Department of Education

Region X
Division of Misamis Oriental
District of Villanueva
VICENTE N CHAVES MEMORIAL CENTRAL SCHOOL SPED CENTER

Success Story

Big Brother, Big sister Shared Reading Program

The program provides relief for the teacher considering the sped class for

CWHI is self-contained and multi-grade from k to Gr. 3 and Grades 4 to 6. Older

reader deaf students are helping the younger deaf kids get oriented with sign

language and its corresponding words. All the 32 enrolled deaf students are

diagnosed with severe and profound hearing loss, making it hard and difficult for

them to know and manipulate sounds in spoken words, which is the very basic

component of reading for hearing students. The older deaf students took months

and years of familiarity and diligent studies to learn to read. With the shared reading

program, deaf kids will lessened their spent time of practice because of the

availability of older deaf students inside the classroom. Kids who are just starting to

learn the basics of deaf schooling and non-readers are being helped by reader deaf

adults read through signing the basic words they need to learn for starters.

Because of the program, the younger children are at least learning words

referring to body parts, things in school, family members, simple commands

(action words), feelings and emotions, numbers 1 to 10, fruits and vegetables,

toys, knowing oneself, Dolch and high frequency words, etc. The burden of the

teacher is lessened and time consumption on task is on track. The belief that deaf

adults can better explained things to younger deaf students is indeed proven to be

true in this kind of endeavor.

 Aside building students’ motivation to read, the program also boosted the

social skills among students and self-esteemed particularly to younger deaf kids who

will not hesitate anymore to go to the older ones for queries and clarifications. The

concept of cooperative learning is slowly developed.

The Wednesday session with Jehovah’s Witnesses volunteers reinforces the

learnings of the students because standard sign language is practiced while

technology has been integrated into students’ opportunities to learn to read. There

are instructional materials that are only available to this missionary group and it’s a

massive help in their studies.

 Department of Education
Region X
Division of Misamis Oriental
District of Villanueva
VICENTE N CHAVES MEMORIAL CENTRAL SCHOOL SPED CENTER

I. TITLE: Big Brother, Big Sister Shared Reading

In this ACTIVITY,

1. OLDER DEAF INDEPENDENT READERS MENTOR YOUNGER

Department of Education
 Region X
Division of Misamis Oriental
District of Villanueva
VICENTE N CHAVES MEMORIAL CENTRAL SCHOOL SPED CENTER

ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT
Read Aloud Reading Program

Reading is one of the easiest ways to increase school readiness. Reading

to children builds their vocabulary, language and literacy skills, while improving
concentration, curiosity and memory. But for children with special needs or
disabilities, reading together is not always so simple. The type of story, its
illustrations, how the pages feel, or the way the story is told make a big
difference.

For a start, it’s a bit difficult but when the rhythm began to show, the
Read Aloud Program has built strong teacher-student relationship. Little by
little, special children are learning that reading too is fun for them. This is a
great accomplishment for us sped teachers despite the space limitations we
have since there are two classes sharing in one small room.

Sometimes it taught children coping skills which is so important in

shaping the appropriate behavior. Books are a great way to teach children
how to handle new experiences and stressful situations. The stories we have
read to them has let them understand, talk about and deal with everything
from starting a new school to the loss of a pet.

For the first three months of interventions, the motivation is starting to

build up and even without que or prompts, children would automatically go to
the book shelves to get some books to read. Even without knowledge on the
texts, the pictures and images have translated imagery into their minds.
 The routine is established and with continued intervention, it is hoped
greatly that sometime in the very near future, these children involved in the
program will eventually read.