First, implementing basic sign language in the school curriculum helps both students and deaf and hearing impaired individuals develop social skills. A key aspect of development for every child, whether deaf or hearing, is the ability to interact socially. The authors Batten et al. conducted a study of deaf children social interaction in which concluded that “peer friendships could provide deaf children with opportunities to develop specific social, emotional, and cognitive skills, alongside increasing their overall well-being and self-confidence” (Batten et al. 286). Different from verbal communication, sign language forces people to actively engage in the interaction since one’s eyes should be focused on a single person’s body language and
gestures. According to Batten et al., social interaction between deaf and hearing individuals can help mainly deaf individuals overcome loneliness, depression, and behavioral problems, but also help hearing individuals learn how to interact with others in a non-verbal ground (Batten et al. 286). The social interaction works as a boundary against life stressors and developmental challenges, such as the ones deaf and hearing impaired children face. According to the well-known Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, deaf children are twice more likely to develop mental health difficulties (Harmer 101). A factor that might influence this disparity between hearing and deaf children is the rejection or lack of social interaction with their peers. Studies by Batten et al. concluded that “rejection by peers or the absence of friendships could lead to increased psychosocial and educational difficulties for deaf children, over and above the challenges they can already face” (Batten et al. 286). Therefore, increasing the interaction between deaf and hearing individuals through using sign language benefits the two parties by growing intellectually and socially on a personalized level.
The documentary “For a Deaf Son,” delineates a young boy, Thomas Tranchin, who was born deaf into a hearing family, and the battle his parents endured to decide to teach Thomas in sign language communication, strictly communicate in English, or both. The documentary is educational for the hearing world to shape their own particular opinions on what type of technique would be better for their child in the event that they were to ever be in a comparative circumstance. As Dr. Carlos Erting expressed in the film, 93% of hearing impaired children have hearing parents; therefore, this documentary gives a glimpse at both perspectives of nonverbal communication and oral communication. However, as I viewed the short film, the clashing feelings of Thomas’
Overall, reading this book from cover-to-cover has certainly assisted in opening my eyes to Deaf culture and the Deaf community I live in. Major questions have been answered, and I feel more confident and familiar with their culture than I have before. I feel I have a better perception of why Deaf people react the way they do to specific situations with hearing people and why they have different etiquettes, like how common it is to hug someone as a greeting. I have a very positive basic reaction to the information and would absolutely reference back to this book if I have any questions.
In the book Seeing Voices, the author describes the world of the deaf, which he explores with extreme passion. The book begins with the history of deaf people in the United States of America, the horrible ways in which they had been seen and treated, and their continuing struggle to gain hospitality in the hearing world. Seeing Voices also examines the visual language of the deaf, sign language, which is as expressive and as rich as any spoken language. This book covers a variety of topics in deaf studies, which includes sign language, the neurology of deafness, the treatment of Deaf American citizens in history, and the linguistic and social challenges that the deaf community face. In this book, Oliver Sacks does not view the deaf as people having a condition that can be treated, instead he sees the deaf more like a racial group. This book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Oliver Sacks states a strong case for sign language, saying it is in fact a complete language and that it is as comprehensive as English, French, Chinese, and any other spoken language. He also describes the unhappy story of oralism (this is the education of deaf students through oral language by using lip reading, speech, and mimicking the mouth shapes and breathing patterns of speech)) in deaf children’s education. In addition, the first part is about the history of deaf people as well as information about deafness. It also includes the author’s own introduction to the world of the deaf.
In this article, “The Deaf Body in Public Space,” Rachel Kolb explains how interacting with people who do not understand sign language could be difficult. With her hearing disability she struggled to communicate with her peers. Kolb further explains the different situations she has encountered with people and comments that are made with first intercommunications. Going further she also mentions how she struggles with two languages and two modes of communication.
In American Sign Language a major part of the language entails being able to express emotions and types of questions through the use of non- manual signals such as when asking a yes-no question the eyebrows will go up but when asking a wh-question such as what the eyebrows go down. Another way to express something is through mouth morphemes this is the way your mouth is shaped to convey different meanings, such as size and grammar. Non-manual signals and mouth morphemes are just as important as any sign and enrich the language to make it possible to effectively communicate.
The “deaf and dumb” stigma as well as the delayed language and cognitive development of some Deaf children concerns this topic. “Ninety percent of deaf children have hearing parents, and usually there’s a significant communication gap” (Drolsbaugh 48). Therefore, it is not that being born deaf or hard of hearing that makes children unintelligent. It is the lack of access to language in the critical early years, as hearing parents often do not know sign language, that causes later issues in education. This can be seen from the fact that the brain’s plasticity, or its ability to acquire new information and establish neural pathways, is the greatest at birth and wanes throughout development. Therefore, if a child does not have sufficient access to language before five, significant language, and thus cognitive impairment, can result (100). Additionally, children learn about the world around them and develop critical thinking skills through asking questions. However, hearing parents often “wave off” such questions as unimportant due to difficulty explaining them (48). Therefore, early exposure to an accessible language such as ASL is crucial in developing language and cognitive abilities. When hearing families are fully aware and understanding of this, it can greatly facilitate improvements in education for Deaf
In the Unites States and Canada, an estimated range of 500,00 to 2 million people speak/use American Sign Language. According to the Census Bureau, ASL is the leading minority language after Spanish, Italian German and French. ASL is the focal point of Deaf Culture and nothing is dearer to the Deaf people’s hearts because it is a store of cultural knowledge and also a symbol of social identity, and social interactions. It is a fully complete, autonomous and natural language with complex grammar not derived and independent of English. ASL is visual manual, making visual manual words, moving the larger articulators od the limbs around in space. English uses audible words using small muscles
In our discussion of cochlear implants that, in my mind, seemed at times distastefully eugenicist, I found myself grappling with some difficult questions: How different would my experience of the world be if I communicated via American Sign Language instead of English? Does the existence of sign language benefit the world in some meaningful way? Just what, if anything, would be lost if the world lost sign language?
For my informative speech for Comm 2500 Section 18, I spoke about American Sign Language. I chose this topic because I started taking American Sign Language classes here at Clemson last semester as a freshman, and I really enjoy the beautiful language and way of expressing ideas. I believe that all people should be exposed to and experience American Sign Language and Deaf culture. Writing my informative speech was very exciting for me because I really enjoyed my topic and was very happy to be able to inform people about American Sign Language. I was initially nervous about this speech because it was so much longer to have to speak to people; however, it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
In learning about the deaf culture I have taken on a new understanding about the people it includes. Through readings and the lessons, I have learned that being deaf has both its hardships and its blessings. The beauty of the language alone makes one want to learn all that he or she can about it. In this paper I will discuss the beauty of the language and the misconceptions the hearing world has about deafness.
When visiting just about any school across America, students who attend come from all over the globe. This raises the question across America about bilingual education. This can create many challenges in and out of the classroom. The classroom should be a safe place for all students regardless of what native language they speak. In the essay Lost in translation written by Eva Hoffman, describes a foreign student who tries hard to fit in. Instead, Eva begins to feel angry, hurt and confused because people laugh at her. In Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education by Elizabeth R. Howard, Julie Sugarman, Donna Christian Center for Applied Linguistics Kathryn J. Lindholm-Leary San José State University David Rogers Dual Language Education of New Mexico. Guiding principles gives great ideas to educators to stop kids from making other students feel the way that Eva felt. After reading several articles about bilingual education, it is evident that all children in school should learn English but never lose their native language. When all the students speak one language, students will be less likely to make fun of each other. A good educator should learn enough foreign languages to aid them in effective communication in their classroom although; if an educator does not speak a foreign language, they should recruit within the classroom students to be peer mentors. However, a teacher should be willing to listen and encourage the students. Above all a good educator should be a good role model to their students by respecting their heritage and their language.
I have worked 23 years as an American Sign Language to English Interpreter. For 20 of those years I worked in the K-12 environment, facilitating communication between Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students and staff and hearing students and staff. I had the opportunity to interpret in every grade level with the exception of 2nd grade.
For my major, I am considering individualized studies focusing on American Sign Language Interpreting, I would like to interpret for children, elementary to high school age. Ever since I was little I was always fascinated by sign language, I had been around it only a little bit but it was enough to make me want to learn about it. I started teaching myself how to sign when I was in high school, at this point I was working with a deaf girl in elementary, I was the teachers aide. This made me realize that I wanted to work with children. Recently, there has been a high demand for interpreters; however, it is also one of the fastest growing professions in the country.
There are many forms of non-verbal communication. These may include: writing, bodily motions, facial expression, smelling, whistle, drumming, touching etc. According to Salzmann, Stanlaw & Adachi (2015) “The term nonverbal communication, taken literally, refers to the transmission of signals by means other than spoke words.” The form of nonverbal communication I will be focused on is sign language. Sign language plays a major role in American communities for the deaf and the mute, so they may be able to communicate with their friends and families. In America they practice the American Sign Language or Ameslan Sign Language. This paper will focus on “The Development of Sign Language.”
A comprehensive model of training grasps and creates a social model of opportunity for all children to access education and upheld both morally and ethically. Item 2 Children should also be able to identify with people within the deaf community, and through that, they will develop a strong sense of language and heritage along with a feeling of belonging Research finds that deaf students usually neglected by their hearing peers and who have a low friendship level in the the classroo Hearing children could believe that because the parents spend more time with the deaf child, the deaf child is the favorite (Kashyap, 1986). Paraphrase Item 7