Imagine a world where every child can communicate from day one, regardless of their hearing capability. Ideally, every deaf child would know sign language from infancy. Yet, many only learn to sign later in life.
Introducing sign language early is crucial for their social and cognitive growth. Without it, deaf children risk lagging behind their hearing peers.
While I’m not an expert, I can share my own experience. Growing up, lip reading was my main way of understanding English. It was imperfect, but in a small class of 10, with a teacher who articulated every word clearly, I got by. But in truth, getting by wasn’t enough. When I got an interpreter who could sign and I began to learn ASL myself, the world opened up. They helped me truly understand the entire conversation, and my scores shot higher than ever before.
Imagine how different my education experience would have been if I knew how to sign early on and had an interpreter when I started school.
The Dire Consequences of Limited Access
For many deaf children, their childhood is full of limitations, missed opportunities, and a palpable feeling of being on the outside looking in. The repercussions of not having access to a rich linguistic environment, especially in their formative years, extend far beyond communication. It lays the foundation for the entire trajectory of their lives.
When a child is limited to lip reading as their sole means of understanding the world, they are constantly playing catch-up. Lip reading, while a valuable skill, is far from foolproof. Many sounds and words look identical on the lips, making accurate interpretation a challenging feat. This results in frequent misinterpretations, missed information, and the ever-present fear of misunderstanding crucial details.
Imagine, for a moment, the psyche of a child who spends their school days straining to decipher the words of teachers and peers. These children often face a double burden. Not only are they working twice as hard to grasp the curriculum, but they are also battling the emotional and mental strain of feeling perpetually out of sync. This overwhelming combination can manifest in several ways.
Academically, these children may fall behind, not due to a lack of intelligence or drive, but simply because they do not have full access to the information being presented. Important details might be missed, leading to gaps in understanding that only widen as they progress through school.
Behaviorally, the repercussions can be even more pronounced. Constantly straddling the line between comprehension and confusion can be a source of immense frustration. Feeling isolated from peers, being unable to participate in group activities, or being misunderstood can lead to feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, and in some cases, behavioral outbursts as a way to cope with the mounting stress.
But perhaps the most poignant consequence is on a child’s dreams and aspirations. Every child begins life with a canvas of endless possibilities. They dream of becoming astronauts, artists, scientists, and more. But for a deaf child without access to a comprehensive mode of communication, that canvas can quickly become restricted. Their ambitions, rather than being fueled by encouragement and understanding, can be dampened by the very environment meant to nurture them.
They are brimming with potential, curiosity, and ambition, just like any other child. What they lack is not ability, but access—access to a world of information, interaction, and inclusion. And it’s upon society, educators, and parents to ensure they are given the tools to unlock that potential fully.
The Controversial School System
In many educational settings for deaf students, there’s a distinct divide between two primary teaching methods: Learning Spoken Language (LSL) and American Sign Language (ASL). LSL focuses on helping students utilize residual hearing, lip reading, and speech therapy to interpret and produce spoken language. On the other hand, ASL is a complete, unique language that uses hand signs, facial expressions, and body language to convey meaning. Both methods have their strengths and are vital in their own right.
Currently, I see a huge divide between the two approaches. It is either you choose to learn via LSL method OR the ASL approach, not both, not together…always separate. That has always made me confused because those in the LSL program believe that if a deaf child is exposed to ASL, they will run with the ASL and won’t look back. Don’t you think there is a reason for this? It opens the world to them, so instead of refraining deaf children from ASL, build on it, use it as a tool to learn other skills they need in their lives. ASL is a powerful tool simply because it gives kids access to the world around them. The key to all this is access.
By introducing both LSL and ASL to deaf students can be immensely beneficial. By learning LSL, they can tap into the world of spoken language, enhancing their ability to engage with hearing communities. Concurrently, mastering ASL ensures they have a deep connection to deaf culture and a robust visual-spatial language to express themselves. I’ve experienced this dual advantage firsthand. Starting with LSL and then diving into ASL, I realized I could bridge both the deaf and hearing worlds, making communication more versatile and enriching for me. And I still use both methods of communication to this day.
When it comes to children, and the option between learning LSL and ASL, I recommend offering the opportunity to learn both instead of one or the other. That way, they can more easily interact with the entire world around them.
The Contrast: Early Exposure to ASL
Every child’s journey with language is unique, influenced heavily by their immediate environment and the attitudes and knowledge of those around them.
For children of hearing parents, the initial approach towards communication is often colored by the parents’ preconceptions and beliefs. Many, unfortunately, fall prey to prevalent myths or lack the information about the benefits of American Sign Language (ASL). Their hesitancy is rarely rooted in neglect; more often, it stems from the misguided idea that spoken language and lip reading alone is enough. The result? A child who’s limited in their means of expressing themselves or understanding the world around them.
But, when children are born into families where ASL is introduced early on (either due to deaf parents or hearing parents who have done their research and recognized its value) the difference is profound. The child is not just learning a means to communicate, they are also given a tool to shape their thoughts, express their emotions, and connect with both the deaf and hearing worlds seamlessly.
I recall a particular family quite vividly—a family where deafness wasn’t seen as a limitation but a unique facet of their identity. In this household, the fifth child was born deaf. But rather than treating this as a challenge, the family saw it as an opportunity for everyone to grow. They made it their mission to ensure that every single family member, irrespective of their hearing ability, was fluent in ASL.
Within the walls of their home, spoken words and signs coexisted harmoniously. What was truly remarkable was witnessing the deaf child’s development. With ASL at his fingertips, he wasn’t just “getting by.” He thrived. This child, with his nimble fingers, could argue with the best of them, could share tales of his day, express his frustrations, and join in the laughter that echoed in their home. In essence, he had everything we wish for in a child’s upbringing—a nurturing environment where he was seen, heard, and understood.
Wouldn’t it be great if all deaf children grew up this way?
Deaf children deserve more than a shot at “managing”; they deserve to thrive, to dream, and to achieve. By providing early access to sign language, we can take steps to ensure every child, hearing or deaf, is given the tools to succeed.
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