Most deaf childrens' parents never learn to sign

[rockdrummer]

Sometimes I as a hearing parent of a deaf child feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. I never imagined that the education of a deaf child would be so controversial. We have always signed to our son but the frustration is in the various methods of signing systems and ASL along with their differences. I understand fully the difference between MCE's and sign language and I think I understand the reasoning and/or need for each of them. I communicate with my son to the best of my ability using ASL and use SEE when he doesn't understand the ASL sign I use. I also continue to learn ASL and MCE's. It is a difficult long hard road for us and for our son and all we can do is continue to show him love and support and continue down the difficult road of communicating with him. It is a slow process but I continue to see progress in myself and in my son's ability to communicate with eachother. I am hopeful that one day we will be able to communicate at a the same level I am able to communicate with my hearing child. That is dependant on both of us and our ability to aquire each others language.

98% is a high number. Much higher than I would have imagined. I will not be part of that crowd!

 

[faire_jour]

I don't believe that is a reliable number either. In Utah the superintendant said 30% use sign in their homes. On CICircle (which is VERY orally slanted) I would say at least 50% use some baby signs pre-CI. So the idea that 98% of parents don't use any sign, seems unlikely to me.

 

[Tousi]

I don't believe that is a reliable number either. In Utah the superintendant said 30% use sign in their homes. On CICircle (which is VERY orally slanted) I would say at least 50% use some baby signs pre-CI. So the idea that 98% of parents don't use any sign, seems unlikely to me.

Whatever the numbers, in my view, far, far too many don't.

 

[rockdrummer]

I don't believe that is a reliable number either. In Utah the superintendant said 30% use sign in their homes. On CICircle (which is VERY orally slanted) I would say at least 50% use some baby signs pre-CI. So the idea that 98% of parents don't use any sign, seems unlikely to me.

That does seem high to me as well. But I am also not sure how they come up with those numbers. I am sure it means 98% of those interviewed which may only be 10 parents. I am a hearing parent of a deaf child and nobody ever asked me so I'm not sure how much faith to put in those numbers. I am not trying to discredit the article, just wondering how they arrived at their numbers.

 

[CJB]

How many families use gestures and home signs but not formal ASL or even PSE? How is that factored into the statistic?

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

How many families use gestures and home signs but not formal ASL or even PSE? How is that factored into the statistic?

*sighs*

PSE is ASL. The only underlying difference is that PSE is a butchered version of ASL in English order, hence "pidgin." Just like how Jamaican Patios is English, but it's a creole form of the British English.

Maybe you meant SEE?

But you are right though.

 

[Lighthouse77]

True, and I've no doubt of the genius of the man known as A.G. Bell. Without him we would've had no light, phones, etc. etc. (well, they would've arrived later than when they did... as Tesla was working on the light bulb at about the same time).
Bells theories and ideas are outdated and been found in many respects wrong. Attitudes of the late Victorian era have a lot of problems but in todays world where the young of our parents generation and the previous generation have been enlightened even further about deafness those old AG Bell ideas, values and standards are passe' and a lot of people know it.
I don't think we adhere to them as much as initially thought.
But I was not laying whole blame on the parents and doctors/audiologists... the blame also goes to the system which influences parents and doctors... but they still hold their share because they have educated themselves (or SHOULD have) about their patients/clients and children.

But as I said... the whole system is getting better little by little as strides in education, awareness and advocacy are getting better...little by little.

I agree with inmate23 btw on his statement:

I've always felt phones is our worst enemy in a way because it put a bigger gap of being successful and finding jobs.

But anyway, throughout the years, people who supported oralism-only have always thought "well maybe this techology will help the deaf more" and it failed everytime. Like hearing aids, FM system, etc. Just when I thought they would finally give up and let deaf do a bi-bi program, a new technology comes along and it is back to the same cycle all over again.

 

[CJB]

*sighs*

PSE is ASL. The only underlying difference is that PSE is a butchered version of ASL in English order, hence "pidgin." Just like how Jamaican Patios is English, but it's a creole form of the British English.

Maybe you meant SEE?

But you are right though.

I know what PSE is. My point is where do they draw the line? And that's a good question too. How does SEE factor into the statistic? And cued speech?

 

[Buffalo]

True, and I've no doubt of the genius of the man known as A.G. Bell. Without him we would've had no light, phones, etc. etc. (well, they would've arrived later than when they did... as Tesla was working on the light bulb at about the same time).

Err... Thomas Edison is the one who invent lightbulb and many other inventions like phonograph, etc.

 

[Dixie]

More often than not hearing parents of deaf children are often given just one option from the audiologist - the use of spoken language to communicate.

I remember when I got my aids, my dad said it was a miracle that I could hear him, I though to myself, it would be an even bigger miracle if I were able to communicate with you in ASL. But both of my parents were both very stubborn to learn ASL. My mom especially says things like "I don't do sign language, I speak English" or "In this house we speak English."

As a child due to a lack of open communication, I had very little social skills. I had no idea of how to confidently interact with my peers without an adult mediator around. Because of this, I was seldom asked to go to parties, or outings. I wished I could talk on the phone with girls from my class, I wished I could have been able to socialize more.

Due to this, the majority of my school years were spent alone. I don't think I really learned how to socialize well until I Forrest Gumped my way through my Freshman year of college and finally being away from my parents. After that real world experience, I began to learn when to voice my opinion and when to keep it to myself. How to get along with a group without being the the irritating tag-along or the abrasive one that everyone wants to get rid of. I went from the quiet girl that keeps to herself, to the one that no one liked until I finally got it right in my young adult years, and now most people like me. They're OK with me.

Without communication the child will face hardships both academically, socially, and emotionally. Communication is essential for a healthy balance in anyone.

I liken A.G. Bell to an American Nazi. Like Hitler, he wanted to ensure a "perfect" human race by keeping those he saw as different and a threat from reproducing, and wanted to keep them uneducated and in the dark about their condition so that they would not know any better.

 

[shel90]

More often than not hearing parents of deaf children are often given just one option from the audiologist - the use of spoken language to communicate.

I remember when I got my aids, my dad said it was a miracle that I could hear him, I though to myself, it would be an even bigger miracle if I were able to communicate with you in ASL. But both of my parents were both very stubborn to learn ASL. My mom especially says things like "I don't do sign language, I speak English" or "In this house we speak English."

As a child due to a lack of open communication, I had very little social skills. I had no idea of how to confidently interact with my peers without an adult mediator around. Because of this, I was seldom asked to go to parties, or outings. I wished I could talk on the phone with girls from my class, I wished I could have been able to socialize more.

Due to this, the majority of my school years were spent alone. I don't think I really learned how to socialize well until I Forrest Gumped my way through my Freshman year of college and finally being away from my parents. After that real world experience, I began to learn when to voice my opinion and when to keep it to myself. How to get along with a group without being the the irritating tag-along or the abrasive one that everyone wants to get rid of. I went from the quiet girl that keeps to herself, to the one that no one liked until I finally got it right in my young adult years, and now most people like me. They're OK with me.

Without communication the child will face hardships both academically, socially, and emotionally. Communication is essential for a healthy balance in anyone.

I liken A.G. Bell to an American Nazi. Like Hitler, he wanted to ensure a "perfect" human race by keeping those he saw as different and a threat from reproducing, and wanted to keep them uneducated and in the dark about their condition so that they would not know any better.

His views and philosophies are still having a big impact on the medical community now. *sighs*

 

[Dixie]

His views and philosophies are still having a big impact on the medical community now. *sighs*

That alone should be the biggest dissappointment of the future.

Good thing I'm not a history major otherwise the children would be getting history as it really happened, not as per the curriculum standards as set forth by the Arkansas State Board of Education based in Little Rock, AR. (BTW as it stands, the Board is now requiring that all high school students take trigonometry as a requirement for graduation. - yet only about 30% of all current students are considered 'proficient' in basic algebra. Scary.)

 

[DURAY]

not all deaf people can sign. Not all deaf people are oral.
We're culturally deaf, not medically deaf.
AG BEll's wife was deaf, right? And ATT give millions of dollars to AGB Association. nice royalty.

More often than not hearing parents of deaf children are often given just one option from the audiologist - the use of spoken language to communicate.

I remember when I got my aids, my dad said it was a miracle that I could hear him, I though to myself, it would be an even bigger miracle if I were able to communicate with you in ASL. But both of my parents were both very stubborn to learn ASL. My mom especially says things like "I don't do sign language, I speak English" or "In this house we speak English."

As a child due to a lack of open communication, I had very little social skills. I had no idea of how to confidently interact with my peers without an adult mediator around. Because of this, I was seldom asked to go to parties, or outings. I wished I could talk on the phone with girls from my class, I wished I could have been able to socialize more.

Due to this, the majority of my school years were spent alone. I don't think I really learned how to socialize well until I Forrest Gumped my way through my Freshman year of college and finally being away from my parents. After that real world experience, I began to learn when to voice my opinion and when to keep it to myself. How to get along with a group without being the the irritating tag-along or the abrasive one that everyone wants to get rid of. I went from the quiet girl that keeps to herself, to the one that no one liked until I finally got it right in my young adult years, and now most people like me. They're OK with me.

Without communication the child will face hardships both academically, socially, and emotionally. Communication is essential for a healthy balance in anyone.

I liken A.G. Bell to an American Nazi. Like Hitler, he wanted to ensure a "perfect" human race by keeping those he saw as different and a threat from reproducing, and wanted to keep them uneducated and in the dark about their condition so that they would not know any better.