Re: Signed vs Spoken Language

[Guest guest]

Ken,

I believe it might be me you are speaking about. I think I explained

that my daughter Patty was born hearing impaired. She had no speech and was

frustrated as a baby. She was taught sign first to communicate her needs and

wants. That went well at first. But then Patty herself wanted to talk. She

would make guttural noises, spending great effort at this. I also explained

I have a deaf cousin who was taught to communicate orally. I felt if he

could talk, and Patty had the desire, then that's what we should do. At age

3 we sent her to an oral program, she learned to talk and eventually did not

sign anymore. This was whole language at first and then just speech.

I think I might have been misinterpreted and I think I need to clarify

things. I spoke about my cousin, who I grew up with as a brother. They

lived sometimes with us then we built houses next to each other. He is now

34 years old. At first he went to school as a baby monday through friday and

came home on the weekends. At that time there was great debate over sign or

speech. It was my aunt and uncles decision, they felt it was best if he

could be independent in society. I can remember how they cried and cried

every time he left for school. Around Kindergarten age he was brought to

this school daily, by Taxi, an hour each way that they had to pay for. It

tore them up how hard he had to work but he did have speech. In fourth grade

he came back to district and eventually graduated from high school and went

to college in Rochester.

While he was a senior Patty was born. You must remember she was not

diagnosed with CHARGE till last year. Again it was HER strong desire to

speak. At first we did not expect her to talk. We were even told she would

never walk, talk or be a functional person in society. Then we never

imagined she would use speech as her main form of communication. She was a

strong willed child and did what she wanted. We are happy it turned out this

way. She is a walking miracle.

Now to explain more. My cousin went to Rochester, N.Y., where they have

a college for the deaf. It was there he learned how to sign. He talks about

how much he missed being verbal and not with others who were deaf and signed.

He is totally deaf but does have speech. He is also happy about that. He

and his wife are the ones who interpret for his friends when they go out. He

married a wonderful, hearing, woman. She lived near Rochester, it was love,

total love. They now have two wonderful daughters. One is 2 1/2 and the

other is a baby. He is a marvelous father. The oldest signs and speaks!

Now for Patty, being undiagnosed there were numerous times when she would

have 105 fevers they now think were ear and sinus infections. They said

viruses because they didn't know then what to look for. Plus the

phnumonias, surgeries eustachian issues, swallowing issues... Because of

these and the lack of diagnosis she has lost (suddenly) all hearing on the

left and is progressive on the right. She will loose that one day too. We

have been trying to get her to learn to sign before that happens and she

always fought us, that is till Huston. There were " children " who she wanted

to communicate with. She now has this desire. I thank God.

At our last PPT meeting there were two administrators, regular ed and

special ed. I asked if Patty could take ASL as a foreign language. The

regular ed administrator said of course, the special ed one then said they

had no one to teach this and would look into it further. We are to have

another meeting in Nov. because of many other issues but I am happy to say my

cousin found a teacher who could come to the house. She can't fight us, can

she now?

Anyway, this entire point of the story is - every child is different. If

Signing is their form of communication, then Hooray! If it is verbal, great

too! If it is through technological devices, wonderful! It is communication

that is important. Each is wonderful. What works for one may not work for

the other.

I am happy that Patty talks, but will be just as proud when she can sign.

She will be signing for the rest of her life.

It also comes in handy sometimes how well she reads lips. People don't know

she can do that and it can be quite funny.

I think I said before I am long winded.

I hope I never hurt anyone or make anyone upset.

Bonnie Mom to Kris 17, Patty CHARGE 15, and wife to

[Guest guest]

Ken,

Hi, I think the child you might have been hearing about was my daughter,

Kennedy. Nice to meet you and welcome to the list! I have begun (on my

own) to do some signs with her, as she seems to really respond to them. Her

hearing loss is 90db in the right ear, and 55db in the left, her aided

hearing is 25db (consistently), so we feel she will be oral to some degree

someday. Her hearing teacher & audiologist don't think I have to learn sign

at all. I just borrowed a pocket dictionary of signs from a friend and do a

few signs here and there. She does say a lot of words, I think she may not

process it as quick as she can the signs, which is maybe why she is more

receptive to the signs at this time. I'd also like to have some signing

under my belt for use when I'm around other kids and people who are

signing...

I really don't have anything against ASL at all, or having it for a

primary language. But, if signing DID indeed have to be Kennedy's premiere

mode of communication, I know 100% without a doubt I would sign exact

english to her, so that her writing skills would be at her top potential. I

guess with wanting her to be oral (which I don't think is TOO much to strive

for with 25db aided hearing), it just might be one less thing that she will

have to struggle with. For Kennedy, CHARGE isn't just the hearing loss, it's

not having the ability to eat, breathe properly at times, walk (at the

moment), or do a lot of things that are age appropriate. So, I guess the

hearing thing is kind of minor for me at the moment, and I would have her on

the waiting list for a Cochlear Implant in a heartbeat if her hearing was

profound in both ears and she was eligible. I think that she has enough

going against her that if I could help her to make one of those things

" easier " in the real world out there, I will do it. If she was profoundly

deaf, I'd take the 23 or 24 channels that a C.I could provide rather than

none. Just my opinion... I know how the deaf community feels about this,

and I truly believe everyone is totally entitled to their own opinion. But,

I will tell you that some of the stuff I've heard is kind of overboard from

the deaf community, I had someone tell me of a mom who had someone from the

deaf community tell her she had " no right to have that child implanted

because she BELONGS to us " ... I mean, come on here...I think the whole issue

is kind of blown out of proportion when they are calling Cochlear implants

" cultural genocide " ... I don't know if this is the same kind of stuff down

the states, but it is up here in Canada (where I'm from anyway).

But, I will say I " m glad we have another consultant here, and don't be

afraid to express your opinions.....we all do - trust me!!!

Mom to Kennedy 19 mos old CHARGEr, 10, 8, and wife to Graeme

New Brunswick, Canada

Visit the " Weir homepage " at:

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/5716

ICQ #1426476

>

>

>I've been reading the CHARGE listserv for a few weeks

>now, but this is the first time I've expressed my

>opinion in anything.

>

>I am an interpreter/intervenor working with Deaf and

>DeafBlindstudents in a public school system. I am

>also employed as an intervenor for a DeafBlind client.

> As, part of my job, it is my duty to advocate for the

>Deaf/DeafBlind communities, the use of American Sign

>Language, and for my fellow interpreters/intervenors.

>

>I recently read something from the listserv reguarding

>the use of sign language while emphasizing the spoken

>word, with a hopeful result of more speech and having

>to use less sign.

>

>I just feel that as an advocate I need to say that ASL

>or sign language as a primary language shouldn't be

>discounted. Now, I don't know the student that was

>being discussed and I don't know the circumstances

>surrounding this students learning, so, I am just

>speaking generally for any Deaf student and perhaps

>any Hard-of-Hearing student.

>

>If a child has the ability to become oral, more power

>to them. Also, I feel, that if they prefer a signed

>form of communication, that is wonderful too. There

>is nothing wrong with having Sign as a primary and

>English as secondary language. The Deaf community is

>proud to have a language of their own, namely ASL.

>

>I just felt that I needed to say something and

>hopefully have not offended anyone in doing so. I

>would be happy to reply to any comments or questions

>that may come my way. Again, I am new to this

>listserv and don't know whether or not I am

>overstepping any boundaries.

>

>Ken, interpreter/intervenor to a CHARGEr

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