiment. Tristan, Tricia and Cody aren't the only ones becoming bilingual.
In kindergarten, hearing students picked up ASL through a combination of playtime interaction and informal instruction mixed into the regular curriculum. This year they received formal, weekly sign language instruction. Last year's hesitant conversations have blossomed into confident banter.
''I wouldn't say they're fluent, but they know a lot,'' Hastreiter said of the hearing children.
The classroom in which Tricia, Cody and Tristan are enrolled has three full-time adults -- Hastreiter, sign language interpreter Sue Skalet and regular first-grade teacher Sharon Wirtz.
Chris Schjonberg said her hearing daughter, Olivia, is too young to realize how different her classroom is.
''I don't think they are aware of the fact that all kindergartners don't learn sign language. This is what they have done since day one,'' Schjonberg said.
''To watch them is just to be in awe.''
Park school reading specialist Cliff Kramer has written 20 early learner books that include American Sign Language and English.
Last week, he perched on a stool in Wirtz's classroom coaching several children as they read out loud. The rest of the class followed Skalet as she signed along.
Wirtz said her greatest concern was her lack of sign language mastery. She has worked at it but said she was glad to have a full-time interpreter in Skalet.
''It is really important to me to sign to Tricia and Tristan,'' Wirtz said. ''I want to be able to communicate with them. They know I am trying to speak their language.''
Jodi Klare, who takes over next year as the group's second-grade teacher, said she feels ''really fortunate to get them.''
''I get to learn a whole new language,'' said Klare, who along with other staffers has taken advantage of after-school sign language classes.
''This is going to be much more than a teaching experience.''
During a chance meeting at a shopping mall recently, Klare and Tricia had an entire conversation.
''Her mother said, `Maybe you'll have her at school next year.' And I said, `Maybe.' It was really cool,'' Klare said.
Tricia's mother, Nancy Meinholz, said her daughter's progress was aided this year by a surgically implanted device that captures sound waves in the inner ear.
The small amount of hearing that it provides was enough to bring a marked improvement in Tricia's speech and in her recognition of things going on around her, Meinholz said.
''If a teacher starts talking, she looks up at them. In the past, they had to tap her on the shoulder,'' Meinholz said.
But American Sign Language is still her primary language. That classmates know ASL is the key to her budding independence.
''It allows her to be comfortable with one-on-one conversation,'' Meinholz said.
Tristan's father, Kris, said he has excelled to a surprising degree in spelling. ''For him, that is a big advantage. There are so many words that you have to spell in sign language, where there are no signs for them,'' his father said.
There was never any doubt that Tristan would fit in socially.
''He's pretty outgoing,'' Kris Bollig said. ''We felt he was capable of going into a situation like this.
''It's been a really good experience. As long as the school keeps providing it, we want to keep him there.''
Cody is in a unique position to be around hearing and nonhearing children, both of whom have things in common with him. He would have grown frustrated with only one or the other, his mother Jackie said.
But whether Hastreiter and Skalet will continue to be a presence at the school comes down to money.
Last year, their salaries were covered by an $80,000 federal grant funneled through the state Department of Public Instruction.
This year, a hoped-for $35,000 grant failed to materialize, said Barbara Leadholm, director of student services. Federal assistance amounted to just $9,000.
The Middleton-Cross Plains and Wisconsin Heights school districts picked up this year's remaining cost. Wisconsin Heights is involved because Tricia's family actually lives in that district, just over the line from Middleton-Cross Plains.
Next year, the districts have a $23,000 grant and expect to contribute another $20,000 each, Leadholm said.
Schjonberg said she hopes the districts will continue to fund the program through high school if the grants dry up.
She sees far-reaching possibilities. Participating children could grow up to be interpreters, architects of homes for disabled people or advocates for those with special needs. ''It will be interesting to see what these children do for the rest of their lives,'' she said.
Posted June 4, 1999
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