Every Local Authority must make adequate provision for the range of needs within its education service. It is important to identify the role of the Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) and what it brings to the individual deaf learner and to the educational provision for that learner.

This is not an exhaustive list – some Teachers of the Deaf will not be involved in every item and there may be other situations where the ToD is expected to be active. Throughout this document the term ‘deaf’ is used to cover the whole range of hearing loss.

 

Who is a Teacher of the Deaf?

A Teacher of the Deaf is a qualified teacher with the skills and knowledge required to provide quality teaching to mainstream learners and with the additional mandatory qualification and expertise in teaching deaf learners.

 

What does a Teacher of the Deaf do?

 

1. Specialist assessments and interpretation of results

• • Fitting and monitoring assistive listening devices.
  • Contribution to mainstream monitoring and review of progress
  • Participation in multi-agency assessment to identify overall needs and progress of the deaf learner
  • assessing and monitoring educational and other outcomes
  • ensuring that schools and other settings apply for appropriate access arrangements for examinations and providing specialist assessments where necessary
  • Assessing the full range of communication and language levels: including use of sign and spoken language and any modes of communication
  • Monitoring the acoustic environment in the school environment and advising on ways to improve it for the deaf learner
  • Assessing and monitoring functional hearing levels
  • Testing and monitoring hearing aid settings
  • Testing and monitoring hearing levels
  • Interpretation of audiological information and explaining this to those involved with the deaf learner

2. Provision of advice

• • Delivering CPD to probationer teachers, mainstream colleagues and other professionals and agencies working with D/deaf learners.
  • Providing information about educational provision; early years/schools/colleges and other educational settings.
  • Sharing information about other support available.
  • Intervention and implementing strategies to meet identified needs.
  • Discussion of amplification needs and technological aids.
  • Sharing information about communication modes.
  • Discussing the implications of hearing loss with the deaf learner, parents and families, teachers, all involved agencies especially in the context of education.
  • Active participants in local and national working groups to advise on guidance and policy.

3. Direct teaching through an enriched language input through

• • post-tutoring.
  • pre-tutoring
  • individualised learning programmes
  • generic support
  • subject specialism
  • 1:1 with the deaf learner
  • team teaching
  • small group teaching
  • whole class teaching

4. Partnership working- A Teacher of the Deaf plays an important part in the production of joint assessments, target setting and programmes of work and visits to enable the effective support of the whole family. This will involve cooperation and joint working with a range of professionals in:

• schools and other settings, such as with Support for Learning Assistants and mainstream Class Teachers, including in supporting access to examinations
• audiology and oto-acoustics
• general practice
• early years and educational settings
• social care
• speech and language therapy
• CAMHS
• educational psychologists
• a range of educational support services.

5. Working with learners and families

• providing of clear impartial information
• enabling the learner and family to express their view
• facilitating family and learner access to professional and extended services
• providing relevant and appropriate support.

6. Continuing Professional Development

• keeping abreast of mainstream and specialist developments to inform practice
• keeping up to date with audiological developments and technological developments
• using assessments and interpreting outcomes
• keeping abreast of Scottish Government strategies in education.

This information was adapted from https://www.batod.org.uk/information/the-role-of-the-teacher-of-the-deaf/