From an Exhausted Teacher to the App Store: Why I Built Modal Math and How I Use It

A Pattern I Couldn’t Ignore

Over the years, as a Teacher of the Deaf/HH, I started noticing the same pattern across classrooms, schools, and service models.

Many of my students were capable thinkers. Curious. Logical. Often strong in math reasoning. And yet, their confidence in mathematics kept taking hits that did not match what I was seeing in front of me.

Again and again, language got in the way.

Story problems became obstacles instead of opportunities. Directions were written above students’ language access. Assessments measured reading stamina more than mathematical thinking. Over time, students began to internalize the idea that math was not “their thing,” even when the concepts made sense to them.

One student still stands out to me because he made that pattern impossible to ignore.

He was a Deaf boy who experienced significant language deprivation early in life. Expressive language was still developing, receptive language was inconsistent, but numbers have always made sense to him. When I introduced animated story problems paired with clear visuals and intentional signing, his eyes lit up. He leaned forward. He anticipated answers. He smiled when he got something right and tried again when he did not.

Math was not stressful for him. It was joyful.

That moment mirrored what I had seen in so many students before him. When access was clear, confidence followed.

Protecting Mathematical Confidence

I did not want language deprivation or language mismatch to erase my students’ natural relationship with math.

So much of traditional math instruction unintentionally turns into a language task. When Deaf and Hard of Hearing students struggle, the assumption often becomes that they do not understand the math. In reality, they are navigating layers of language they did not have equitable access to in the first place.

I wanted a way to separate mathematical understanding from language processing when appropriate. Not to remove language entirely, but to make sure it was not the gatekeeper.

That idea became Modal Math.

What started as an exhausted teacher’s idea is now a simple, accessible math tool used for live instruction, independent practice, homework, and remote learning across devices.

Turning a Pattern Into Measurable Growth

As I began using what would eventually become Modal Math across multiple students and settings, something shifted in my teaching.

Because the structure was predictable and the visuals carried the meaning, I could finally see what students knew. Progress monitoring became clearer and more honest.

I was able to:

• Track accuracy by specific math skills

• Monitor growth over time without language confounds

• Identify error patterns that reflected math thinking, not misunderstanding directions

This mattered across roles. As a classroom teacher, it helped me differentiate without constant reteaching. As an itinerant teacher, it gave me consistency across schools. As a remote service provider, it allowed me to maximize limited session time.

Just as importantly, students could see their own progress. Confidence grew alongside skill.

Independent Work That Truly Felt Independent

This pattern showed up again with independent work.

Too often, “independent” math work for Deaf/HH students depends heavily on adult interpretation. Homework becomes inaccessible, frustrating, or quietly avoided.

With Modal Math, students could work independently because the expectations were clear and the format was familiar.

I used it for:

• Homework that reinforced skills without overwhelming language

• Independent practice during the school day

• Asynchronous work between sessions

Students began to see themselves as capable math learners, not students who always needed help to get started.

From an Exhausted Teacher’s Idea to the App Store

Six years ago, Modal Math was not an app. It was the quiet dream of an exhausted teacher.

I was trying to meet my students’ needs with tools that were never designed for them. I kept thinking there has to be a better way. Something simpler. Something more respectful of how my students actually access information.

That idea followed me through different roles and settings. Over time, it became real.

Today, Modal Math is available in the App Store. What started as an idea scribbled between lesson plans is now a tool I use daily with students in classrooms, itinerant services, telepractice, and remote learning.

Simple by Design

One of the most intentional choices I made was to keep the design simple.

There are no unnecessary bells and whistles. No distractions competing for attention. The structure is consistent. The visuals are clear. The focus stays on the math.

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, cognitive load matters. When students are not spending energy figuring out how to navigate a tool, they can spend it thinking.

That simplicity is not a limitation. It is the point.

Why Modal Math Exists

Modal Math exists because I saw the same barrier over and over again and refused to accept it as inevitable.

When access is clear, students engage.

When students engage, confidence grows.

When confidence grows, learning follows.

Sometimes change starts with one student. But more often, it starts when a pattern becomes impossible to ignore.

If this is something that you think could help you, I invite you to try it out and let me know what you think. www.modalmath.com