Manualism Vs. Oralism In The Deaf Community

The debate on Oralism vs Manualism is an old debate in the deaf community. Oralism is about teaching deaf children lip reading instead of signing with the hands or body. Some parents are concerned that their child will be made fun of, if they use sign language. Parents like this want to focus the talking society on to their children. These parents are worried about their status and what people think of them than what their children need. Lip- reading is a skill that deaf people can have, but it’s still about 50- 60% they will get it right. Manualism is about teaching what works for the student. ASL is a method for deaf students, it about teaching how to use their hands and other parts of the physical body to communicate with others.This doesn’t

require students to learn lip- reading, if they don’t have that ability. Every student has different levels of hearing.

Some can be extreme and others can be very mild, It’s the same thing with eyesight. Alexander Graham Bell was a big advocator for oralism, he was less known for his involvement in deaf history. Alex was well known for being an inventor of the telephone. Alex mother Eliza Bell, was deaf and his father was a orator. Alex Bell father Melville Bell created a program called visible speech. Visible speech teaches deaf students to use symbols to learn different language they’d never heard. Alex became interested in the oral aspect of deaf learn because he would help his father when it came to teaching deaf students. Alex helped with his fathers business as much as he can. ASL is just an easier and comfortable form of learning for the deaf student .To teach a child oralism in the classroom, you are teaching them that their disability doesn’t exist and they should be embarrassed. Sometimes it’s good to have your own community to go and just be yourself without being

judged.
In the 16th century, deafness was considered a health defect in humans. The deaf community was always overlooked. The normal folks looked at the deaf community as different. The normal folks didn’t think the deaf community can experience the same thing because they communicate differently than they do. Later that century, Geronimo Cardano said that deaf community should have the same opportunity as someone who isn’t deaf. He was very big when it came to education for the deaf community. Geronimo told the public that the deaf community need to know sign language and other physical concepts of ideas, and other action without using words. Around the 18th century, the man named Charles Michel de L’Eppe developed the first sign language school. It wasn’t till Thomas Hopkins who was studying french sign language would move to America to teach the deaf community his new skill. He created the first school in America in 1817, named the American school for the deaf.
In my opinion, I think the deaf student should learn “the total approach”.

The total approach was designed by a teacher and mother of a deaf child. She developed the total approach in the 60’s. It wasn’t till Roy Holcomb who became the first supervisor in James Madison Elementary in California, who would make a program for deaf students. Roy view was to work with the deaf students needs and making them successful. It’s based on Manualism and working with the students strengths and not their weakens. If a child can’t Lip- read, why force them to do it? It seems to me that it’s can be very cruel to the student when all they want to do is fit in somewhere. Roy Holcomb named the program “Total Communication,” and he was known as the “Father of total communication”. American Sign Language is easy to learn and give the deaf student a community they can go too. Knowing that you have a community like you is very comforting that you’re not the only

one.
When it comes to the deaf community, They fought hard against oralism in school. The deaf students felt alone and stuck in a culture that is so big on communication. The deaf students wanted to feel accepted and be part of something.