Practical Knowledge Storage among Preservice, Novice, and Experienced Educators of Students Who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

Abstract

Surveys of 163 preservice, novice, and experienced teachers of students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing addressed practical knowledge and adherence to classroom rules of practice (brief statements of how to behave in frequently encountered teaching situations) and practical principles (general constructs about expectations of students). No significant differences were found among the three groups in their adherence to rules of practice about structuring of lessons, engagement of students with the curriculum, principles of classroom management and lesson planning, and lesson procedures. Significant differences were found for practical principles such as expectations for student achievement, ability of students to take responsibility for their education, and classroom deportment; preservice teachers had the highest expectations, and experienced teachers had the lowest. These findings raise several questions that are explored in this article.