So much info.... so confusing....
I just want to do what's best for him. Geeeeezzzzzz...... too bad you make good points DeafDyke. Now I'm confused. Morse code. Yeah... it is kinda like that, huh?
Someone make a good counterpoint, because my mojo just got messed up. =(
Seems like everytime I feel like I got it all figured out something happens where it's like, "NO YOU DON'T...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!" And boom, the worst. Well, my son being deaf isn't the worst worst worst. But it's still very very new.
CS, no good?
Who knows. I know it's my decision alone. (oh and dad, duh)
CS is good as a teaching tool. It is not good as a primary communication devise.
I understand that lost feeling when you first discover that your child is deaf. It is truly an overwhelming experience. Been there, done that. Take your time to weed through the tons of information out there, and please, please, critically analyze what you are told and who is telling you.
The most important thing in the equation is language. Please do not confuse language with spoken language, or even with English. That is a natural way of thinking for hearing parents, as it has always been their experience that language, for them, is spoken language. It is not necessarily so for your deaf child.
I commend you for coming onto a deaf message board to gain the deaf perspective. I can assure you, if you listen to what the deaf/Deaf tell you about their very real experiences, you will learn much that will provide benefit for your son. These experiences are very important, as they illustrate what happens in real life, and in real practice, rather than someone promoting a specific methodology that has never experienced it in a real life situation.
There is a book that you should be able to get your hands on relatively easy. It is called
Sound and Sign and is written by two of the premier researchers in deaf education and early childhood development as applied to deaf children. Another is
Deafness and Child Development. Both are written by Hilde Schleshinger and Kathy Meadows. The books are older, but still applicable, as the things they discuss hold true today. Child development, despite changes in educational methods, and new methods of language teaching that have evolved, is something that remains consistent. Once you understand the issues of child and linguistic development as it applies to your deaf child, you will be better able to make decisions that will address those needs. Addressing the child's needs appropriately are what helps a child become successful, and to reach their full potential. While these two books contain some technical information, they are written in a manner that any parent should be able to read and understand. I found them both facinating and helpful.
And my last words are to give you hope. Raising a deaf child has been the greatest joy of my life. I am sure you will find it so as well.