In terms of educational strategies, what does a bilingual-bicultural approach promote?

The bilingual-bicultural approach in education promotes the recognition of diverse cultural backgrounds and languages, which is essential for supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing students. This method encourages the use of both American Sign Language (ASL) and English, thereby acknowledging the cultural richness of the Deaf community while providing students with the skills needed to navigate both the Deaf and hearing worlds.

This approach fosters an environment where students can develop a strong cultural identity and appreciate their own linguistic heritage, as well as that of others. By validating and incorporating students' home languages and cultures into the curriculum, educators can enhance learning and promote bilingualism, which has been shown to benefit cognitive development and communication skills in children.

Focusing solely on integration into hearing communities overlooks the importance of linguistic and cultural identity for deaf students. Relying only on mainstream instructional methods does not consider the unique needs of these students and may exclude vital communication strategies that are best suited to their experiences. While identifying individual learning styles is essential for effective teaching, it does not encapsulate the comprehensive cultural recognition that the bilingual-bicultural approach provides.