Ragia H. Hassan, doctoral student of Curriculum and Instruction, published a book chapter in Arabic, “Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Qatar: Challenges and Opportunities,” in Abdulnaser Fakhro’s book Disability, published by the College of Education at Qatar University.
Abstract
Learning the language is of paramount importance for integration into one’s community. Without language proficiency, deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Qatar will not be able to unleash their full potential. Given that the school is the only environment where deaf students can easily communicate with their peers, it is essential to ensure that they acquire the Arabic language as early as possible for full integration into society. This paper discusses the challenges and issues faced by students and their teachers in learning the language. Among these challenges are the ineffective curriculum and the lack of innovative instructional techniques. This paper recommends focusing firstly on the Arabic language before teaching other subjects. Secondly, researchers, educators, and teachers should unify to reevaluate the curriculum and address the gaps. Thirdly, educators should consider using innovative screen translation to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Finally, educators should consider applying these new techniques in Qatar and the entire Gulf region to standardize teaching methods for the deaf.