Norwegian Deaf demand sign language's official status in Norway

[deafskeptic]

apparently Jill, Norway has the [one of the] highest level of literancy rates in the world, so I'm not surprised about this, but then again as for deaf students I'm not so sure....

I' like to know the statistics on the literacy rate for the deaf there too. I find it disquieting that a hearing parent's ci child who lives there has a two year language delay. That's rather signicant.

 

[jillio]

I' like to know the statistics on the literacy rate for the deaf there too. I find it disquieting that a hearing parent's ci child who lives there has a two year language delay. That's rather signicant.

I agree, deafskeptic. Two years is a significant delay.

 

[flip]

apparently Jill, Norway has the [one of the] highest level of literancy rates in the world, so I'm not surprised about this, but then again as for deaf students I'm not so sure....

If I am right, sign language as a teaching tool and a language to learn for deaf students, have been a part of the offical education cirriculum since 87 in Norway. Bilingualism in education is offical in all scandianvian countries, and as we know, true bilingualism and literacy are good friends. From my experience, deaf people in scandinavia, Norway included, have higher education at an average, compared to other countries.

Beside the acceptance of deaf people as bilingual in scandinavia, I feel it's also due to a relative equal divided wealth and the general high level of education in the population.

We must remember that Cloggy is an immigrant in Norway, and his choices are more typical for immigrants. For example, it's known that immigrants are more distanced to sign language than natives with higher education at an average. Just ask any deaf teacher. This is due to the immigrant parents themselves are trying to learn a new language to get money and work, and it's a burden for them to mess with a minority language that they don't sense any clear empowerment in, like sign language. Native parents with low literacy will also have this problem.

 

[jillio]

If I am right, sign language as a teaching tool and a language to learn for deaf students, have been a part of the offical education cirriculum since 87 in Norway. Bilingualism in education is offical in all scandianvian countries, and as we know, true bilingualism and literacy are good friends. From my experience, deaf people in scandinavia, Norway included, have higher education at an average, compared to other countries.

Beside the acceptance of deaf people as bilingual in scandinavia, I feel it's also due to a relative equal divided wealth and the general high level of education in the population.

We must remember that Cloggy is an immigrant in Norway, and his choices are more typical for immigrants. For example, it's known that immigrants are more distanced to sign language than natives with higher education at an average. Just ask any deaf teacher. This is due to the immigrant parents themselves are trying to learn a new language to get money and work, and it's a burden for them to mess with a minority language that they don't sense any clear empowerment in, like sign language. Native parents with low literacy will also have this problem.

While I don't disagree with the points you have made, and such has been supported in the research I cited as well, it was the Education Act of 1998 that created the system of deaf education seen in Norway today. This is the sustem that guarantees the right of all deaf students to be educated in NSL, irregardless of their level of hearing loss.

One of the difficulties that I see with the system as set up, however, isthe fact that teachers of the deaf are considered to be proficient in NSl after having completed only six months of instruction in the langauge.

 

[flip]

While I don't disagree with the points you have made, and such has been supported in the research I cited as well, it was the Education Act of 1998 that created the system of deaf education seen in Norway today. This is the sustem that guarantees the right of all deaf students to be educated in NSL, irregardless of their level of hearing loss.

One of the difficulties that I see with the system as set up, however, isthe fact that teachers of the deaf are considered to be proficient in NSl after having completed only six months of instruction in the langauge.

This is what I have read, too, sign language was included in the offical education cirriculum in 1997-1998, but I have also read it was included as an addition note to the offical cirriculum as early as 1984 or 1987, but not sure if the word bilingual was used then. But thanks for specifying!

6 months of instruction in sign language is a joke, *cough*

It's interesting that denmark have an alarming high unemployment rate among deaf people, when we notice that mainstream programs are more common in denmark than the other scandianvian conuntries. I do not have numbers on this, but this have been said by lecturers, and sorry if I am wrong on this one. The CI dream does indeed not seem to work very well in Denmark...

 

[jillio]

This is what I have read, too, sign language was included in the offical education cirriculum in 1997-1998, but I have also read it was included as an addition note to the offical cirriculum as early as 1984 or 1987, but not sure if the word bilingual was used then. But thanks for specifying!

6 months of instruction in sign language is a joke, *cough*

It's interesting that denmark have an alarming high unemployment rate among deaf people, when we notice that mainstream programs are more common in denmark than the other scandianvian conuntries. I do not have numbers on this, but this have been said by lecturers, and sorry if I am wrong on this one. The CI dream does indeed not seem to work very well in Denmark...

Not only the CI dream, but the way that their system of inclusion is set up doesn't appear to be working very well, either.

 

[Liza]

Friend says he is not sure of the high school system here, but kids finish school at age 18 in Norway.