Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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TiaraPrincess
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Just to let you know my mother did not do that, and I only asked her why she choose the option of oralism out of curiousity not because I was angry. Though, I think she thought I was angry, and I had to calm her down and say "mom, I am not angry, I am just curious." Just wanted to let you know that this does not apply to every deaf child. I can understand sign language and people can learn that anytime, so it does not matter early or not. It's not too late to learn.
TiaraPrincess,
I mean, I think there are some parents(who choose oral-first) out there who OK with Sign.....but the oral route is still extremely audist and ablist as well!
Yes, people can learn Sign at any time, but on the other hand people who learn Sign late in life will never be as fluent in Sign as people who started learning it from an early age. I mean, isn't it better to grow up bilingal with TWO languages, rather then one? I find it very ironic that many of the parents who chose oral-only for their kids would chose to have them educated early on in another spoken language. Matter of fact, there was an article on spoken language bilingalism in Volta Voices. (AG Bell's newsmagazine) As I've said before, the debate really isn't over methodology anymore...it's about which language should be a dhh kid's first language. I think that it's important for dhh oral-first kids to learn Sign and be exposed to Deaf culture early on, like around first grade.
I mean, I think there are some parents(who choose oral-first) out there who OK with Sign.....but the oral route is still extremely audist and ablist as well!
Oceanbreeze
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Malfoyish said:
Your Mother was badly misinformed and that's a shame. I'm SO glad you took the iniatiative to learn ASL in college. You need to feel at ease in this world, and while I give you MASS KUDOS for diving into the hearing world, and mastering oral communication so well, I also think it's important for you to feel connected to the deaf community. Like it or not, this who you are, and us "hearing folk" need to realize that!
Just my two cents worth!
TiaraPrincess
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I have to say that I don't think sign language is another language like Japanese, Portuguese, etc. I think it's another English form of communication for deaf people if they cannot speak. It has its own rules, but the D/deaf are born where they are. Be it USA, Japan, Australia, but they are still in there using their language just in a different way. Just like I don't think Ebonic is a language. I never think of it as another language. It doesn't ever agree the way I see it. Doesn't matter about it's syntax and grammars because they are only different to make the version of sign language shorter and easier rather than using SEE which you sign everything and people agree is longer and harder.
Wow, first grade..I don't know. As a child I never really cared. I grew up being interested as I came across articles, but I never cried that I wasn't exposed. My mom created me in the world that I was in--with my family and where she could afford to live. I believe that maybe some of the children who grow up mad probably come from parents who flat out deny their deafness or some form of harsh criticism about being different. That's different. I believe some in the Deaf Community influence their anger at their parents. That's called Peer Pressure or something close to that stigma. They begin to change their mind and behavior. There are some people who don't care about the Deaf Community because of their beliefs. Some community are harsh while others aren't.
What I am trying to say is that I don't believe in convincing or influencing someone to go a specific route. I believe in giving them all the options available. Websites, books, seek out other people and let them decide. I believe in telling them to be open and read as much as they can PLUS letting them know how taking the oral route will take practice to make clear not only from school or therapy but also at home. I believe it is the parent's decision to know where they should go, but it is their homework to read and decide what's best for their child. They have an instinct and a brain. I feel happy giving them resources to read that talks about everything, but I don't feel comfortable directing them to a path unless they mention that something is not working, then I might think it is okay to suggest some other routes. Still, the option is up to them.
I am also iffy about Deaf schools. They can be so bad and impair you from moving to another level. Did you tell her to research how skilled the teachers are and take a day to observe the class or talk to the students and how they are doing? My mom did that in a hearing impaired program before she enrolled me. She did not want to put me in a place that tought a lesser level than what I could get elsewhere. Why do I hear so many deaf student say their school sucked? It's a concern to me.
TiaraPrincess
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Not only is health care a problem, but some are not adviced about Medicaid or other programs available. Some hospitals are willing to pay the costs if you meet their income qualifications. Also, there are some parents who are single or need to work who have less time to make speech therapy a priority. It really pays off to give at least an hour daily of therapy. I do understand that you have to make speech therapy a daily 24/7 living because therapists advice that parents use therapy using fun activities, so that it does not seem like a drill. Example, use therapy while you're cooking mentioning the names of ingredients and have them repeat some back just to get their oral motor developing. As a child, I remember I had some therapy and some fun activities. It really made it fun for me, and I really looked forward to them. I think it's best to be hyperinvolved in a balanced way than nothing at all. You don't mention the parents that do absolutley nothing. That's much sadness to me than very involved parents. Did you read about Heather having therapy and tutoring daily at home? I know Heather understand that this is a sacrifice she and her mother had to make. She was not so sad or griped about not being involved. It takes a balanced perspective to understand why things happen the way they are.
The only thing about Heather's book that saddens me is where her mother did not let her become a professional ballerina as her heart desired. Her mother pushed her to go to college, so she agreed because God says obey your parents. I say that she was an adult able to make decisions. That's the only thing that saddens me from her book. That is sort of what I am dealing with right now. I would be happy if my child decides she/he wants to go into ballet as a profession.
Ummm.....if ASL was a branch of English then there would not be literacy problems. It is not a dialect the way Cajun is or Ebonics is. People who speak Cajun or Ebonics have the same literacy rates as do people who speak Middle American English. ASL IS a real language....it meets all the functional definitions of a language!
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Miss-Delectable said:
Yes, I second that.
I think it's wonderful of parents who are open-minded to learn about deafies culture etc.
It's good to see some of the parents positive their children's life because they accept what they are.
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I think parents should do both ASL and English. Growing up bilingual. This way, the kid gets a sense of both worlds. Not only that, but if parents allow their kids to sign, then that means the parents look at their child as a normal, whole human being, not some half disabled person. People who go the oralist route are the people who pity their children. You should never feel sorry for your child. Anyway, I just think ASL and English both, bilingual approach is the best way.