Hannah M. Dostal

Professor

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Professor

Literacy Education

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Ph.D., Education: Literacy Studies, Deaf Education

I am a Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Connecticut. My research focuses on writing instruction with deaf students and teacher professional development in literacy. In particular, I examine Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) as a deaf-centric, responsive instructional framework implemented by teachers collaborating with deaf students with varied language histories. In addition, I investigate the role of genre and literacy instruction in the development of disciplinary knowledge and discipline-specific communication patterns. My research has been funded by the Institute for Education Sciences and supported by State Teacher Quality Grant partnerships, the International Literacy Association, and the U.S. State Department of Education.

In 2023, following several years of service on the editorial board of Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education (JDSDE), I became Editor-in-Chief of JDSDE (Oxford University Press), where I have worked alongside its board, authors, and readers to revise the journal’s mission and practices to more fully center deaf experiences. I am also the co-editor of Multilingual Approaches to Deaf Education and The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies in Literacy. I am an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Literacy Research Association, Association of College Educators–Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the International Literacy Association, and have held leadership roles within them. I currently serve as Chair of AERA’s SIG on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Intersectionalities and Perspectives, a special interest group to which I have been actively contributing for many years. In addition, I serve on the boards of two deaf schools and contribute to several task forces, including the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) data collection initiative.

My teaching is informed by my experience as a middle school language arts teacher and an early childhood through post-secondary writing intervention coordinator at a deaf school. As a hard-of-hearing researcher, my work is shaped by professional roles in teaching and studying literacy alongside deaf students, deepening my commitment to understanding and supporting the educational experiences of deaf learners. My approach to undergraduate and graduate teaching emphasizes the design of learning environments that promote equitable access to instruction, foster strategic interaction, and support the development and use of multiple, discipline-specific literacies. Beyond the classroom, I have played a key role in developing a graduate certificate in literacy and deaf education, as well as a concentration in American Sign Language (ASL) education to address the growing need for ASL teachers in U.S. secondary schools.

Across my work, I remain guided by a commitment to advancing educational equity through practices that honor deaf learners—work I carry out in collaboration with colleagues across the field and grounded in the collective knowledge built by generations of scholars.

 

Partnerships & Projects

Collaborations with Jamaica

In collaboration with the Jamaican Association for the Deaf and the Caribbean Christian Center, a team of Jamaican and US educators and academics created and investigated a sustainable literacy-focused intensive experience for elementary deaf and hard of hearing students in Jamaica that includes an embedded professional development program for educators. This work is lead by local leaders and is ongoing. 

From this partnership, a study abroad experience was developed for UConn students. Students engage in a one-week program in partnership with one of the two main providers of Deaf Education in Jamaica, the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf (CCCD), which supports three residential schools for deaf children and the Jamaican Deaf Village. Students engage in daily activities and collaborative learning opportunities with the deaf Jamaican community. This program is designed to challenge students to think critically about language, culture, and education.

Writing Instruction

Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) is an evidence-based framework for writing instruction specifically designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. To learn more about the SIWI approach, relevant research, instructional materials, and project involvement, visit this site.

Neag School of Education Programs

We offer a program in American Sign Language (ASL) education for college graduates (TCPCG) and for students interested in earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees (IB/M). Approved by the Connecticut Board of Education, the program is designed to prepare aspiring educators interested in becoming teachers of ASL. Those who complete the program would then be recommended for teaching certification in ASL for Grades 7 through 12. UConn is committed to supporting aspiring deaf ASL teachers. 

The program in Literacy and Deaf Education is a 12-credit graduate certificate designed for educators who support the literacy development of deaf and hard of hearing students.