The Sound of Silence in Football: Derrick Coleman

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School

COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening

SEL STANDARDS*: Self Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making

In 2014, Derrick Coleman, a football player with the Seattle Seahawks, was the only legally Deaf athlete in professional football history to play offense. In early January 2014, he made a commercial* where he talks about the impact his hearing loss has had on his life. The video went viral and quickly had more than 9 million views. Coleman’s story provides an excellent teaching opportunity to discuss disabilities and the importance of safeguarding the rights and dignity of people with disabilities in our communities and around the world. During that time as the U.S. Senate debated whether to ratify an international treaty on disability rights, Coleman’s story provided an opportunity to put a human face on the impact that fair policy can have on people’s lives.

This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn about this inspiring football player, reflect on and write about Derrick Coleman’s life and read a story written by a teenager who is Deaf. 

Learning Objectives:

• Students will learn about disabilities, hearing disabilities and ableism. 
• Students will reflect on the video Derrick Coleman made and learn more about his life. 
• Students will learn more about the perspective of a young person who is Deaf.

* Based on CASEL's SEL Framework