Equal opportunities in mathematics: what does research on how young deaf children learn teach us?
Abstract
In this article we review research on teaching and learning mathematics by young deaf children. Research proves that deaf children show a delay in learning mathematics but reveals that the number development process should be very similar in deaf and hearing children. Previous and recent studies agree that the difficulties young children have in learning mathematics are linked to difficulties obtaining information in an incidental way from their environment. Considering deafness not as a cause but as a risk factor of difficulties in learning mathematics (Nunes and Moreno, 1998) opens a way of overcoming difficulties via adapting teaching strategies to the learning capabilities of deaf children. Research recommends taking advantage of deaf children’s preferred ways of processing information and of their better spatial processing skills. The reviewed studies reveal a hopeful future regarding the achievement of equal opportunities for deaf and hearing persons in this important area of knowledge.References
Daniele, V. (1993) Quantitative literacy, American Annals of the Deaf, 138 (2): 76–81. Fernández-Viader, M. P. (2002). Conceptos: Bilingüismo-Biculturalismo. Avanzando en la respuesta educativa para los sordos. Jornadas “Las niñas y los niños sordos en la escuela. Perspectivas educativas”. Córdoba, 14–17 noviembre.
Fridriksson, T., & Stewart, D. (1988). From the concrete to the abstract: Mathematics for deaf children. American Annals of the Deaf, 133 (1): 51–55.
Frostad, P. (1999). Deaf children’s use of cognitive strategies in simple arithmetic problems. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 40: 129–153.
Fuentes, M., & Tolchinsky, L. (1999). La influencia de la lengua en el aprendizaje de los numerales: el caso de los niños sordos profundos prelocutivos. Revista de Logopedia, Foniatría y Audiología. Vol. XIX, Nº 1: 19–32.
Furth, H. (1966). Thinking without language: Psychological implications of deafness. New York: Free Press.
Hitch, G., Arnold, P. & Phillips, L. (1983). British Journal of Psychology, 74: 429–437. Kidd, D., Madsen, A. & Lamb, C. (1993). Mathematics vocabulary: Performance of residencial deaf students. School Science and Mathematics, 93 (8): 418–421.
Leybaert J, & Van Cutsem M. N. (2002). Counting in sign language. J. Exp. Child Psychology, 81(4): 482–501.
MEC (1996). Las personas sordas y su realidad social. Un estudio descriptivo. Madrid: Centro de Desarrollo Curricular.
Marschark, M., & Clark, D. (1993). Psychological Perspectives on Deafness. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. Hillsdale, New Jersey Hove and London.
Nunes, T., & Bryant, P. (1996). Children doing mathematics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Nunes, T., & Moreno, C. (1998). Is hearing impairment a cause of dificulties in learning mathematics? [In:] C. Donlan (Ed.). The development of mathematical skills (pp. 227–254). Hove, Britain: Psychology Press.
Nunes, T., & Moreno, C. (2002). An intervention program for promoting deaf pupils’ achievement in mathematics. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 7 (2): 120–133.
Nunes, T., Bryant, P., Burman, D., Evans, D., & Hallett, D. (2009). Deaf Children’s Informal Knowledge of Multiplicative Reasoning. Journal of Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ., 14 (2): 260–277.
Pagliaro, C. (1998a). Mathematics preparation and professional development of deaf education teachers. American Annals of the Deaf, 143 (5): 373–379.
Pagliaro, C. (1998b). Mathematics reform in the education of deaf and hard of hearing students. American Annals of the Deaf, 143 (1): 22–28.
Pagliaro, C., & Ansell, E. (2002). Story problems in the deaf education classroom: Frequency and mode of presentation. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 7 (2): 107–119.
Secada, W. (1984). Counting in sign: The number string, accuracy and use. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Serrano Pau, C. (1995). The deaf child and solving problems in arithmetic: The importance of comprehensive reading. American Annals of the Deaf, 140, 287–290.
Tolchinsky, L. (2003). The cradle of culture. (Cap V) Lawrence Erlbaum. Wood, D., Wood, H., & Howarth, P. (1983). Mathematical abilities of deaf school-leavers. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 1: 67–73.
Wood, H., Wood, D., Kingsmill, M., French, J., & Howarth, P. (1984). The mathematical achievements of deaf children from different educational environments. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 54: 254–264.
Zafarty, Y., Nunes, T., & Bryant, P. (2004). The performance of young deaf children in spatial and temporal number tasks. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 9, 313–326.
