Originally, deaf children were taught in American Sign Language.
They were mostly taught by deaf teachers. Then, oralism was the
method of choice where students were taught to use voice and learn
lipreading (but less than 50% of sounds spoken can be read on lips)
and they were then taught mostly by hearing teachers. Then, this
method fell into disfavor and the new method proposed was a combination--total
communication--where students were supposed to read lips, watch
hands, hear some type of sounds or vibrations all at once. (How
could that work?)
Total communication requires students to be fluent in American
Sign Language (but it isn't clear that American Sign Language was
being taught as a language to deaf chidlren). Interpreters in classrooms
became popular (the student doesn't learn from the teacher but
through a 3rd person, the interpreter, who may or may not be a
qualified interpreter and may or may not have the skills to say
what the teacher is saying). And maybe the student didn't learn
sign language in order to use the interpreter, anyway.
A new body of research shows that many of these methods do not
have the effect of truly aiding in the academic achievement of
deaf students. Teaching in American Sign Language and assuring
deaf students learn this language is now considered the most effective
approach to advancing learning for deaf students. Once the student
knows one language well, THEN the student can branch over into
other forms of language. This is a very confusing field. Special
educators and administrators are almost 100% hearing. They don't
know, personally, the best way to teach someone who is deaf. The
US Department of Education says that for "deaf" students,
the least restrictive environment is NOT the mainstream classroom,
but can be the separated classroom where the student has language
access to the teacher.
The new program in Concord teaches American Sign Language, and
is committed to deaf teachers. Students are learning math, science,
social studies, reading, etc., directly from the teacher...in American
Sign Language.
Please listen to our discussion of deaf education, now playing
on School Talk, posted on http://www.nhschoolreform.org/.
What do you have to say about this?
Post by S. Hollins, September 27, 2005
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