TeachersConsiderDifferentWaystoTeachLanguage,CommunicationClasses
Howcanteachersbestleadlanguageclasses,specialeducationclasses,orcommunicationclasseswhileprotectingthemselvesandtheirstudentsThisfall,Americanteachersareconsideringthatveryquestion.
Withsomestudentscomingbacktoschoolforclasses,teachershavebegunexperimentingwithunusualobjects,specialkindsofmasksorfacecoverings,andevenprotectivebubbles.
StephanieWanzerisateacherwhoworkswithspecialeducationstudentsinFairfieldCounty,Connecticut.Specialeducationisatermforclasseswithstudentswhohavespecialneedsbecauseofphysicalorlearningissues.
Whileteaching,Wanzersaysshewouldlikestudentstoseehersmile,sothattheyknowsheishappy.Buttheycannotseeherfacebecauseofhermask.Instead,Wanzerusesanunusualobject-astickwithanimageofasmile.WanzerrecentlydescribedworkingwithonestudenttotheAssociatedPress.
JonResendezisateacherinIrvine,California.Heteachescivics,thestudyoftherightsanddutiesofcitizensandofhowgovernmentworks.
Hisclassesstartedonlinethisyear.Butnowthatsomestudentsarereturningtoschool,heworriesabouthowmaskswillaffecthisclasses.
"PartofwhatIdoasacivicsteacheristoteachpeopletoengageincivicconversations,"hesaid.Aconversationisadiscussionbetweentwoormorepeople.
Resendezsaidhelikestohearasmallamountofsoundintheclass"becauseifthestudentsaretalking,theyarethinking."
TeachingisespeciallydifficultforthosewhoworkwithstudentswithhearingdifficultiesorstudentswhodonotspeakEnglishastheirfirstlanguage.
Somesoundscanbecomemoredifficulttohearwhenspokenthroughamask.
DeborahShortispresidentoftheTESOLInternationalAssociation.TheVirginia-basedgroupconnectsteacherswhoteachEnglishtospeakersofotherlanguages.
Shortsaidteacherscanreducetheseproblemsbyspeakingloudlyandclearly.Theyalsocanusevideosandimagesto"showhowsoundsmaybecreated,"sheexplained.
Wanzersaidoneteacherworesuchamaskwhileworkingwithastudentwhohashearingdifficulties.Thestudentsaidthemaskwasunnecessary.Theteacherwashappynottouseit,shesaid,becausetheplasticmaterialwassouncomfortable.
Still,teachersandschoolsarebehindtheincreaseddemandforclearmasksfromcompanieslikeBaltimore-basedClearMask.
AttheC.B.JenningsInternationalElementaryMagnetSchoolinNewLondon,Connecticut,teachersgetcartswithprotectivewindows.Cartsaresmallwheeledtablesthatarepushed.Teacherscanstandbehindthesecartsastheymovearoundtheclassroom.
Butevenwhilestandingbehindthecarts,manyteachersstillkeeptheirmaskson,notedElizabethSked.Sheaddedthatexpressiveeyeshelpteachersconnectwithstudents.
BelindaWilliamsisateacheratWebbElementarySchoolinFranklin,Indiana.Shesaidsheandheryoungstudentshavebecomeusedtowearingmasks,socialdistancing,andregularhandcleaning.
Williamsputsuperheroimagesinherclassroom.Shetellsstudentstheyhave"specialpowers"whentheyarewearingfacecoverings.