Don’t rule out mainstream schools for deaf children

[Miss-Delectable]

Don’t rule out mainstream schools for deaf children - Times Online

Our grandson is nearly five years old and is profoundly deaf, but received a cochlear implant in March 2006, which has changed his life. With this, and specialist teaching, he hears, is learning to speak, can count and is starting to read. His parents would like him to go to a specialised school for deaf children, where all teaching is oral, but the local education authority refuses to pay for this and has said that he must go to the school in their area that has a deaf unit, but where the additional help for him would be in sign language, which he no longer uses. What can be done to help him?

Diana Lloyd, Wiltshire

Your grandson’s parents should contact the National Deaf Children’s Society (0808 800 8880) for advice and, if necessary, legal support. He should already have been statemented. If this has not been done, the education authority should be asked to complete a statement.

Given the success of the implant, the suggestion that he should be given support using sign language is fatuous. Do not, though, rule out a mainstream school. If he were to sit at the front of the class, he may well be able to cope perfectly well.

*sighs* So, sign language's fatuous? What does this person know? Nada.

 

[shel90]

Oral Oral Oral :rl::rl::rl:

 

[jillio]

According to the ADA and IDEA, if the local school has a program that meets the child's needs, they are well within their legal rights to refuse to pay tuition for the student to attend a deaf school, or a separate oral instituition. The parent has to prove that the school system is unable to address their child's needs in order to have the school system responsible for out of district tuition.

However, parents also have the choice of paying the tuition themselves. Personally, I'd leave him in the mainstream in this case. At least he will be getting more support for academic achievement than in an all oral environment. Just because sign is available in the self contained program doesn't mean the child has to use it. But if he needs it, it is available. What is the problem with exposing children to everything that can assist in their educational and liguistic development? Let them choose what is most effective for them.

 

[Cheri]

If he were to sit at the front of the class, he may well be able to cope perfectly well

Gonna be kidding me! perfectly well?? What if the teacher is facing the board, how is the child gonna be able to read the teacher's lips? he's only 5 years old.

And I'm so angry at the parents who doesn't use signs anymore and that child is still the age of 5.

Where did they find these people from? ignorance hearing people again.

 

[jillio]

Gonna be kidding me! perfectly well?? What if the teacher is facing the board, how is the child gonna be able to read the teacher's lips? he's only 5 years old.

And I'm so angry at the parents who doesn't use signs anymore and that child is still the age of 5.

Where did they find these people from? ignorance hearing people again.

I agree. They should be grateful that their local school system has a program that includes sign!

 

[Lavender]

ASL :rl: :rl: :rl: LOL!!! joking

 

[shel90]

ASL :rl: :rl: :rl: LOL!!! joking

U can joke about it all u want. It is a serious thing about deaf children becoming delayed in language due to the oral-only philosophy hence my feelings about it.

 

[Buffalo]

Fatuous? Refusing a deaf child (CI or not) sign language is fatuous.

This is nothing new under the sun. The hearing people will always come up with silly ideas on "helping" the Deafs. The problem is not our deafness but their refusal to learn sign language. The hearing people are really "deaf" to our pleas/suggestions.

It still astounds me that they aren't learning sign language eventhough it is a lot easier for them to learn sign language than for us to learn to speak. It makes them look really dumb to me. (more like retard)

 

[shel90]

Fatuous? Refusing a deaf child (CI or not) sign language is fatuous.

This is nothing new under the sun. The hearing people will always come up with silly ideas on "helping" the Deafs. The problem is not our deafness but their refusal to learn sign language. The hearing people are really "deaf" to our pleas/suggestions.

It still astounds me that they aren't learning sign language eventhough it is a lot easier for them to learn sign language than for us to learn to speak. It makes them look really dumb to me. (more like retard)

LOL!!!! That is so hilarous!

 

[Dixie]

From my own experience as a deaf/hoh going to a mainstream school - a deaf unit with ASL support would have been a godsend. I probably would have done much better academically. But it was all oral oral oral. Just sit me in the front row and I should have coped really well! OH THE NONESENSE!!!

Half the time the teacher would walk around the room or be facing the board where I could not speech read, or at an angle that speech reading was ineffective.

The one time I was granted an FM system to help me hear - it was taken away because the other students were becoming jealous of my extra attention. Oddly - the following year I was borderline failing the grade altogether. Youd think they would have taken the hint and at lease given me some type of support to help me academically - but nope - no such luck.

 

[jillio]

From my own experience as a deaf/hoh going to a mainstream school - a deaf unit with ASL support would have been a godsend. I probably would have done much better academically. But it was all oral oral oral. Just sit me in the front row and I should have coped really well! OH THE NONESENSE!!!

Half the time the teacher would walk around the room or be facing the board where I could not speech read, or at an angle that speech reading was ineffective.

The one time I was granted an FM system to help me hear - it was taken away because the other students were becoming jealous of my extra attention. Oddly - the following year I was borderline failing the grade altogether. Youd think they would have taken the hint and at lease given me some type of support to help me academically - but nope - no such luck.

The sad facts of the oral education.

 

[Cousin Vinny]

From my own experience as a deaf/hoh going to a mainstream school - a deaf unit with ASL support would have been a godsend. I probably would have done much better academically. But it was all oral oral oral. Just sit me in the front row and I should have coped really well! OH THE NONESENSE!!!

Just curious; Have you had Itinerant Teaching support services?

 

[Cheri]

But it was all oral oral oral. Just sit me in the front row and I should have coped really well! OH THE NONESENSE!!!

Half the time the teacher would walk around the room or be facing the board where I could not speech read, or at an angle that speech reading was ineffective.k.

That's the true sad fact in oral education and especially when a teacher stands in front of a window, where there's a source of sun-light shining behind the teacher, it blinds the lip-readers.

 

[shel90]

From my own experience as a deaf/hoh going to a mainstream school - a deaf unit with ASL support would have been a godsend. I probably would have done much better academically. But it was all oral oral oral. Just sit me in the front row and I should have coped really well! OH THE NONESENSE!!!

Half the time the teacher would walk around the room or be facing the board where I could not speech read, or at an angle that speech reading was ineffective.

The one time I was granted an FM system to help me hear - it was taken away because the other students were becoming jealous of my extra attention. Oddly - the following year I was borderline failing the grade altogether. Youd think they would have taken the hint and at lease given me some type of support to help me academically - but nope - no such luck.

Your FM system was taken away cuz the other students were jealous???? I would have told them too bad! These educators did NOT know a thing about sensitivity to your needs. I am sorry that it happened to you.

 

[bluegecko474]

I was in mainstream school starting 1st grade. It was pretty hard to lip reading and listening and pronounce the words. I do not know what is the ASL, captioned, and etc for the deaf needs. Before I was senior in High School I told my parent that I want to learn about the deaf culture. They let me. I have learned lots of sign language and captioned, and etc.

IMO, I am happy with oralism and ASL at the same time.

I don't blame my parent with their choices because of deaf school do not provide enough educations in some states. I have learned alots about AGB/AVT, I am againist it. For the CI, I don't like to force the kids to get the CI. I understand lots of parents have lots of thinking and listen to the doctor advice and I wish that parents talk with the deaf adult first!!

 

[Dixie]

Your FM system was taken away cuz the other students were jealous???? I would have told them too bad! These educators did NOT know a thing about sensitivity to your needs. I am sorry that it happened to you.

I was in 2nd grade when I was granted the FM system. Because the other students were jealous of my extra attention it was taken away. My 3rd grade year I was thisclose to having to repeat the grade because my grades were so poor. And you know what?? During my 2nd grade year when I had the FM system I made the honor roll for the first time I was so happy to finally be called up on stage at the end of the year for good grades just as my brother did. It felt SOOOOOOO good. After that it would be YEARS before I ever touched the honor roll again. I was a high school junior when I finally got on the honor and was inducted into the honor society. After I went back to bombing report cards I was told I simply wasnt as bright as my brother - even by my own dad. It wasnt a good feeling at all.

Looking back I really feel like I was shortchanged on my education and not given equal opportunities to lean as my peers had.

I never recalled having an Itinerant Teaching support. But for a couple of years I do recall having to work with a teacher's aide on my math skills.

I absolutely hate the oral only approach to educating the deaf/hoh. Anytime there is a case like this - a person who has had experiences growing up deaf/hoh and in the education field should be consulted on what the best course of action is. Im willing to bet that the 100% oral approach isnt going to be the first suggested choice! I know I wouldnt!

 

[jillio]

I was in 2nd grade when I was granted the FM system. Because the other students were jealous of my extra attention it was taken away. My 3rd grade year I was thisclose to having to repeat the grade because my grades were so poor. And you know what?? During my 2nd grade year when I had the FM system I made the honor roll for the first time I was so happy to finally be called up on stage at the end of the year for good grades just as my brother did. It felt SOOOOOOO good. After that it would be YEARS before I ever touched the honor roll again. I was a high school junior when I finally got on the honor and was inducted into the honor society. After I went back to bombing report cards I was told I simply wasnt as bright as my brother - even by my own dad. It wasnt a good feeling at all.

Looking back I really feel like I was shortchanged on my education and not given equal opportunities to lean as my peers had.

I never recalled having an Itinerant Teaching support. But for a couple of years I do recall having to work with a teacher's aide on my math skills.

I absolutely hate the oral only approach to educating the deaf/hoh. Anytime there is a case like this - a person who has had experiences growing up deaf/hoh and in the education field should be consulted on what the best course of action is. Im willing to bet that the 100% oral approach isnt going to be the first suggested choice! I know I wouldnt!

That situation is grounds for a lawsuit. Completely inviolation of the ADA and several other civil rights laws.:rl:

 

[Dixie]

Only problem is or actually several problems:
1.) I have no time nor money to hire a lawyer to sue my alma mater. (I really didnt like my overall experience there)

2.) It has been more then 1 year since I have graduated and definitely a number of years since I was in 2nd grade. Theres very little sufficient evidence since now all of my school records have likely been destroyed at this point.

As much as Id love to - I cant for those reason. But even if I cant change anything about my own case I feel a yearning to go into the educational field and advocate for fair education for ALL students including deaf/hoh, migrant, minority, low income students, etc.

 

[Secretblend]

Only problem is or actually several problems:
1.) I have no time nor money to hire a lawyer to sue my alma mater. (I really didnt like my overall experience there)

2.) It has been more then 1 year since I have graduated and definitely a number of years since I was in 2nd grade. Theres very little sufficient evidence since now all of my school records have likely been destroyed at this point.
As much as Id love to - I cant for those reason. But even if I cant change anything about my own case I feel a yearning to go into the educational field and advocate for fair education for ALL students including deaf/hoh, migrant, minority, low income students, etc.

What do you mean by school records being destroyed? I recently requested from my High School for records of my education and they mailed me copies of it. I graduated in 1990. I would think they will always have records unless something horrible happens. For example, fire or weather related.

 

[Buffalo]

What do you mean by school records being destroyed? I recently requested from my High School for records of my education and they mailed me copies of it. I graduated in 1990. I would think they will always have records unless something horrible happens. For example, fire or weather related.

What kind of records you got in the mail?? just report cards?? any other kind of documents?? The school depository don't have my elementary records. My High school do have my records but I was told that the records are just report cards. I have been told by other people that there should be more than just report cards but I don't know if the schools are withholding anything that aren't report cards.