Chapters 24–26
In the United States, deaf people use American sign language (ASL), which differs significantly in form and structure from English. Hearing people who use ASL may change it based on their first language. As a result, deaf people can feel as though their language, the only thing that truly belongs to them, is taken away (Moore and Levitan 147). The lack of appreciation for ASL and its thoughtless change are the main reasons behind these negative emotions.
ASL and English are very different, leading to deaf people having trouble reading and writing. Reading without guidance is difficult at an early age, and deaf children usually do not get the same amount of learning before they enter school (Moore and Levitan 157). According to Moore and Levitan, the deaf literacy problem can be solved by changing family and school environments (153). First, parents of deaf children should start teaching them to read and write as early as possible. Second, schools must pay attention to deaf kids’ writing and reading skills. Finally, computers can help people speak in chat rooms or write online reviews.
Chapters 27–35
Mainstreaming is a practice that was introduced for placing disabled children in schools. It is now also used for deaf children and mostly means that they have to attend public school or local day programs (Moore and Levitan 175). Public Law 94-142 was passed to support this idea, and it is often used to shift deaf children into an environment where hearing and deaf people learn together (Moore and Levitan 175). However, this concept can hurt deaf children’s learning progress as it denies them the attention needed to develop their skills.
Speech therapy focuses on the proper pronunciation and tone of voice, which could be viewed as helpful for deaf people. However, it can be seen as a waste of time because not everyone can show its results in daily life (Moore and Levitan 197). Moreover, if a speech therapist does not consider clients’ needs and engagement, such therapy may not contribute to learning. For some deaf children, this time can be spent acquiring other skills that could help them.
Work Cited
Moore, Matthew S., and Linda Levitan. For Hearing People Only. 4th ed., Deaf Life Press, 2016.