Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker
From: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: sign, mainstreaming and deaf communities
Message-ID: <18105@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 15 Mar 91 04:44:09 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org
Distribution: misc
Organization: FidoNet node 1:385/14.0 - Fingers Talk, Lawton OK
Lines: 31
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 13945

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 > Why is it hearing impaired have problems i.e. spelling,
 > correct phrasology etc?

My opinion of this is the fact they are not being taught
English.  So many have been educated in ASL, i.e., deaf
education where the standard norm has been lowered.  I'm
appalled that so many even graduate reading and comprehending
at 4th or 5th grade level.  I don't necessarily blame this
on the individual person - I blame it on the education system.
Also, I've found that so many tend to write in ASL and it
makes it very difficult to follow them.

I know of one particular yound adult woman who realized she
didn't get the education she deserved and she was determined
to do something about it.  Often she would come over to see
me and we'd have a good time chatting away (even though she
signed, she could speak and lipread pretty good) and she'd
ask me to give a definition of certain words I would use
and keep repeating it over and over until she felt comfortable
saying it.  I told her to get a good dictionary and any time
she ran across a word she didn't know the meaning of, to go
look it up.  The dictionary is a very valuable book to have
around at all times - I call it my "Bible"...

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker
Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org