the start of language

marcyp06

marcyp06

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I am hearing and want to adopt deaf kids. I may end up with both deaf and hearing kids. I want my children to be billingual (ASL/English). My question is how to introduce a billingual atmosphere. I don't want my hearing OR deaf kids to be lacking in either language. I want my kids to know ASL, not SEE. So not being able to speak and sign at the same time, what's the best way to balance both languages so the child picks up vocab as well as grammar rules in both languages. My children with have plenty of both hearing and deaf adults and children in their lives as role models, and I will never force my deaf children to speak vocally if they are not able or interested.
 
Have you actually started the adoption process? What age range are you interested in?
 
No, it will be a while. I want to finish school and perfect my ASL first. I want lots of kids, any age range. I do want at least one child from early infancy but I would love to adopt older children as well.
 
Coming from a multi-lingual environment (my husband speaks and uses several languages fluently). The best way is to use one distinct language with all the syntax etc. and then 'interpret' into the other language with correct grammar etc. immediately afterwards. My husband does that. He will speak in Thai to his staff and then turn to me and speak in English. When I use sign language I will sign in Auslan (Australian Sign Language), voice off. My hearing children will work out what I am saying and will respond accordingly usually back in sign and voice off. If they don't comprehend the first time, I will then repeat it again in sign/voice off. If comprehension is still not achieved, I will then interpret into spoken English using fluent English with proper grammar etc. I do not try and sign and speak at the same time. I use each language distinctly by itself one after the other. Hope that helps. :D
 
marcyp06 said:
I am hearing and want to adopt deaf kids. I may end up with both deaf and hearing kids. I want my children to be billingual (ASL/English). My question is how to introduce a billingual atmosphere. I don't want my hearing OR deaf kids to be lacking in either language. I want my kids to know ASL, not SEE. So not being able to speak and sign at the same time, what's the best way to balance both languages so the child picks up vocab as well as grammar rules in both languages. My children with have plenty of both hearing and deaf adults and children in their lives as role models, and I will never force my deaf children to speak vocally if they are not able or interested.
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Separate the languages. For instance, when conversing with my deaf son, or a hearing family member when he was present, I used ASL. When interpreting a hearing person's words, I used ASL.

For reading purposes, I used English, with clarification in ASL if necessary. When using closed captioning, I used English.

BTW: my son has excellent speech skills, but they were more of a formally taught skill.
 
This can be a tough one. I know because I'm a household of 5 with one deaf child. When communicating directly with my deaf son, we use sign (I use ASL and my wife, who is a less skilled signer -- but getting better! -- uses predominantly pidgin). When communicating with all the children, we'll use sign. If it's just my hearing kids we'll use whatever we feel like: English, simcom (spoken English while signing in English word order), or ASL, and my hearing kids respond in kind, especially our youngest who can switch from speaking to signing mid-sentence without missing a beat. It's really amazing to watch.
 
Mountain Man said:
This can be a tough one. I know because I'm a household of 5 with one deaf child. When communicating directly with my deaf son, we use sign (I use ASL and my wife, who is a less skilled signer -- but getting better! -- uses predominantly pidgin). When communicating with all the children, we'll use sign. If it's just my hearing kids we'll use whatever we feel like: English, simcom (spoken English while signing in English word order), or ASL, and my hearing kids respond in kind, especially our youngest who can switch from speaking to signing mid-sentence without missing a beat. It's really amazing to watch.
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It really is amazing to watch a kid code switch like that. Just another indication of how readily they learn and apply when given a proper environment.
 
She'll be jabbering away with her voice, pop a carrot into her mouth, and then carry on with signs. It's actually really cute.
 
Mountain Man said:
She'll be jabbering away with her voice, pop a carrot into her mouth, and then carry on with signs. It's actually really cute.
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I'd love to see that on YouTube...but also, I understand that not all of us want to open our child up to unfiltered exposure like that. I certainly wouldn't.
 
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