This edited volume brings together diverse issues and evidence in two related multidisciplinary domains: bilingualism among deaf learners - in sign language and the written/spoken vernacular - and bilingual deaf education. The volume examines each issue with regard to language acquisition, language functioning, social-emotional functioning, and academic outcomes.

Biliteracy, or the development of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking competencies in more than one language, is a complex and dynamic process. The process is even more challenging when the languages used in the literacy process differ in modality. Biliteracy development among deaf students involves the use of visual languages (i.e., sign languages) and auditory languages (spoken languages). Deaf students' sign language proficiency is strongly related to their literacy abilities. The distinction between bilingualism and multilingualism is critical to our understanding of the underserved, the linguistic deficit, and the underachievement of deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) immigrant students, thus bringing the multilingual and immigrant aspect into the research on deaf education. Multilingual and immigrant students may face unique challenges in the course of their education. Hence, in the education of D/HH students, the intersection of issues such as biculturalism/multiculturalism, bilingualism/multilingualism, and immigration can create a dilemma for teachers and other stakeholders working with them. Deaf Education and Challenges for Bilingual/Multilingual Students is an essential reference book that provides knowledge, skills, and dispositions for teaching multicultural, multilingual, and immigrant deaf and hard of hearing students globally and identifies the challenges facing the inclusion needs of this population. This book fills a current gap in educational resources for teaching immigrant, multilingual, and multicultural deaf students in learning institutions all over the world. Covering topics such as universal design for learning, inclusion, literacy, and language acquisition, this text is crucial for classroom teachers of deaf or hard of hearing students, faculty in deaf education programs, language instructors, students, pre-service teachers, researchers, and academicians.

This volume provides a unique cross-disciplinary perspective on the external ecological and internal psycholinguistic factors that determine sign bilingualism, its development and maintenance at the individual and societal levels. Multiple aspects concerning the dynamics of contact situations involving a signed and a spoken or a written language are covered in detail, i.e. the development of the languages in bilingual deaf children, cross-modal contact phenomena in the productions of child and adult signers, sign bilingual education concepts and practices in diverse social contexts, deaf educational discourse, sign language planning and interpretation. This state-of-the-art collection is enhanced by a final chapter providing a critical appraisal of the major issues emerging from the individual studies in the light of current assumptions in the broader field of contact linguistics. Given the interdependence of research, policy and practice, the insights gathered in the studies presented are not only of scientific interest, but also bear important implications concerning the perception, understanding and promotion of bilingualism in deaf individuals whose language acquisition and use have been ignored for a long time at the socio-political and scientific levels.

This collection unites expert scholars in a comprehensive survey of critical topics in bilingual deaf education. Drawing on the work of Dr. Robert Hoffmeister, chapters explore the concept that a strong first language is critical to later learning and literacy development. In thought-provoking essays, authors discuss the theoretical underpinnings of bilingual deaf education, teaching strategies for deaf students, and the unique challenges of signed language assessment. Essential for anyone looking to expand their understanding of bilingualism and deafness, this volume reflects Dr. Hoffmeister’s impact on the field while demonstrating the ultimate resilience of human language and literacy systems.

A foundational textbook for students and teachers, providing a comprehensive introduction to bilingualism and bilingual education at individual, language minority group, and national levels. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book is the first edited international volume focused on critical perspectives on plurilingualism in deaf education, which encompasses education in and out of schools and across the lifespan. The book provides a critical overview and snapshot of the use of sign languages in education for deaf children today and explores contemporary issues in education for deaf children such as bimodal bilingualism, translanguaging, teacher education, sign language interpreting and parent sign language learning. The research presented in this book marks a significant development in understanding deaf children's language use and provides insights into the flexibility and pragmatism of young deaf people and their families’ communicative practices. It incorporates the views of young deaf people and their parents regarding their language use that are rarely visible in the research to date.

It covers a wider spectrum of barriers to learning than EngelbrechtAs Inclusive Education in SA. The title covers the content of the Education White Paper 6.

This collection unites expert scholars in a comprehensive survey of critical topics in bilingual deaf education. Drawing on the work of Dr. Robert Hoffmeister, chapters explore the concept that a strong first language is critical to later learning and literacy development. In thought-provoking essays, authors discuss the theoretical underpinnings of bilingual deaf education, teaching strategies for deaf students, and the unique challenges of signed language assessment. Essential for anyone looking to expand their understanding of bilingualism and deafness, this volume reflects Dr. Hoffmeister's impact on the field while demonstrating the ultimate resilience of human language and literacy systems.