The Deaf Community

[faire_jour]

That's where an acoustic access classroom helps I know Li-Li is getting the same vocabulary, the same concepts in both languages. She code switches with ease, fortunately. She seems to innately know deaf from hearing. Very different from my grandmother who, though fluent in 3 languages, had a knack for speaking German with English-speaking family members, and English with German-speaking family, and she'd often slip into dutch around her Bavarian German-speaking husband, who could barely make heads or tails of it.

Li-Li refuses to sign with my husband even when he won't speak and signs only (he is always very embarrassed by this when we're in mixed company - deaf/hearing - he's afraid people will think he doesn't sign with her (he does!) . He thinks she laughs at his signing . But with me, she'll sign half the time when we're alone, and always answer sign with sign, but will only speak to me when we're around her school, almost as if to say, 'oh mama, you can't keep up with us big kids here, we'll slow it down to speaking for you'.

Right, if there is specific vocabulary that is needed that does not have direct translations (which often happens from one language to another, imagine if you were an English speaker trying to explain the differences in the Inuit words for snow!) there can be a barrier and a struggle, one that can adversely affect the child's academic success.

 

[sallylou]

• Although many parents believe that bilingualism results in language delay, research suggests that monolingual and bilingual children meet major language developmental milestones at similar times.

• Despite many parents' fear that using two languages will result in confusion for their children, there is no research evidence to support this. On the contrary, use of two languages in the same conversation has been found to be a sign of mastery of both languages.

• Many parents rely heavily on television to teach the second language; yet this is best considered a fun source of secondary support for language learning. Human interaction is the best method for fostering language learning.

• Contrary to the widespread notion among parents that bilingualism results in "bigger, better brains," parents more realistically can expect their bilingual children to gain specific advantages in targeted areas, such as greater understanding of language as an abstract system.

CAL: Digests: Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research

 

[shel90]

Right, if there is specific vocabulary that is needed that does not have direct translations (which often happens from one language to another, imagine if you were an English speaker trying to explain the differences in the Inuit words for snow!) there can be a barrier and a struggle, one that can adversely affect the child's academic success.[/QUOTE]

So, now deaf parents can be harmful to their hearing children? Oh boy.

My deaf friend's hearing son and daughter are in AP classes in middle school. When we were roommates when they were younger, she did have some of those issues but they got it all worked out. I have never met a CODA whose academic success failed because of ASL. :roll:

 

[faire_jour]

Again, you seem to find problems in everything unless it is just oralism only.

There ARE problems in everything! I find it disingenuous at best and deceitful at worst, when people pretend that their way provides success without struggles or negative points.

 

[faire_jour]

Right, if there is specific vocabulary that is needed that does not have direct translations (which often happens from one language to another, imagine if you were an English speaker trying to explain the differences in the Inuit words for snow!) there can be a barrier and a struggle, one that can adversely affect the child's academic success.

So, now deaf parents can be harmful to their hearing children? Oh boy.

My deaf friend's hearing son and daughter are in AP classes in middle school. When we were roommates when they were younger, she did have some of those issues but they got it all worked out. I have never met a CODA whose academic success failed because of ASL. :roll:

Where did I say that the problem was deaf parents? I said that there were some innate struggles with a child having a home language that was different than the language used for their academics.

 

[shel90]

Where did I say that the problem was deaf parents? I said that there were some innate struggles with a child having a home language that was different than the language used for their academics.

You were talking about CODAs...

 

[shel90]

There ARE problems in everything! I find it disingenuous at best and deceitful at worst, when people pretend that their way provides success without struggles or negative points.

I understand that but I dont let them stop me. I find a way around it. Like my son being identified with language delays in both languages, I did something about it instead of quitting my use of ASL with him.

 

[faire_jour]

You were talking about CODAs...

And I mentioned Inuits as well. At the beginning of this section of the conversation we were actually discussing deaf kids who use ASL at school and spoken language at home. The issue remains regardless of which two languages are being discussed.

 

[shel90]

And I mentioned Inuits as well. At the beginning of this section of the conversation we were actually discussing deaf kids who use ASL at school and spoken language at home. The issue remains regardless of which two languages are being discussed.

That's fine if you believe that. I am not going to change your mind. I believe that exposing children to more than one language will have more of a positive impact than a negative one. Look at children in Europe. I think it is so neat that they are fluent in multiple languages. I always found international deaf students very fascinating when I was at Gallaudet because they were fluent in more than one written and signed languages. My friend that I mentioned who had some issues with helping her children with their homework when they were younger is fluent in Spanish, ASL and English.

 

[faire_jour]

That's fine if you believe that. I am not going to change your mind. I believe that exposing children to more than one language will have more of a positive impact than a negative one. Look at children in Europe. I think it is so neat that they are fluent in multiple languages. I always found international deaf students very fascinating when I was at Gallaudet because they were fluent in more than one written and signed languages. My friend that I mentioned who had some issues with helping her children with their homework when they were younger is fluent in Spanish, ASL and English.

Do you really, actually, believe that there is one path that has no cons?

 

[shel90]

Do you really, actually, believe that there is one path that has no cons?

Where did I say that? I believe in a path that has the least chances of putting deaf children at risks for language delays or deficits and emotional issues. That path is the BiBi approach from what I have seen and experienced.

Even my dog understands both ASL and English. It didnt hurt her.

 

[AlleyCat]

There ARE problems in everything! I find it disingenuous at best and deceitful at worst, when people pretend that their way provides success without struggles or negative points.

That isn't fair. Some hearing children have their own issues and struggles as well. Many deaf do. But certainly not all. It doesn't make us deceitful or disingenuous. That's a low blow.

 

[shel90]

that isn't fair. Some hearing children have their own issues and struggles as well. Many deaf do. But certainly not all. It doesn't make us deceitful or disingenuous. That's a low blow.

+1

 

[faire_jour]

That isn't fair. Some hearing children have their own issues and struggles as well. Many deaf do. But certainly not all. It doesn't make us deceitful or disingenuous. That's a low blow.

I was talking about ANYONE who pretends there are no cons, and that certainly includes hard-core AV or oral advocates.

 

[shel90]

If we want to talk about how language can adversly affect children's academic success, why didnt that happen to my ex hubby's family? They all grew up going to American schools with a mother who didnt speak English. They were all fluent in Spanish and learned English when they entered school and now all 6 of them have college degrees with successful careers. To this day, their mother is not fluent in English.

Maybe it is because I grew up around cultural diversity in a predominately Spanish and English speaking community, I dont see any harm in exposing children to mroe than one language. I am not afraid of it.

 

[BecLak]

I think our little ones are roughly the same age -- that's what I'm experiencing too, it's what i expected, and even though it's a little scary early on when you aren't certain things will catch up, in the end, I think it's fine (it's not a race )

This happens in a bi-lingual environment especially when the child is under 5. Many may think they get confused or delayed in their language skills but up until about 5 the child often used bits of each language in the same sentences mixing them up. This is normal. By the time they are 5 or so, they are using both languages fluently appropriate to their age-level.

 

[KristinaB]

I have always been told that many CODA's need speech therapy, some need it for many years. (Including the poster here Doubletrouble) I was just saying that having ASL at home and spoken language at school sometimes doesn't work perfectly either.

Don't forget, Shel has a hubby that can speak very clearly just like her. I believe her son is exposed to both speaking and ASL at home, so he has an advantage over most CODA's since he has at least one hearing parent.

 

[GrendelQ]

I think that Shel and Faire Jour are saying nearly the same thing, but chafing at the edges.

 

[shel90]

I think that Shel and Faire Jour are saying nearly the same thing, but chafing at the edges.

The only different between us is that I am against the oral-only philosophy and she is not.

 

[shel90]

Don't forget, Shel has a hubby that can speak very clearly just like her. I believe her son is exposed to both speaking and ASL at home, so he has an advantage over most CODA's since he has at least one hearing parent.

Yea, he does speak with him but when I am around, he uses ASL with him. Sometimes, my son wont sign back and I always have to ask them what they are saying. It can be challenging at times but we all are working on it.