Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!olivea!oliveb!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!147.0!Jay.Croft
From: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Croft)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: English language problems for deaf people
Message-ID: <18111@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 15 Mar 91 04:46:04 GMT
Sender: news@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org
Distribution: misc
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/147.0 - The CyberChurch BBS, Washington DC
Lines: 26
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 13951

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

A hearing baby hears even before birth.  From the moment it's born, the
baby is perceiving sounds and eventually puts those sounds together to
form language.  Still later, the baby puts those sounds together to make
a sound that comes out as a word.  Eventually those words are put
together to make sentences.

A deaf baby does not have such input.  Therefore the process is delayed
until some kind of formal schooling is begun.  Many areas now recognize
this and provide schooling for children as young as 18 months.

Without that auditory input, development of *any* phonetically-based
language is going to be stymied.

Gallaudet University is now doing research on using American Sign
Language as a base for learning English.  I think James Womack, being in
the teaching profession, can explain this better.

It's an interesting concept, and let's see how it works!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!147.0!Jay.Croft
Internet: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org