Preparation Manual

Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181)

Exam Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and passing score.

Exam Name	Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Exam Code	181
Time	5 hours
Number of Questions	100 selected-response questions
Format	Computer-administered test (CAT)

The TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) exam is designed to assess whether an examinee has the requisite knowledge and skills that an entry-level educator in this field in Texas public schools must possess. The 100 selected-response questions are based on the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing exam framework. Questions on this exam range from grades EC–12. The exam may contain questions that do not count toward the score. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions.

The Standards

Domains and Competencies

Table outlining test content subject weighting by domain.

Domain	Domain Title	Approx. Percentage of Exam	Standards Assessed
I	Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing	27%	Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing I–V, IX
II	Promoting Student Learning and Development	33%	Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing I–II, IV–VII, IX
III	Promoting Student Achievement in English Language Arts and Reading	20%	Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing II, IV, IX
IV	Understanding the Professional Environment	20%	Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing I–II, VII, VIII

The content covered by this exam is organized into broad areas of content called domains. Each domain covers one or more of the educator standards for this field. Within each domain, the content is further defined by a set of competencies. Each competency is composed of two major parts:

• The competency statement, which broadly defines what an entry-level educator in this field in Texas public schools should know and be able to do.
• The descriptive statements, which describe in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible for testing.

Domain I—Understanding Students Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

Competency 001—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of processes involved in hearing, types and degrees of hearing loss and the effects of hearing loss on the learning and development of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes indicators that may suggest the presence of a hearing loss and understands the effects that onset of hearing loss, age of identification and provision of services have on the overall development of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and understands the auditory system and normal auditory development; types and degrees of hearing loss and their causes, characteristics and implications of hearing loss; effects of various factors (e.g., physiological disease, environmental noise) on hearing.
3. Knows and understands the differences in quality and quantity of incidental language and learning experiences that students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may experience and understands the potential effects of these differences on students’ language, cognitive, communicative, social and emotional development.
4. Understands the possible effects of a variety of disabilities (e.g., vision loss, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder) that may occur in conjunction with hearing loss.
5. Knows the basic components of cochlear implants and understands the impact of cochlear implants on the development of auditory skills of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Competency 002—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of the development of language and cognition among children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing

The beginning teacher:

1. Recognizes that being deaf or hard-of-hearing does not necessarily preclude normal academic development, cognitive development or communication ability.
2. Knows and understands research in cognition related to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Knows and understands current theories of how languages (e.g., ASL and English) develop in students who are hearing and those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and understands the developmental process of communication and language systems (e.g., listening, speaking, signing, writing), including preliteracy and emergent literacy skills.
4. Understands and applies principles of language acquisition for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Knows and understands the impact of early comprehensible communication on the overall development of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
6. Knows and understands the possible effects of sensory input (e.g., visual, kinesthetic, spatial, tactile and auditory) on the development of language and cognition of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
7. Recognizes the various learning styles (e.g., visual, kinesthetic, spatial, tactile and auditory) of individual learners who are deaf or hard-of-hearing that can be supported to enhance cognitive, emotional and social development.
8. Knows and understands the unique learning characteristics of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who have additional disabilities (e.g., deaf-blindness, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder).

Competency 003—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of assessment and diagnosis in evaluating the strengths and needs of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands specialized terminology used in the assessment of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and understands legal provisions, regulations and guidelines regarding unbiased diagnostic assessment and use of instructional assessment measures with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Knows and understands formal and informal assessments of auditory functioning, speech, receptive and expressive communication and language and cognitive functioning for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, including how to gather and analyze communication samples (e.g., signed, spoken, nonverbal) from students, and knows how to interpret and use the data from these assessments.
4. Knows how to administer, interpret and use appropriate classroom assessments utilizing the preferred communication modes of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Interprets and uses data from exceptionality-specific assessment instruments (e.g., audiological, otological, informal vision screening) as appropriate for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
6. Interprets and uses data from state and local assessment instruments as appropriate for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Competency 004—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of the individual student and understands placement procedures and program options to recommend program decisions for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Demonstrates awareness of various social and cultural dimensions (e.g., socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, family characteristics, exposure to Deaf culture) that may have an impact on the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and understands current educational definitions of students with hearing loss, including identification criteria, labeling issues (e.g., deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, learning disabled).
3. Recognizes that various etiologies of hearing loss that result in additional sensory, motor and learning differences in students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing require specific instructional strategies and services.
4. Knows and understands special policies and regulations regarding referral and placement procedures (e.g., The Texas State Plan for Deaf Education, 2007, IDEA) for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Knows and understands components of an adequate evaluation for eligibility determination, development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and placement options.
6. Understands placement procedures and knows the components of an IEP, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and transition planning.
7. Writes measurable instructional objectives and goals for the IEP, knows how to use instructional assessments that measure student progress with respect to the general curriculum and IEP goals and participates appropriately in the Admission Review Dismissal (ARD) process.

 

Domain II—Promoting Student Learning and Development

Competency 005—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of principles and components of effective instructional delivery for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands research-supported best practices and instructional strategies for teaching students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Recognizes and knows ways to use the communication features (e.g., visual, spatial, tactile and auditory) salient to the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing to enhance the student’s development and learning.
3. Knows how to interpret, evaluate and provide visual images and messages using various media and technologies within various instructional contexts.
4. Knows and understands the procedures and technologies available under one or more of the existing modes or philosophies to educate students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Knows and understands sources of materials and support for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (e.g., the Educational Resource Center on Deafness (ERCOD), The National Deaf Education Project (NDEP), Deaf Education) and knows how to select, design, produce, modify and utilize media, materials and resources required to educate students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
6. Knows and implements instructional approaches that are effective in addressing the needs of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have additional disabilities.

Competency 006—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of how to plan and manage the teaching and learning environment for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to modify the curriculum, instructional process and classroom environment to meet the physical, cognitive, cultural and communicative needs of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows how to design a classroom environment that maximizes student outcomes through visual and auditory instruction to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Understands factors that may influence classroom management of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and applies strategies and techniques that may enhance classroom management, including strategies that reflect understanding of each student’s learning styles and cultural needs.
4. Knows and utilizes appropriate behavior management processes and techniques with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to establish and maintain socially acceptable behavior in the learning environment.
5. Knows how to modify the classroom environment for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who have additional disabilities.
6. Manages assistive and augmentative devices in learning environments, including various types of amplification equipment or devices appropriate for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Competency 007—The teacher understands and applied knowledge of how to meet the overall communication needs of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands components of nonlinguistic and linguistic communication that students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing use.
2. Knows how to evaluate, select and adapt instructional methods, resources and technologies to meet the overall communication needs of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Knows and understands fundamental linguistic features of American Sign Language (ASL) and English and can identify and explain the basic characteristics of various communication modes (e.g., ASL, auditory-oral English, Signed English) used with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
4. Knows how to promote language development in English and ASL across the curriculum as consistent with the IEP of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Knows how to incorporate speech and auditory skills, including techniques for developing the use of residual hearing, across the curriculum as consistent with the IEP of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
6. Knows and understands strategies for providing auditory training and speech instruction.
7. Knows how to use audiological information for students who access assistive technology, such as FM systems, cochlear implants and hearing aids.
8. Knows and understands how to modify communication for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have additional disabilities.
9. Knows and applies strategies for facilitating independent communication and incidental language learning in students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Competency 008—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of content-area instruction for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands subject matter and practices used in general education across the core content areas.
2. Knows and understands research-supported instructional strategies for teaching content-area concepts and skills to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, including methods for promoting students’ cognitive skills (e.g., analytical, reflective and evaluative thinking).
3. Knows how to select, design, produce and utilize media, materials and resources for teaching content-area concepts and skills to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
4. Knows how to help students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing learn to interpret, evaluate and create informational texts, images and other resources across the curriculum using various media and technologies.
5. Understands the relationship between learning and effective study and inquiry skills and knows and applies a variety of methods and strategies to develop the study and inquiry skills of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
6. Knows and applies instructional approaches for teaching content-area concepts and skills to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who have additional disabilities.

Competency 009—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of how to promote the functional-living, social-interaction and self-advocacy skills of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands programs, including academic, career and technology and transition programs, that are effective for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows how to teach students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to use educational support personnel effectively and prepares them in the appropriate use of interpreters, note takers, tutors.
3. Understands and promotes students’ understanding of their rights as individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and knows how to train students to advocate for themselves and to seek out available services through governmental and nongovernmental agencies.
4. Identifies appropriate goals, objectives, activities, programs and supports to enhance the functional-living skills of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Identifies appropriate goals, objectives, activities, programs and supports to promote students’ transitions between teachers, grade levels, schools and service options and to postsecondary education or training.
6. Identifies opportunities for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to interact with communities of individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing on the local, state and national levels and applies strategies for promoting ongoing interactions of students with peers and role models.
7. Knows and understands variations in beliefs, traditions and values across cultures (including Deaf culture) and within society.
8. Understands basic elements of American Deaf culture (e.g., humor, drama, art, literature, social mores); demonstrates knowledge of prominent deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their contributions to both the Deaf community and mainstream U.S. culture; and promotes students’ knowledge of and pride in their Deaf heritage.
9. Knows and understands processes and strategies for establishing ongoing interaction of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing with hearing peers, family members and others.

 

Domain III—Promoting Student Achievement in English Language Arts and Reading

Competency 010—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of strategies and approaches for promoting students’ English language development.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to apply first- and second-language teaching strategies and approaches appropriate to the needs of individual students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and understands a variety of English language arts assessments and how to interpret and apply the results of assessments to plan and implement English language instruction that meets the needs of individual students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Knows how to provide a variety of instructional opportunities and strategies for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to develop their English language skills.
4. Knows how to evaluate, select and adapt instructional methods, resources and technologies to promote students’ English language development across the curriculum.
5. Knows and applies strategies for facilitating incidental language learning opportunities in English for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Competency 011—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of literacy development for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows how to use a variety of literacy assessment practices, including English and ASL assessments, to plan and implement literacy instruction for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and applies appropriate strategies in English and ASL to develop and promote literacy across the curriculum for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Knows and understands the nature of literacy development and various methods to promote students’ preliteracy, emergent literacy and ongoing literacy development.
4. Understands the link between signed concepts and printed text and knows how to teach students strategies for linking signed concepts to printed text.
5. Knows how to use a variety of methods to provide systematic instruction to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to promote their writing development and help them communicate effectively through writing, using appropriate written language structures and conventions.
6. Understands and applies knowledge of strategies for using writing to promote reading comprehension and learning across the curriculum (e.g., reading response journals, learning logs, teacher-student interactive journals).
7. Knows how to evaluate, select and adapt instructional methods, resources and technologies to promote the literacy development of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
8. Knows how to help students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing learn to interpret and evaluate literary works in English.

Competency 012—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of systematic reading instruction for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands the basic components of phonological and phonemic awareness and dactylic (fingerspelling) awareness and uses a variety of approaches to help students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing develop an awareness of these components and an understanding of their relationship to written language.
2. Knows and understands the basic elements of the alphabetic principle and the relationships among the alphabetic principle, reading and components of other communication systems (e.g., signs and fingerspelling) and provides instruction to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing so they understand that printed words consist of graphic representations that relate to the sounds of spoken language, the meaning of signed language and components of other communication systems.
3. Knows and understands the use of word analysis skills (e.g., decoding, blending, structural analysis, sight word vocabulary, context clues) by deaf or hard-of-hearing students who use fingerspelling, sign language and oral language and provides systematic instruction in word analysis using a variety of methods and strategies.
4. Knows how to promote students’ vocabulary development and provides systematic instruction in critical-reading strategies to improve reading comprehension (e.g., activating prior knowledge, making connections between a text and one’s personal experiences, self-monitoring comprehension) in students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
5. Knows and understands the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension and provides systematic instruction to improve the fluency and comprehension of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

 

Domain IV—Understanding the Professional Environment

Competency 013—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of the philosophical, historical and legal foundations of education for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands the cultural versus medical perspectives regarding individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Understands and identifies issues and trends in education for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Knows and understands models, theories and philosophies (e.g., bilingual-bicultural, total communication, auditory-oral) that provide the basis for educational practice for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and applies these theories, philosophies and models of practice in educational settings.
4. Understands and applies knowledge of roles and responsibilities of teachers and support personnel in a variety of teaching situations (e.g., co-teaching, general education, itinerant, team teaching) to support positive outcomes for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and understands issues related to professional responsibilities working with deaf or hard-of-hearing students, their families and other professionals.
5. Understands issues of professional ethics in working with deaf or hard-of-hearing students, their families and other professionals and adheres to legal and ethical requirements of the profession.
6. Knows and understands the rights and responsibilities (e.g., Deaf Children’s Bill of Rights, procedural safeguards) of parents, students, teachers and schools as they relate to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
7. Understands the impact of various educational placement options from the perspective of the needs of any given student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing, with regard to cultural identity, least-restrictive environment (LRE) and linguistic, academic and social-emotional development.
8. Identifies major factors contributing to the growth and improvement of knowledge and practice in the field of education of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Competency 014—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of how to establish partnerships with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and their families to enhance students’ learning and achievement.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands the effects of families and primary caregivers on the overall development of the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and understands available resources to help the parents or guardians of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing deal with concerns for their children (e.g., educational options, communication modes, philosophies).
3. Knows and understands the rights and responsibilities of students and their parents/guardians in planning an IEP for the student who is deaf or hard-of-hearing and promotes family involvement in the process.
4. Knows and understands the effects of communication on the development of family relationships.
5. Understands factors that promote effective communication and collaboration with students, their families and other primary caregivers and applies strategies for establishing and maintaining partnerships with students, their families and other caregivers.
6. Understands the effect of cultural differences between Deaf culture and mainstream U.S. culture on the relationships among students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, their families, caregivers, educators and others.

Competency 015—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of how to establish partnerships with other school staff, professional organizations and the community to enhance learning opportunities for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

The beginning teacher:

1. Knows and understands roles and responsibilities of teachers (e.g., itinerant, general education, special education), related instructional service providers (e.g., audiologists, counselors, interpreters, social workers, speech-language pathologists) and other support personnel (e.g., tutors, note takers, aides) in the educational setting for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
2. Knows and understands services provided by governmental and nongovernmental agencies or individuals in the ongoing support of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
3. Understands factors that promote effective communication and collaboration with school and community personnel and knows how to facilitate coordination of support and related services personnel to meet the diverse needs of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, including those with additional disabilities.
4. Knows and applies models and strategies for collaborating with general education classroom teachers and other school professionals to integrate students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing into various learning environments.
5. Understands the value of consumer and professional organizations, publications and journals relevant to the education of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and to general education.
6. Understands the importance of and identifies opportunities for interacting with adults in the Deaf community on a regular basis to maintain and improve ASL and other communication skills.
7. Identifies and participates in workshops and other activities that promote continued professional development in the field and holds membership in professional organizations.

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