NCJ Number
57106
Journal
AMERICAN ANNALS OF THE DEAF Volume: 122 Issue: 6 Dated: (DECEMBER 1977) Pages: 557-562
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO A TEACHER IN GIVING DEAF TEENAGERS ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES ARE DELINEATED.
Abstract
DEAFNESS LIMITS AND DISTORTS THE RECEPTION OF INFORMATION; CONSEQUENTLY, DEAF YOUTHS OFTEN HAVE A MISCONCEPTION OF THE NATURE AND CONSEQUENCES OF CRIME. HAVING DEAF STUDENTS READ INFORMATION ABOUT CRIMES IS OFTEN NOT AN APPROPRIATE SOLUTION SINCE READING LEVELS OF DEAF STUDENTS ARE NOTORIOUSLY LOW. ONE SOLUTION TO THE READING PROBLEM COULD BE PARTICIPATION IN READING-RELATED ACTIVITIES CENTERED AROUND THE TOPIC OF CRIME. CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES COULD INCLUDE (1) READING AND DISCUSSING WANTED POSTERS, (2) DISCUSSING JOB APPLICATIONS COLLECTED FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES IN WHICH THERE IS A QUESTION ASKING IF THE APPLICANT HAD EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME, (3) MAINTAINING STUDENT SCRAPBOOKS CONTAINING ARTICLES FROM THE NEWSPAPER ON VARIOUS CRIMES, (4) HAVING A POLICEMAN CONDUCT AN INFORMAL QUESTION/ANSWER SESSION ABOUT TEENAGE CRIME AS DESCRIBED IN NEWSPAPERS, (5) TAKING A FIELD TRIP TO THE LOCAL JAIL WITH A QUESTION/ANSWER PERIOD AFTERWARDS, (7) ROLE PLAYING OF VARIOUS CRIMES AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES, AND (8) DEVELOPING AND DRAMATIZING A 'NEWS BROADCAST' ABOUT CRIME. UTILIZING THESE APPROACHES COULD CURB ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SHOPLIFTING AND MARIJUANA SMOKING AND ADDITIONALLY MIGHT MOTIVATE DEAF TEENS TO IMPROVE THEIR READING AND WRITING SKILLS. REFERENCE NOTES ARE INCLUDED.