Writing instruction with grade-level/college-bound secondary deaf students.

This study examines secondary writing instruction for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, focusing specifically on those engaged with grade-level curricula and preparing for college. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, researchers surveyed and conducted focus groups with teachers to compare instructional practices, teacher preparedness, and student writing skills between a broad sample of deaf students with diverse abilities and a subset of grade-level students. Findings indicate that teachers feel more prepared and have greater access to aligned curricula when instructing grade-level deaf students, who receive more weekly writing instruction and for whom argumentative writing is prioritized due to its relevance for college and life. Despite this, challenges remain in teaching complex writing skills such as revision and synthesis, and there is a noted scarcity of research and specialized training addressing the needs of deaf students, particularly those affected by language deprivation. The study underscores the importance of developing evidence-based, flexible instructional approaches—including ASL/English bilingual pedagogy—to support the diverse writing development needs of secondary deaf learners.