Name: The Deaf Reading Rope
Start: 2026-09-15T09:45:00-0400
End: 2026-09-15T10:45:00-0400

Tuesday September 15, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EDT

Session Description:
With the growth of the Science of Reading, the vital question is being raised of how Deaf/Hard of Hearing students fit into that science. Using reading research from Deaf Education, Dr. Harrison combines ASL/English approaches with the Science of Reading to create the Deaf Reading Rope.

Session Abstract:
With the growth of the Science of Reading, the vital question is being raised of how Deaf/Hard of Hearing students fit into that science. Rather than create a new approach, Dr. Harrison decided to merge what we know from Deaf education research and the Science of Reading. After analyzing decades of research regarding deaf reading, Dr. Harrison noted key themes and areas of emphasis. Several studies used an emic perspective of successful, skilled Deaf readers, which was given emphasis. Using Scarborough’s Reading Rope (2001), the Science of Reading (SoR) and these key themes were merged to create a new rope that utilizes an ASL/English approach while still addressing the core tenants of the SoR. This resulting model was titled the Deaf Reading Rope; this model is not a curriculum, checklist, or ready-made assessment. Rather, it’s a conceptual framework for teachers to evaluate their own pedagogical approaches and then discover where they can extend their practice to improve and enrich reading instruction for D/HH students.

Session Goals:

Participants will reflect on their own instructional practices for reading and writing.
Participants will explore the research-backed aspects of bilingual reading instruction that are visualized within the Deaf Reading Rope model.
Participants will create personal goals for improving their reading instruction with D/HH students using strategies of the Deaf Reading Rope.

Speakers

Nathan E. Harrison, EdD

Faculty, RIT

Dr. Nathan E. Harrison is a lecturer in the Department of Deaf Education at the NTID/RIT, focusing on digital teaching and learning, Deaf/Hard of Hearing pedagogy, bilingual instruction, and Deaf Educational Leadership. He has degrees in Math & Science Education (BS, Utah State University... Read More →

Tuesday September 15, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
502 East Event Centre 502 E Carmel Dr, Carmel, IN 46032, USA

Deaf/Hard of Hearing

INSAIL 2026

Nathan E. Harrison, EdD

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INSAIL 2026

Nathan E. Harrison, EdD

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