Language skills and learning preferences of deaf and hard of hearing students

The reasons for our project remain the same as at the time of application. Knowledge of foreign languages is essential for improving educational, social, and professional opportunities. However, gaining proficiency in a foreign language is particularly challenging for Deaf, deaf, and hard of hearing (DHH) learners, and our project aimed to address these challenges. DHH learners often have limited access to learning audio-oral languages, focusing primarily on the written form. Communicative teaching methods are less accessible, and mainstream teaching materials often lack cultural relevance. The field of teaching foreign languages to DHH learners has only recently begun receiving proper attention and faces a scarcity of culturally appropriate resources (Domagała-Zyśk 2015). Finally, research on Czech DHH students of English highlights their tendency to assign responsibility for learning outcomes to teachers (Sedláčková, Kontra 2020). DHH learners are often dependent on directed learning and lack study skills and strategies, which, alongside social and literacy issues, negatively affects their educational success.

The project aimed to: Empower DHH learners to become more autonomous and effective by exploring their learning styles and strategies. Provide DHH learners and teachers with adapted learning styles and strategies surveys to enhance learner autonomy and control over the learning process. Adapt an existing learning styles surveys suitable to the specific needs of DHH learners. Create a resource pack highlighting the benefits of identifying learning preferences to support self-reflection and motivation and providing tips on using these tools. Collect and analyse data on the prevalent learning styles and strategies among DHH learners, addressing the current lack of research. Share tips and insights from successful DHH foreign language learners to inspire and motivate others. Foster dialogue within DHH communities on the challenges and opportunities in learning foreign languages. Offer DHH higher education learners a unique multilingual and multicultural platform to exchange experiences and best practices. Promote collaboration and discussion with experts in the field of foreign language teaching for DHH learners to advance knowledge and practice.

The results and outcomes are: An adapted language styles survey for DHH learners available in English/International Sign (O1) Adapted learning strategies questionnaires for DHH learners available in English/International Sign (O1) Research into the area of language styles and strategies of DHH learners (O2) Learning styles and strategies resource pack for teachers (O3) Lesson plan on using the language styles survey (O3) Lesson plan on using the language strategies surveys (O3) Video bank of practical tips and strategies available in English/International Sign (O4) Tips for classroom activities to explore the video bank (O4) 3 international summer schools for DHH learners and teachers (C1, C2, C3); An international conference (E1) 3 national seminars for teachers of English as a Foreign Language to DHH learners (E2, E3, E4) 5 transnational project meetings A project’s website As extra activities, we also prepared Translation of the adapted learning styles survey into Czech and Czech Sign Language, and Polish and Polish Sign Language Translation of the adapted learning strategies questionnaires into Czech/Czech Sign Language, and Polish and Polish Sign Language A planned book dealing with styles and strategies in DHH learners - in the publication process with Routledge Dictionary entry with the newly coined project verb "to langskills" Dictionary description of Sign Language linguistic categories