BATOD recognises that some ToDs use the term 'hearing-impaired' synonymously with deaf.

Provision for the education of deaf pupils in Norway

Pat Pritchard (advisor), Vestlandet kompetansesenter

Norway is a large country with a small population, sharing borders with Russia, Sweden and Finland. The Norwegian school system is a comprehensive one, consisting of Primary school (classes 1-4), Middle school (classes 5-7), and Lower Secondary school (classes 8-10), leading on to compulsory Upper Secondary School. Children start school at the age of six. The government or local education authority fund all provisions and services to deaf pupils and their parents. It is estimated that every academic year provision has to be made for between 20 and 30 Deaf children. (The hard-of-hearing are a much larger group.)

During much of the last century the education of Deaf Pupils in Norway, as in most of the western world, was focused on the teaching of spoken language, its modality and form, as an external one-way process, which emphasised learning, practice and training (Ohna et al, 2003). Changes in the way Deaf children were perceived and our understanding of how language is acquired, ultimately made possible the enormous changes in the home and the educational opportunities for deaf children in Norway that have taken place since 1997. Prior to 1997, the organisation of the education of Deaf pupils varied throughout the country.

The 1997 Reform in Deaf Education
In 1997, reforms were implemented which radically changed the education of Deaf pupils in Norway1. The Norwegian Ministry of Education defined deaf pupils in 1997 as: 2…(those) who use Sign Language in communication with their social environment and to gather information. Functionally bilingual pupils can belong to this group. (Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement [KUF], 1997b p.2). The Ministry did not use a medical definition, but a linguistic one. By using Norwegian Sign Language (NSL), one is defined as Deaf.

The organisation of educational provisions
The education of Deaf pupils was no longer looked upon as ‘special education’. All pupils, including Deaf Pupils, were given the right to education adapted to their individual needs irrespective of the school setting. The inclusion of all pupils in their local school was one of the basic philosophies of the reform. Today parents can choose where their Deaf child is educated: at their local school, a local education authority unit for the hearing-impaired or at a school for the deaf. The country's four state-run schools for the deaf, which are both day and boarding schools, are part of the national resource centre system called Statped. (In addition, there are two deaf schools run by local authorities, a resource centre for Deaf pupils with additional handicaps and a centre catering for the hard-of-hearing.) Deaf pupils in local schools and units are given support from the local pedagogical psychological service and the Statped peripatetic service (Fylkes Audiopedagogtjeneste [FAP]). FAP is staffed by qualified teachers with a degree in deaf education or some other specialist field. They are based at one of the four Statped regional resource centres. FAP can call on a specialist team from their resource centre to assist locally (psychologist, speech therapist, sign language instructors etc). Statped also arranges courses for teachers, school leaders, parents and other family members locally and centrally.

Pupils attending local schools are entitled to a maximum of twelve weeks short-term stays at one of the state-run resource centres and schools for the deaf3 to ensure contact with a NSL milieu. All the resource centre schools have some qualified teachers who themselves are Deaf.

Statped, throughout the country, shares an IT system, so that information can flow freely between the centres and departments.

The National Curriculum for Deaf Pupils
The National Curriculum, implemented in 1997 is called L97. L97 for Deaf pupils is based on the principle that each child be given the opportunity to develop to their full potential in an environment which respects the child's language (NSL) and culture (Deaf culture). At the same time as the child develops a positive, confident Deaf identity, he/she should be helped to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in the hearing world. Bilingualism in NSL and Norwegian is one of the main educational goals for Deaf pupils. Through bilingualism the pupils can gain access to the curriculum and the socio-cultural values and beliefs of the Deaf and hearing communities.

Deaf children's rights to be taught in and about NSL were confirmed by legislation. NSL lessons are not a supplement, but an addition to the ordinary curriculum subjects. The number of NSL lessons is equivalent to the number of lessons all pupils receive in Norwegian during their compulsory education.

In most subjects Deaf pupils follow the ordinary L97 syllabuses. There are however, four syllabuses especially designed for the bilingual education of Deaf pupils.

1. NSL as a first language. This subject includes amongst other things, the study of NSL and Deaf Studies
2. Norwegian for Deaf Pupils. This syllabus is adapted from the ordinary syllabus, having the same cultural and subject content, but with teaching methods based on Deaf pupils' needs. The two syllabuses in NSL and Norwegian are closely linked, as between them they represent the Deaf child's functional bilingualism, and have equal status
3. Drama and rhythms. This subject replaces music on the timetable
4. English for Deaf Pupils (EfDP).

National examinations in Norwegian for Deaf Pupils, NSL as a first language and English for Deaf Pupils are carried out at the end of lower (O level) and upper secondary school (A level), giving Deaf pupils opportunities for equal access to higher education.

More about L97 English for Deaf Pupils (EfDP)
The Norwegian school system has a long tradition of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) to hearing pupils. 1997 was the first time Deaf Pupils were given the unquestionable right to EFL. The EfDP syllabus is based on a socio-cultural approach. It stresses that language is acquired through social interaction and the pupils' active use of the language and must be adapted to the needs of each pupil. The learning environment must also be adapted so that the pupil's hearing loss is not a hindrance for reaching the learning goals (Zahl, 2000).

The main goal is: ‘to understand English texts and use written English. Teaching shall stimulate the pupils to interact with people from English-speaking and other cultures and give them some knowledge of British Sign Language (BSL).’ (KUF, 1997c p 35). TEFL begins in primary school where pupils' first experience with foreign language learning is, paradoxically, not with English but with a foreign sign language; they discover, experience and explore BSL. This should give rise to curiosity about language learning and experiences that form a basis for discussions about language and other cultures. In Middle School, pupils continue to experience BSL leading on to English written and oral language. Because of the great variation in Deaf pupils' oral skills the curriculum states: ‘Training in spoken English must take place in accordance with the individual's abilities.’ (Ibid p31). ‘Pupils shall develop their skills to communicate with English-speaking hearing and deaf people’ (Ibid p35). Lower Secondary School concentrates on English. Pupils can however choose an advanced syllabus in BSL or English if they wish to work on one of these languages in greater depth. They can also choose to explore American Sign Language. In Upper Secondary School, BSL is again part of the English syllabus.

Knowledge of Deaf cultures from the English-speaking world is included in EfDP. Stone (2000) refers to Bienvenu (1992) who argues that Deaf pupils must be taught about their own culture and other cultures like their own. Bienvenu says that this will enhance the pupils' self-confidence and self-image. Pupils will develop pride and a strong cultural identity, which is important if Deaf pupils are to reach their full potential in the hearing world. A study is being carried out to assess Class 4 Norwegian Deaf Pupils' receptive skills in BSL. Results will be published later this year.

The Teachers of Deaf Pupils
Teachers in all school settings are required to have a formal qualification in NSL (a minimum of thirty credits). Teachers from local schools are required to accompany their pupil on short-term stays at the resource centre schools. In some school settings, additional teachers and/or interpreters are used.

Services for Parents of Deaf Pupils
The Statped system works closely with the medical services so that support can be provided to parents by FAP services as soon as a diagnosis of hearing impairment is made. The National Health Service provides all medical treatment and technical aids (CI, hearing aids etc).

Parents of Deaf children have been given the opportunity to receive forty weeks tuition in NSL, all expenses paid, from the time the child is diagnosed until their sixteenth birthday (Ohna et al, 2003). The objective is to give parents the means to communicate with their child and facilitate the child's language development which, in turn, should promote the child's social, intellectual and emotional development. The courses, which also include information about child development, services available, Deaf awareness and culture etc, are held at the Statped resource centres. There are also some provisions made for the rest of the family, neighbours and friends to learn NSL.

Current Concerns
Cochlear Implants
With the introduction of Cochlear Implants, a new group of Deaf children with unique hearing abilities has appeared. In Scandinavia there is a great deal of debate as to which form of teaching is best for this group of pupils. There will never be just one correct teaching method suitable for all. Each pupil has the right to education based on observations of his current level of skills and abilities in all areas and his particular communication needs at present to ensure unimpeded communication. Also to ensure each child a healthy social and emotional development and to provide an educational environment where the Deaf child, with or without CI, has access to the curriculum and all the activities in the classroom and in the school. To secure this, it seems that many Deaf pupils with CI do profit from bilingual education. See Preisler & Tvingstedt's longitudinal study (2003) of Deaf pupils with CI, carried out in Sweden.

Inclusion in local schools
In her study, Sørlien Barli (2003) questions whether it is possible to include Deaf pupils in the ‘public dialogue’ of the hearing classroom in local schools. She concludes that the situation for Deaf pupils, alone in local schools is often precarious, dependent on the local authority’s economic situation and a few key adults, often only one, who have some sign language competence. The child has to negotiate several different learning arenas, the local school and the Resource Centre Deaf School, that often have weak communicative and cooperative links. Schools could make more use of the videophone to improve this situation. In her study, Sørlien Barli did find that local schools were very willing to take on the challenge of educating a Deaf pupil and discovered some other factors that could be helpful in improving the inclusion of a Deaf pupil in a hearing classroom.

References
Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement (1996) Læreplanverket for den 10-årige grunnskolen. Oslo. Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement

Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement (1997a) Veiledning- L 97. Engelsk for døve. Oslo. Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement

Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement (1997b) Veiledning-Organisering av opplæring i og på tegnspråk. Oslo. Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement

Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement (1997c) Læreplanverket for den 10-årige grunnskolen. Norsk, engelsk og drama og rytmikk for døve. Oslo. Det kongelige kirke-, utdannings- og forskningsdepartement

Ohna S, E., Hjulstad O., Vonen A. M., Grønlie S. M., Hjelmervik E., Høie G. (2003) På vei mot en ny grunnskoleopplæring for døve elever. Evaluering etter Reform 97. Oslo. Skådalen publications.

Preisler G. & Tvingstedt A. (2003) Sammanfattning av en psyko-social uppføljningsstudie av barn med cochlea implantat i førskola og skola. Nordisk tidskrift før hørsel- og døvundervisning, 4, 13 - 19.

Stone, R. (2000) A Bold Step: Changing the Curriculum for culturally deaf and hard of hearing students. Spence, P., Erting, C. & Marschark, (Eds.), The deaf child in the family and at school. Ed. M. Erlbaum Associates. (pp.229 - 238)

Sørlien Barli, K. (2003) Døve i "den inkluderende skole". Skådalen publication series.

Zahl, T. S. (2000) Døves tospråklighet. Hvordan skriver døve barn av døve foreldre andrespråket norsk? Hovedoppgave. Universitet i Oslo

Notes
1 Read the Core Curriculum (click on læreplaner, core curriculum, English)
2 My own translation
3 Read about the National Support System for Special Education (click on engelsk)

Contact
Pat Pritchard (advisor), Vestlandet kompetansesenter

Top