Students' Perceptions of Instructor Performance in Specialized Professional Training Programs in Deafness: Recommendations for Teaching Strategies

Reported research on teaching strategies in professional training programs specializing in deafness is virtually nonexistent. The present study sheds some light on this area by analyzing students' perceptions of teacher characteristics within a graduate level department at Gallaudet College. Four hundred and fifty course evaluations were analyzed from 23 graduate courses. Students' responses to positive/negative characteristics of teachers/courses were rank ordered according to frequency of remarks. Data revealed that students valued instructors who had extensive knowlege in the course content, exhibited positive interpersonal skills, and were open to different points of view. Two unique teacher characteristics were particularly valued by students specializing in deafness: an instructor's ability to relate course content to his/her professional experiences with deaf people and an instructor's ability to sign for himself/herself in class.