A story about a girl, Cece, that became deaf after getting meningitis when she was four. She is dealing with communication, technologies that help her with communications and friendships. She eventually, attended a school for deaf children and enjoyed it, but, due to moving she was unable to continue at that school. Once attending public school she starts to deal with making friends. She has a “best friend” that bossy and often makes her feel uncomfortable. She is excited to have a new friend so that she can stop hanging out with the old. However, the new friend talks to her loud and slowly which makes Cece uncomfortable. Just as any kid, she is torn with saying something and potentially damaging the friendship or just dealing with being mistreated. In chapter 9 she starts sign language classes and hates …show more content…
It would be an opening to talk about diversity in our classroom. Students many not be deaf or even have disabilities, but everyone can relate in some way. Having students imagine themselves as super heroes, someone that can be stronger than they feel would be a fun exercise. Have students either draw out themselves as super heroes or start to write details about what they would do/say/feel if they were free to be brave like El Deafo.
Differentiation- All students will have different abilities and view themselves in different ways. Allow this hero piece to be private if they so choose, allowing themselves to be vulnerable and empowered at the same time. Allowing some to draw and label, like this graphic novel does, would be a way to differentiate from those that would like to write about