This article was updated on March 13, 2024.
National Deaf History Month is a great opportunity for educators to teach all students about the history, achievements, and culture of deaf people. National Deaf History Month is celebrated from March 13 to April 15 each year in the US.
National Deaf History Month began in the 1990s, after two deaf employees at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC, began teaching sign language to other employees. This became a month to promote understanding of the deaf community that eventually inspired the National Association of the Deaf to propose a month-long national recognition period.
According to one estimate, about 3.6 percent of the U.S. population, or 11 million people, are deaf or severely hard of hearing. National Deaf History Month is a great time to teach all students more about the inclusion and achievements of deaf people in the arts, education, sports, law, science, and music.
Best Deaf Awareness Lessons and Activities
Share my lesson Teaching Resources for Deaf Awareness
Searchable by grade, resource type, and standards, this excellent collection of lessons focuses on deaf culture through the lens of history, literature, performing arts, language arts, science, and other educational topics. .
Movies and TV shows with deaf and hard of hearing characters
You may be surprised to learn how many popular movies and television shows feature deaf characters. Watching these shows can be a great way to engage hearing students with deaf culture, while also supporting and recognizing the experiences of deaf students. This Common Sense Media list can be filtered by age, from preschool to teen.
Deaf Awareness: 9 Ways to Communicate
Most hearing people do not know American Sign Language. What are some other methods for hearing and deaf people to communicate with each other? In this fantastic, free downloadable infographic, you'll find nine simple ways for hearing people to communicate effectively with deaf people, even without knowing sign language.
Jessica Flores Lip Reading
Comedian and deaf advocate Jessica Flores is not only very funny, but also an excellent educator and communicator. In this video, she helps hearing people understand how lip reading really works. Hint: it's not as easy as you might think.
A decade of bad lip reading in the NFL
More fun with the complicated business of lip-reading, this time with absurd dialogue perfectly overlaid on videos of NFL players. There's no way they said those words, right? So how come the audio seems to match his lips perfectly? Don't worry teachers, everything is G-rated.
Votes for women, a voice for all: Helen Keller, suffragist
Everyone knows Helen Keller for her achievements in overcoming the communication barriers she faced. But she was also notable for other reasons. A social activist, she campaigned for women's equality and the right to vote. This comprehensive lesson aligned to American Foundation for the Blind standards includes primary documents, activities, worksheets, and guiding questions.
Free sign language videos for beginners
Dozens of short narrated videos effectively demonstrate the basics of American Sign Language. Common words and concepts such as pronouns, colors, numbers, directions and much more are highlighted.
Alphabet sing and sign
From the Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel, this charming collection of videos combines songs and signs in an engaging and educational way. Perfect for younger students.
Learn more about a recent ASL star
Justina Miles recently made history when she performed with Rihanna at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show. Miles, 20, became the first deaf ASL interpreter in Super Bowl history and went viral on social media for his energetic performance. Talking about Miles' performance and story is the perfect introduction to a larger classroom discussion about what ASL is and why it is necessary.
ASL University
Created by a veteran American Sign Language and Deaf Studies teacher, ASL University offers free American Sign Language lessons and videos. Be sure to check out the creator, Dr. Bill Vicars (deaf/hh) on his YouTube channels. Signs and Bill Vicarios.
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet
Throughout history, deaf people were often viewed as uneducable and mentally deficient. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a giant in the field of education, believed otherwise and founded the first school for the deaf in the U.S. This biography explores his life, his philanthropic efforts, and his contributions to the education of the deaf. deaf
Pagans Among Us: The Origins of American Sign Language
What was life like for a deaf person in the 19th century? How did most of society view deaf people in the 19th century? This resource-rich lesson on the birth and proliferation of American Sign Language emphasizes understanding the social context of the time and how attitudes have changed.
Laura Redden Searing – First deaf journalist
Imagine the uphill battle a young woman in the 19th century had to fight to establish a career as a journalist. Now imagine she is deaf too: suddenly the hill is even steeper! But nothing stopped Searing, who was not only a journalist and editor, but also a poet and published author.
Charles Michel de l'Epée
Epee, a pioneer who founded the first public school for the hearing impaired in France, bucked the trends of the time and asserted that deaf people deserve education and equal rights. He developed manual language that eventually became French Sign Language (from which American Sign Language arose). Truly a giant of history.
ai-media.tv/ai-media-blog/famous-deaf-people-15-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-people-who-changed-the-world/” target=”_blank” data-url=”https://www.ai-media.tv/ai-media-blog/famous-deaf-people-15-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-people-who-changed-the-world/”>14 deaf and hard of hearing people who changed the world
From Thomas Edison to Helen Keller to Chella Man, these deaf scientists, educators, athletes, and activists stood out in a hearing world.
Deaf culture 101
From the Iowa School for the Deaf, this upbeat, frank, and fun video educates hearing people about the diverse experiences of living as a deaf person in a hearing world.
Deaf People Answer Commonly Googled Questions About Being Deaf
What kind of questions do Internet users ask Google about deaf people? If you guessed: “Do deaf people think?” Unfortunately you would be right. But hidden among the absurd questions are some really interesting ones, like “Do deaf people have an inner voice?” These and other questions are answered with insight, honesty and humor by the talented and engaging guides Mixxie and Lia.
Helen Keller | Author, advocate and activist
An in-depth, standards-based lesson on the achievements of Helen Keller, the incredible deaf-blind speaker, author, and activist who championed disability and women's rights. It can be shared through Google Classroom or via link.
History through deaf eyes
From the world-renowned institute of higher education, Gallaudet University, the online exhibition History Through Deaf Eyes explores the lives of deaf people and social attitudes toward deaf language and education through the years .
How do deaf people experience and enjoy music?
Hearing people may be surprised to learn that deaf people can feel, process, enjoy, and make music. Ask your hearing students to write down what they think music is like for deaf people. Have them read one or more of the following articles. Then ask them to write how their views have changed and what they learned about deaf music appreciation.
Sound system allows deaf people to experience music like never before Wearable technology allows deaf people to perceive music directly through their body.
How deaf people experience music The science behind hearing and how brain plasticity compensates for hearing loss.
Can deaf people hear music? (Answer: Yes, they can) How deaf people use vibrations and sign language to appreciate and interact with music
How do deaf people experience music? Shaheem Sanchez is a deaf dancer and instructor who learns songs through musical vibrations.
How do we listen when we can't hear? Grammy-winning percussionist and deaf artist Evelyn Glennie answers this question with insight and grace.
