Question: I'm doing a National History Day project on using sign language vs. speaking, so I'm asking which do you prefer, and why?
Answer: What is most important for deaf children is that they have a full language they can fully access from as young as possible–just like hearing children.
Deaf people cannot fully access English–even with CI's and HA's etc--they just can't. English is a phonetic, sound-based language. Though they can see and learn to read/write fluent English, that is the secondary form—hearing people write VERY differently than they speak.
Deaf people can fully access ASL. It is a visual language MADE for the visual medium that is as efficient in conveying information as any spoken language.
What happens to most deaf kids? They end up with NO language. Parents want so badly for them to be "hearing," and forbid them to learn sign language while experimenting with HAs, CIs, lipreading, speechtherapy, etc… the absolute HIGHEST number of Deaf people who "succeed" with these methods is 25%—what about the other 75%?
One of my good friends is a definite "Oral success." Anyway, though she speaks VERY well and is fluent in English–she speaks "written English" and though she lipreads better than anyone I know, though she still misses some stuff. And most important—her WHOLE life was spent on speech therapy, HAs, etc. She grew up only deaf student in all hearing schools--straight A's but NO friends. Worst, her CONFIDENCE SUCKS--it is non-existent. But still, she is considered one of the biggest successes!
Most Deaf children who go through the system end up having some basic communication skill, but no FLUENT language. They never master English and then learn sign language so late it can't be a Native language to them, and they can't even use ASL totally effectively.
So sign or speech, which way do I go? I think it's kind of obvious, but -for the record, I am not against trying to teach Deaf kids to speak and lipread–if they have a knack for it. Kinda like hearing kids learning to play a musical instrument. But it isn't vital. What is MOST vital is language. Hearing people can't begin to understand what it's like to live without language—and the fact that many deaf people do-and it's very possible that their deaf child will if they deprive their child of language.
Incoming search terms:
- Oralism Vs Sign Language
- asl vs oralism
- asl vs oral education
- Sign language vs oralism
- oral approach versus sign language
- american sign language alphabet
- signing v oral
- sign language vs oral language
- percentage of deaf people learning by oral method
- oralism vs asl