Reasons behind oralism

[flip]

I have more than once experienced that the choice between bi-bi and oralism is seldom done by facts. More often, it's personal experiences and the surroundings. Here is some few reasons for going oral that I have encountered:

Insecurity. Those people are on alert what the majority thinks and do. Often they are insecure with their own feelings, and listen to doctors for what to do. As deaf people belong to a minority, they don't have the self esteem to seek out deaf people for advice.

CODAs with parents who was forsaken by the society. Some of those CODAs don't understand the concept of fluency in sign language and self esteem. It's so strange to them, and they often strugle with the ASL community and the deafness of their parents. They ask themselves if they was forsaken by their parents, or the deaf community. We see the oposite among CODAs with wealthy parents within the deaf community.

Relatives of new parents. Many families struggle with a unhealthy pathology. Deaf people born into this kind of families often gets victims of contest on powers, positions and acceptance. Full speech development is often a victory for those parents. Sometimes, they realize bi-bi will give the best results, but often a pure oral method with the technology getting the most praises will impress most relatives.

What do you think?

 

[VamPyroX]

I guess it varies on the individual.

My reason for starting out oral was because of how I was raised.

I was born hearing, but became deaf around the age of one. I went to a deaf institute where sign language wasn't used, just oral.

A few years later, my family moved to another state and that was when I went to mainstream school for the first time.

Yet, my family is hearing and we always found it easier to talk instead of signing.

 

[deafbajagal]

CODAs with parents who was forsaken by the society. Some of those CODAs don't understand the concept of fluency in sign language and self esteem. It's so strange to them, and they often strugle with the ASL community and the deafness of their parents. They ask themselves if they was forsaken by their parents, or the deaf community. We see the oposite among CODAs with wealthy parents within the deaf community.



What do you think?

One comment that I have: I think that while it is true for some CODAs to experience what you say - but nowdays there is a lot more information about deaf community, deafness, deaf culture, ASL, etc. A lot more awareness so to speak. My hearing daughter is fluent in both ASL and English and is truly bicultural...it is AMAZING to watch her go from my deaf classroom into her hearing kinder class..she has like a little switch that she just says, "Oh. Now I'm gonna be talking..." You're post has gotten me thinking about a new post that I can do .

What did you mean by the CODAS with wealthy parents are opposite?

 

[sculleywr]

I have more than once experienced that the choice between bi-bi and oralism is seldom done by facts. More often, it's personal experiences and the surroundings. Here is some few reasons for going oral that I have encountered:

Insecurity. Those people are on alert what the majority thinks and do. Often they are insecure with their own feelings, and listen to doctors for what to do. As deaf people belong to a minority, they don't have the self esteem to seek out deaf people for advice.

CODAs with parents who was forsaken by the society. Some of those CODAs don't understand the concept of fluency in sign language and self esteem. It's so strange to them, and they often strugle with the ASL community and the deafness of their parents. They ask themselves if they was forsaken by their parents, or the deaf community. We see the oposite among CODAs with wealthy parents within the deaf community.

Relatives of new parents. Many families struggle with a unhealthy pathology. Deaf people born into this kind of families often gets victims of contest on powers, positions and acceptance. Full speech development is often a victory for those parents. Sometimes, they realize bi-bi will give the best results, but often a pure oral method with the technology getting the most praises will impress most relatives.

What do you think?

I think another reason behind the oral methods is ignorance. Somewhere between 75% and 85% of Deaf children are born into hearing families. Most Parents of Deaf children (PODC???) are automatically introduced to deafness as a pathology, a problem that needs to be fixed. That is how most doctors/nurses will represent it. Doctors are in it for the money most of the time, and hearing aids and CI's cost a family a lot of money to that doctor, and a referral gives a certain amount of credit to the referrer.

It wasn't until recently, with figureheads such as Marlee Matlin (granted, she did make a mistake when she received her award by speaking without signing, but she has since changed) and the Deaf Performing Artists Network (DPAN), as well as many other excellent quality Deaf actors/actresses started hitting the television set. Law and Order CI had an episode in which the importance of the birth of a Deaf child in the community is a reason for celebration (during one of the interviews, the interviewee described their newborn child as "perfect. two sentences later, it is revealed that the child is Deaf.). In the same episode, they went in detail about why some Deaf are against CI's, whether (as with the one discovered as the murderer) they are afraid that it will make their Deaf loved ones hearing, and have experienced a hearing loved one deserting them; and whatever other reasons they have. CSI (the original) had an episode in which we discover that Grissom is a CODA, and is actually quite fluent in ASL.

Despite this, as the SIDS Alliance had to, we still have a long way to go to make knowledge of the Deaf Culture known to the general populace. I can remember the times when I would regularly get confused and/or angry faces when at a stand for the SIDS Alliance because I was saying that a baby should be laid in a crib alone on their back upon a firm mattress without soft items in the crib to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. That was less than ten years ago. Now, since 1998, when the Back to Sleep program was put into action by the SIDS Alliance, the occurrence of SIDS has dropped an astonishing 60-70% in the first two years. Now when General Psychology courses go over human development, the risk factors of SIDS are contained as a side-bar in Mcgraw Hill's curriculum. We can, as a team of Deaf, interpreters, and family/friends of the Deaf, exact change upon the community in the same way as the SIDS Alliance, one person at a time.

Sorry bout the length, but I hate to just talk about the cause, but I like to offer a solution.

 

[deafbajagal]

I guess it varies on the individual.

My reason for starting out oral was because of how I was raised.

I was born hearing, but became deaf around the age of one. I went to a deaf institute where sign language wasn't used, just oral.

A few years later, my family moved to another state and that was when I went to mainstream school for the first time.

Yet, my family is hearing and we always found it easier to talk instead of signing.

You said "we" - did you mean that you found it easier to talk as well? (Just curious).

 

[flip]

I guess it varies on the individual.

My reason for starting out oral was because of how I was raised.

I was born hearing, but became deaf around the age of one. I went to a deaf institute where sign language wasn't used, just oral.

A few years later, my family moved to another state and that was when I went to mainstream school for the first time.

Yet, my family is hearing and we always found it easier to talk instead of signing.

This one is way less dramatic than my examples I agree that bi-bi or oralism often is random, as both are present in different programs and people live different places. I mostly talk with my family, too, and they responds with speech and sometimes lousy signing skills, but not a problem as long we understand each other and COMMUNICATE.

 

[flip]

One comment that I have: I think that while it is true for some CODAs to experience what you say - but nowdays there is a lot more information about deaf community, deafness, deaf culture, ASL, etc. A lot more awareness so to speak. My hearing daughter is fluent in both ASL and English and is truly bicultural...it is AMAZING to watch her go from my deaf classroom into her hearing kinder class..she has like a little switch that she just says, "Oh. Now I'm gonna be talking..." You're post has gotten me thinking about a new post that I can do .

What did you mean by the CODAS with wealthy parents are opposite?

I agree it's different with children today, with better accesibility to interpreters and education for their parents.

CODAs from the 60's and 70's with parents who had full time jobs, was leaders or had important roles in the deaf clubs and good deaf friends(that's what I mean with wealthy), seems to be more positive about the bi-bi philosophy.

It's much easier to be a CODA today with better acceptace from the majority on ASL, ASL taught at university level, right to interpreters, bi-bi programs popping up at charter schools everywhere. It's almost getting cool to be a CODA

 

[jillio]

The reason I have most often heard for parents who opt for the oral only choice is the desire to have their child fully integrate into hearing society. Unfortunately, even for the most successful oral, full integration on the hearing's terms is nearly impossible to achieve.

I think its obvious that the very foundation of oralism is the medical perspective of deafness, and oralism is used as a way to make the deafness less obvious, therefore making the individual "appear less handicapped". Often, however, this intent backfires in a very real and negative way.

I might also add that some parents, for reasons of their own insecurities, are unable to deal with having a child that is known to have any sort of a difference. They see it as a negative reflection on their own worthiness and value: as in, OMG! I've produced a handicapped child! That tells people that I am less than perfect." Rather than dealing with their own issues, they attempt to mitigate those reactions by trying to make the child appear as "normal" as possible to prevent any judgement against themselves as "defective". As sad as this is, there are numerous parents everywhere who live vicariously through their children, and see their children not as individuals in their own right, but as extensions of themselves to the degree that they cannot separate their identity from their child's identity. We see it in children's sports, where parents berate their child for less than stellar performance, in children's "beauty contests", and in parents who insist on oral only environments.

 

[Pepsi]

Well for me, my mother could not accept my hearing lost as a result, I was not allow to learn sign language. She even had me pull from speech class when I was 8 years old.I was the one who had to suffer at the end, because I had to be oral only when I was growing up.

 

[shel90]

The oral only approach is the Devil's work. There is something evil about it. LOL!

 

[jillio]

The oral only approach is the Devil's work. There is something evil about it. LOL!

 

[Pepsi]

The oral only approach is the Devil's work. There is something evil about it. LOL!

It seem that way.

 

[Matilda]

The reason I have most often heard for parents who opt for the oral only choice is the desire to have their child fully integrate into hearing society. Unfortunately, even for the most successful oral, full integration on the hearing's terms is nearly impossible to achieve.

I think its obvious that the very foundation of oralism is the medical perspective of deafness, and oralism is used as a way to make the deafness less obvious, therefore making the individual "appear less handicapped". Often, however, this intent backfires in a very real and negative way.

I might also add that some parents, for reasons of their own insecurities, are unable to deal with having a child that is known to have any sort of a difference. They see it as a negative reflection on their own worthiness and value: as in, OMG! I've produced a handicapped child! That tells people that I am less than perfect." Rather than dealing with their own issues, they attempt to mitigate those reactions by trying to make the child appear as "normal" as possible to prevent any judgement against themselves as "defective". As sad as this is, there are numerous parents everywhere who live vicariously through their children, and see their children not as individuals in their own right, but as extensions of themselves to the degree that they cannot separate their identity from their child's identity. We see it in children's sports, where parents berate their child for less than stellar performance, in children's "beauty contests", and in parents who insist on oral only environments.

----------------------------------

... that was excellently said!

Being a hearing counsellor yourself with a deaf child, I'm surprised that you seem to understand about Deaf people. As I find that hearing people even parents or those closely related to a deaf person, do not fully understand or never will understand the full implication of being deaf and their sufferings. Unless some of them become hard of hearing in their lifetime. Apart from being with deaf groups, we will always be 'alone' even being with those closest around us like hearing family/relatives.

I have been reading your past postings, trying to follow your style of writing and you have impressed me.

May I please pass on your above posting to my writer friend as she would like to know of the different views of the Deaf & oralism between USA & Australia?

 

[Doug5]

my father grew up during the depression and saw the some of the worse parts of humanity.

to him, signing is all and good, but to make money to support yourself, youre gonna have to learn how to function in an oral only enviroment. Otherwise your gonna be doomed to menial back breaking labor.

Look at the jobs non english speaking immigrants do. Usually jobs like picking fruit, landscaping washing dishes etc. The ones that learn english move up the ladder to better paying jobs, sometimes managing the non english speaking workers.

Learning oral skills is a necessary evil for the deaf. You read how some hearing people make the biggest deal of the littlest of accomidations. Like refusing to communicate through writing when ordering food in a resturant, doctor refusing to provide a terp for his patient.

I think we may be to hard on the oralists. Their heart is in the right place but they dont know any better. The differently abled have less rights than minorities. Their disability is some people not liking the color of their skin or the curlyness of their hair. If theyre that petty about those insignificant things, just imagine how they think of us.

I think some of the oral professionals paramount concern was helping us becoming self sufficient, self determining individuals. Unfortunatly they was wrong about some things like discouraging the use of sign.

 

[shel90]

my father grew up during the depression and saw the some of the worse parts of humanity.

to him, signing is all and good, but to make money to support yourself, youre gonna have to learn how to function in an oral only enviroment. Otherwise your gonna be doomed to menial back breaking labor.

Look at the jobs non english speaking immigrants do. Usually jobs like picking fruit, landscaping washing dishes etc. The ones that learn english move up the ladder to better paying jobs, sometimes managing the non english speaking workers.

Learning oral skills is a necessary evil for the deaf. You read how some hearing people make the biggest deal of the littlest of accomidations. Like refusing to communicate through writing when ordering food in a resturant, doctor refusing to provide a terp for his patient.

I think we may be to hard on the oralists. Their heart is in the right place but they dont know any better. The differently abled have less rights than minorities. Their disability is some people not liking the color of their skin or the curlyness of their hair. If theyre that petty about those minor things, just imagine how they think of us.

I think some of the oral professionals paramount concern was helping us becoming self sufficient, self determining individuals. Unfortunatly they was wrong about some things like discouraging the use of sign.

I dont see anything wrong with giving all deaf children the opportunities to develop oral skills but I see a lot wrong with putting deaf children in an educational environment where they dont have full access to everything. Also, I dont like the idea of oral first and if it fails, then introduce sign later. That puts the children at a great risk for language deprivation which will lead to language delays therefore crippling their ability to develop literacy skills. That kind of practice is what I am very much against and I wont go easy on anyone who believes or uses that kind of practice. Too many deaf children, including myself and my deaf brother have suffered from that kind of practice.

I believe in using both languages for all deaf children especially in the educational setting.

 

[Doug5]

I agree, teaching sign as soon as possible will make it easier to learn oral skills.

 

[shel90]

I agree, teaching sign as soon as possible will make it easier to learn oral skills.

Unfortunately, too many of the so-called experts believe the opposite. That teaching sign will hamper the children's ability to develop oral skills. We even had an AD member who stated that in another thread. Duh...if that's so true then how come many of my deaf friends and deaf students who have been exposed to sign language since their deafness was discovered were able to develop fluent oral skills? HMMMMM...something is not making sense.

Just like with the myth that if an oral deaf person losing their oral skills once he/she learns sign language. UH..yea right! I grew up orally and learned ASL 10 years ago, havent lost my oral skills since I still can use them effectively. I just became lazy by choice.

 

[deafdyke]

Unfortunately, even for the most successful oral, full integration on the hearing's terms is nearly impossible to achieve.

Yes........I am a part of the hearing world, but I'm not and never will totally be 100% a part of the hearing world. Complete and total integration into the hearing world is BEYOND rare. Witness all the "oral" kids who have difficulty with interpersonal skills with hearing kids, witness oral people complaining about how they don't have accomondations like a 'terp, etc etc and so on.

 

[jillio]

----------------------------------

... that was excellently said!

Being a hearing counsellor yourself with a deaf child, I'm surprised that you seem to understand about Deaf people. As I find that hearing people even parents or those closely related to a deaf person, do not fully understand or never will understand the full implication of being deaf and their sufferings. Unless some of them become hard of hearing in their lifetime. Apart from being with deaf groups, we will always be 'alone' even being with those closest around us like hearing family/relatives.

I have been reading your past postings, trying to follow your style of writing and you have impressed me.

May I please pass on your above posting to my writer friend as she would like to know of the different views of the Deaf & oralism between USA & Australia?

Yes, you may pass my posting on. I am only able to take the Deaf perspective because the Deaf community was gracious enough to take me under their collective wing and teach me what I needed to know at the time I needed it the most.

Thank you for the compliments!

 

[VamPyroX]

One comment that I have: I think that while it is true for some CODAs to experience what you say - but nowdays there is a lot more information about deaf community, deafness, deaf culture, ASL, etc. A lot more awareness so to speak. My hearing daughter is fluent in both ASL and English and is truly bicultural...it is AMAZING to watch her go from my deaf classroom into her hearing kinder class..she has like a little switch that she just says, "Oh. Now I'm gonna be talking..." You're post has gotten me thinking about a new post that I can do .

What did you mean by the CODAS with wealthy parents are opposite?

Perhaps, it's because if the deaf parents are wealthy... it's because they succeeded in life and this motivates the CODA to do better?

This is something I haven't heard about either.