Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!3!Pat.Goltz
From: Pat.Goltz@f3.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Pat Goltz)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Musings of a demented mind
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Date: 13 Feb 90 15:15:14 GMT
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I have known a deaf person or two in my time. I can manage to understand 
each of them, if they have ever put any effort into learning to speak. So 
I think perhaps your question about those who cannot learn to speak well 
enough to be understood is more of a comment on the people around that 
person, than the person himself.
  Several months ago, I was at Jonas's house when someone he knew came 
over. She was trying to speak to me. I had difficulty understanding her, 
but she told me several times, and finally I figured out what she was 
trying to say. I am willing to stick with it as many times as is 
necessary if the other person is willing to stick with it likewise.
  You commented on teachers and students who make fun of those who cannot 
speak well. I have a particular THING about a person who would force a 
student into an environment containing such people!!!! Teachers who do 
this have NO BUSINESS teaching the deaf. I don't think it has ANYTHING to 
do with whether or not a particular child can learn to speak well. And 
any teacher who would tolerate the STUDENTS doing this likewise has no 
business teaching the deaf. If I had a deaf child, I'd homeschool him 
before I'd allow that. (I'd homeschool him anyhow, but that's another 
issue!) I have already crossed that bridge, because I had to address 
myself to how to educate a child who would be made fun of because of 
certain mental incapacities. We have done just fine. I kept him away from 
people who would denigrate him, and he is learning what he needs to know 
to hold a normal job as an adult.
  It seems to me that there are really two kinds of deaf students who 
learn to talk. The one kind is made up of kids who have some hearing, and 
for whom the process is seemingly infinitely easier as a result. The 
other kind is the profoundly deaf who need all the concentrated attention 
of highly trained speech therapists. If the trained personnel are 
available, I would prefer that these kids be taught. They don't have to 
USE their knowledge if it is severely limited, in contexts where they 
will experience social negativity. But if they lack the skill, they have 
no CHOICE but not to use it. Get my point?
  Pat

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