By: LaVie Saad
Though they are rarely discussed in mainstream media, the deaf community makes up a large portion of society. Approximately 600,000 people in the United States alone are deaf, and although this number may seem insignificant in comparison to how many people reside in America, the Deaf community is still incredibly important and deserves the same amount of respect and attention any hearing member of society does. Views regarding equality for deaf people may seem like common sense today, but during the 19th and 20th centuries, deaf individuals were considered to be inferior to those who could hear, a form of discrimination known as audism.
Alexander Graham Bell, the man famously known for inventing the telephone, had a lot to do with restricting the rights of deaf people by advocating for eugenics–limiting diversity within the population–as well as oralism, a method of teaching that largely focuses on teaching deaf people to read lips and speak instead of sign language. Though both Bell’s wife and his mother were both deaf, he still wanted to jeopardize the rights of the deaf by compromising their education. He largely did this because he wanted deaf individuals to fit into society seamlessly and comprehend verbal communication instead of sign language. Anyone who deviated from the standard or what was considered “normal” was a “freak” in his eyes (as well as many other peoples’).
This method (known as the oral method), however, fails almost every time. Lip reading is incredibly hard, and sadly it is not a skill one can master over the course of only a few years. Without a great deal of context, lip reading is nearly impossible and many deaf children who are taught orally experience something called language deprivation. When children are very young (around two to five years old), there is a window of time “open” for them to learn language. It is crucial for children to learn at least one language at a young age during this time frame. Sadly, deaf children who are taught orally with only lip reading and speaking do not receive the language they need, and thus because children who experience language deprivation do not have a fluent language, they will forever face challenges when it comes to learning.
About 70% of deaf adults experience language deprivation, and it is an incredibly large issue. In order to prevent this, deaf education must be improved. Studies show that the only way to prevent language deprivation is to teach deaf children sign language. Many deaf kids around the country do not receive the proper education they need in order to be successful. Awareness is the first step to improving the lives of these children.
Interested in learning more about sign language directly? See Ms. Dodge, El Segundo High School’s ASL teacher, in K213.
Reference List
Ms. Dodge (and the sign language curriculum at ESHS)