Reading?...Pah! (I Got It!): Innovative Reading Techniques for Successful Deaf Readers

A reading program utilizing five components—a shortcut to phonemic awareness, Adapted Dolch words, Bridge lists and the Bridging process, reading comprehension, and American Sign Language development/language experience stories—was administered to 48 elementary school students at a residential school for the deaf. Data analyses reveal dramatic gains in students' reading levels and academic behavior, teachers' growth in reflective sign skills, and students' and teachers' overall growth in ASL skills, resulting in a more organized, consistent approach to linguistic input and usage.