Issues For Consideration
Communication Choices
American Sign Language (ASL): ASL, a linguistically complete and natural language, is the native language of many Deaf children and is the cultural language of the Deaf community in North America. ASL is a distinctive visual-spatial language and as such, the sense of sight is very to the Deaf person. ASL is produced by the hands, arms, body and face and involves position and movements in space. It is a sign symbol system which does not require spoken language as a base and is completely separate from English. As a language, it has no accepted written form, but has its own syntax, (grammar), phonetics, (rules for handshapes), morphology, (the creation and structure of words in a language including intonation and inflection), and semantics (word meanings). The French version of ASL is LSQ (Langue Des Signes Quebecois).
ASL has its own rules for grammar, punctuation and sentence order, topic-comment syntax while English uses subject-verb-object structure. While an English speaker may change the meaning through the intonation or tone of voice, the ASL user may raise the eyebrows, widen the eyes, corporate lip-mouth movement as a critical part of the grammatical system. They may ask a question by tilting their body forward while signaling with their eyes and eyebrows. ASL also makes use of the space surrounding the signer to describe places and persons not present. ASL also has, as do all languages, regional differences and jargon.
There is no worldwide sign language by which all deaf individuals can communicate. There is, however, a sign form called Gestuno, which was developed by a committee of the World Federation of the Deaf. Although it is not a true language and no one signs Gestuno as a native language, it is a collection of agreed upon signs (vocabulary) which can be used during international meetings.
Aural/Oral: Many schools throughout Canada and the United States hold to a strictly aural/oral philosophy. The Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and the Montreal Oral School are the two main programs in Canada. This philosophy maximizes the use of residual hearing to enhance the development of audition and spoken language. In order to achieve these goals, the children are initially taught in very small classes with other deaf and hard of hearing children, with an intensive language-rich environment. This philosophy can be further broken into those who subscribe specifically either Auditory-Oral or Auditory-Verbal approaches.
Teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing using spoken language instruction entirely, use the auditory-oral approach to teach children to develop and use what residual hearing they have for their optimum benefit, in conjunction with the use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, lipreading and in context (speechreading) to understand spoken language. Developing good listening skills, being trained to distinguish differences between the phonemes (sounds), and then being able to transfer these skills to their own verbal expression is a strong component of this method. The development of language, both receptive and expressive: reading, both decoding and comprehension; and writing proficiency in English also is strongly emphasized. The ultimate goal is that these children will be successfully mainstreamed educationally in hearing schools and can function fully in the hearing society in which they live.
The Auditory-Verbal Therapy is an individualized auditory, developmental programme. It maximizes the development and use of a child’s residual hearing and listening skills as the primary sense through which to learn to attach meaning to language and develop speech to use for communication. The auditory-verbal method has a set of 3 guiding principles that both professionals and parents follow. Early diagnosis is vital so that proper amplification (hearing aids, FM Systems or cochlear implant) can be provided. Active family involvement is crucial and thirdly, a partnership between professionals and family (parents and children) working together to reinforce the learning process. The professionals teach the parents how to teach their children to communicate by integrating listening and spoken language. Thus a strong rapport is built between the professional and the parent which supports a strong learning connection between home and individualized therapy sessions. Auditory (listening) rather than the visual (lip/speech reading) information is emphasized. Children gradually acquire a hierarchy of listening skills as they progress through this programme. The ultimate goal is for the child to become mainstreamed in a regular school and within society.
Links
American Sign Language and Deaf Studies
Auditory-Oral Approach