Becky (review)

Reviews Reading and the Hearing-Impaired Individual, Robert E. Kretschmer, Ph.D. (Ed.), 122 pp., $4.95, The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 3417 Volta Place, N.W., Washington, DC 20007, 1982. Robert Kretschmer's monograph is a collection of selected articles from the field of reading. The first four articles deal with reading and the hearing population: Chapter 1 discusses vocabulary teaching strategies for word knowledge comprehension; Chapter 2 shows how schema theory can be used to approach students' reading problems; Chapter 3 outlines some perceptual aspects of reading related to eye movements ; and Chapter 4 shows how metacognitive knowledge can help students become more effective learners. Following the presentation of this research are five articles dealing specifically with hearing-impaired readers, focusing on topics such as teaching methods, print recoding, assessment approaches, and the development of linguistically controlled reading materials. Finally, Kretschmer synthesizes and applies this information to the reading instruction of hearing -impaired children and youths. I would recommend this monograph for students in teacher-trainee programs for hearing impairment and for professionals interested in staying abreast of current literature in reading. Jean F. Andrews, Ph.D. Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, Kentucky 40475 Becky, Karen Hirsch, 40 pp., $5.95 hardcover, Carol Rhonda Books, 241 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55401, 1981. Becky is the story of a young deaf girl, as told by the hearing daughter of a family Becky boards with while attending school. The book is aimed at the 5- to 8-year-old age group. Narrated in the first person, it matter-of-factly explains that "Becky can't hear. When she was a baby, she had a sickness that made her deaf. Even with her hearing aid, Becky can hear only big, loud noises. She can't hear our voices at all." This warm and sensitive story provides a brief glimpse into the life of a deaf child. It can help promote deaf awareness among children and the adults who read the book. By frankly discussing reactions of fear and curiosity about meeting a hearing-impaired person, the book shows that these reactions are normal and natural . At first, the two girls have difficulty communicating . They depend on gestures, then learn sign language. Becky also practices lipreading skills. The story includes incidents that illustrate the frustrations and joys that can be experienced by a deaf child, and it encourages better understanding of hearing-impaired people. Carolyn J. Hyatt, M.A. Career Counselor California School for the Deaf Fremont, CA 94538 Working On Words, J. F. Canney, J. P. Goldberg, and D. D. O'Connor, 260 pages, $10.50, Gallaudet College Press, Washington, DC, 1981. This book is a nice workbook for a junior or senior high school student who needs to strengthen his or her vocabulary. It may be difficult to motivate a student to work full time on this workbook, but it is excellent to use as supplementary material. Kita A. Spencer, M.Ed. Maryland School for the Deaf Frederick, MD 21701 A.A.D. / February 1984 5 ...