Dialogic Teaching and Translanguaging in Deaf Education

This chapter proposes a pedagogical framework for deaf education that builds on a socio- cultural perspective and the role of interaction in learning. Pedagogical principles are argued that recognise the dialogic nature of learning and teaching and the role of language as “the tool of all tools” in this process. Building on established work on classroom talk in deaf education, the issues of dialogue in deaf education are extended to consider deaf children’s current learning contexts and their diverse and plural use of sign and spoken languages. Within this broad language context, the languaging and translanguaging practices of learners and teachers are explained as central to a pedagogical framework that is responsive to the diverse learning needs of deaf children. Within this pedagogical framework practical teaching strategies are suggested that draw on successful approaches in the wider field of language learning and take into account of the particular learning experience and contexts of deaf children.