Practical example of a curricular adaptation of learning English as a Foreign Languages for deaf people.Our experience at our Language Center at University of Alicante.

1. Practical example of a curricular adaptation of
learning languages for deaf people.
Covadonga Ordóñez García
Head of Administration

2. THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION MEANS
AT THE UA
 B1 level requirement for all the students.
 B1 level requirement to apply for a scholarship.
 "We don’t want be exempted from the requirement
we want to improve our employability"

3. COURSES ATTENDED BY DEAF STUDENTS
 Italian from A1 to B1, 100 contact hours, 100 self
study. (One student)
 English A2 level, B1 level (Three students, three
courses each)

4. WHERE ARE WE COMING FROM?
 Starting levels: Absolute Beginners.
 ¿Oralists or signers?
 Our ignorance of the ways of teaching.
 Support from the CAE (our disabled student
support centre’s at the UA).
 Collaboration by the group of interpreters.

5. THE STUDENTS SAID:
 Adapt the methodology to deaf people.
 It is necessary that the interpreter uses Spanish
language signs, International Sign System and
English.
 Expand reading and doing many other jobs to
strengthen comprehension and writing. Practising
audio and oral, tells us nothing. We lose time.
 We need to display grammatical or structural
explanations of the theory followed from a book or
projection screen.

6. TEACHERS INDICATE:
 Material aspects.
 Lighting, blackboards.
 Position in the classroom.
 Interpreters.
 Personal aspects.
 Lack of understanding of the collective.
 Links with students and interpreter.
 Motivation.

7. THE CENTER SAID:
 Need for methodological advice.
 Need for interpreters.
 Preparation of performers and teachers.
 Increased costs.
 Small-size collective.

8. STARTING TO LEARN LANGUAGES IS LIKE
DIVING INTO THE POOL. ...

9. Before you jump you must prepare your springboard

10. HOW IS OUR SPRINGBOARD?
 Global reflection on guidelines.
 Current economic situation.
 Network support experts.
 Need for agreement among universities.
 Collaboration by deaf collective; need to meet
requirements.
 Collaboration with disability support services.

11. Ready, steady, go!

12. Centro Superior de Idiomas
Universidad de Alicante
www.csidiomas.ua.es
Tel. 96 590 3793
Fax 96 590 3794
E-mail: covadonga@csidiomas.ua.es
www.facebook.com/AlicanteExperience
Thank you for your attention!