Journalism Lesson Plan

Overview:Two college students have expanded their experiences and helped both themselves and others. Both of them are deaf — one attending Kent State University and the other the University of Virginia. A University of Texas student is ready to become a teacher and hasn’t let the fact that she is blind interfere. Their stories might lead to interviews with physically challenged students in high school and how they help others understand their situations.

Suggested time allotment: Two weeks – time to contact and interview, then write the profile.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Read the articles at the links below and watch the NewsOhio show to see how three college students taught others about being deaf or blind.
2. Find some students in their school with physical challenges.
3. Research how to write about those with disabilities using sensitivity and good sense. (See downloadable guide below)
4.. Arrange an interview with one of more of these. Remember good interviewing techniques. Don’t hurry the process. Allow those interviewed to tell their stories in their own words with plenty of anecdotes and colorful examples.
5. Write the profile without reporter opinion but with plenty of the interviewee’s own words and details.

Standards: National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association Standards for English Language Arts:

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12. Students use spoken, written and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion and the exchange of information).

Resources and materials:
Web sites with information:
• The University of Virginia online News carried the story about Rebecca Leigh Smith, May 6, 2002: “U.Va. Student Finding Cultural Identity in Deafness and Teaching Others.”
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• The University of Texas at Austin’s Web site has a feature story entitled, “Uncommon Vision: Blind student focuses on her goal to become elementary school teacher.”
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• Learn to write about those with disabilities by being fair, accurate and sensitive. The National Center on Disability & Journalism has a downloadable style guide with proper terminology and advice.
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• Perhaps even more useful is that group’s “Tips for Interviewing People with Disabilities.” (2002)
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