Hearing parents, to sign or not to sign
This argument has been ongoing for many years, especially with the development of new hearing devices, CIs and modern systems of manual communications.
Within the deaf & HI communities, there has been an ongoing battle between those who are profoundly deaf and those who are (only) hard of hearing.
Observing that there is a "pecking order", there are some (not all) of the profoundly deaf who are envious of those with hearing and speech, those who can weave their lives in both worlds. The jealousy level is high, vociferous and even vicious.
Then when we observe English comprehension and fluency, most of the prelingually deaf adults read, write and comprehend English at the 2nd-4th
grade level. This, is classified as "illiteracy", which hinders educational and employment opportunities.
Both of my children rank very high in English fluency and both do operate well within the predominately hearing world, even being accepted in both worlds.
To demand that someone has to be limited, by parents or society, by their choice of sign methodologies or ancillary hearing devices seems (to me) to be "self serving, narrow minded and bigoted".
I want more than "just getting by" for my family and friends. Don't you?
Alas, "Everyone to their own taste, said the old lady as she licked the cow".
Let's hear your rebuttal. The world is lQQking.
