Advocacy

[steps onto soapbox -- begins idle rant]

Honestly, I hate hearing about all these cases of deaf students who arrive at school (at age 5 or sometimes later) and have essentially no language whatsoever, or have major language delays. Instead of focusing on providing hearing aids, cochlear implants, intensive training, etc. that might provide enough for them to develop a reasonable level of spoken English, let's consider that the one language we know is accessible to them is sign language. I don't have a direct problem with developing speech skills in addition to establishing a solid foundation in sign.

(Side issue: how about signed forms of English? I feel those are inefficient and awkward, since English has evolved in the context of speech, hearing, and written text. ASL and other natural sign languages are the ones that effectively utilize their 3-dimensional, visual-spatial nature.)

But 90% of deaf children have hearing parents, and when they first find out their child is deaf, the first people they get advice from are doctors, audiologists, speech pathologists, etc. who are almost always hearing as well. The recommendations tend to be for hearing aids or cochlear implants and concentrating on spoken language development.

Is anyone out there actively pushing for ASL, getting the word out to hearing parents? We see all sorts of commercials for things like, "Read to your child every day," and "Know what's going on with your child to keep them off drugs." How about a public awareness ad for establishing language development early with deaf children using available community resources like ASL classes? "Call the following 800-number to find a Deaf Child Outreach Center near you."

Of course, this would require some form of bureaucracy to organize such outreach centers.

I don't know. I'm sure there are lots of reasons for these students showing up with little to no language, reasons so many deaf students are well below their grade-appropriate reading level. But we ought to know enough by now to get past those "reasons" and do something to change it. (Maybe this summer I'll find some research to take a closer look at Sweden.)

[ends idle rant -- gets off soapbox]