Teaching and Learning of Deaf Students in Ordinary Vocational Education Setting - The Georgian Case

The study aims to understand the teaching and learning process of deaf students in an ordinary vocational education setting, which is a new initiative in the Georgian context. The Cultural-Historical Activity Theory taking roots from the cultural-historical traditions makes the conceptual framework of the study. The process of education is conceptualized as an interaction of two related activity systems - teaching and learning. The main focus of the study is the means of mediation - communication and teaching strategies, as well as the challenges, resources and possibilities of the teaching-learning practice. A qualitative descriptive case-study design was elaborated to guide the study. Three deaf learners of the vocational education and their vocational education teachers were selected based on purposeful sampling. A qualitative semi-structured interview was the main method of the data collection. The findings are based on the thematic analysis and interpreted within the conceptual framework of the study. The study has revealed that the teachers and learners give preference to direct communication in the course of personal interaction, while sign-language mediation is the main means of delivering theoretical content. The sign language interpreting service appears as a vital resource of deaf vocational education. However, the study has revealed the need to enhance a sign language-mediated as well as direct teacher-learner communication for the educational benefit of deaf students. Based on the findings, the teachers try to use adapted to deaf learners needs and abilities teaching strategies. Demonstration, modeling and practicing appear as the most beneficial strategies. A good match has been revealed between the strategies perceived as effective by both the teachers and the deaf learners. The practical part of the programs create rather supportive conditions for teaching and learning, allowing to use the means most suitable to deaf learners. Peer tutoring has appeared feasible resource of the teaching and learning. Conveying theoretical content and explaining the subject-related terms to deaf learners as well as written exams have appeared as the one of the biggest challenges of teaching and learning. Based on the study, the teachers are sensitive to the deaf leaners needs, however, there are still some underestimated needs. Further, not all resource existing in the vocational setting is applied in practice. Overall, the study has revealed that the curren