That Deaf Kid by Mark Drolsbaugh

Author:Mark Drolsbaugh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Handwave Publications
Published: 2022-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

Mythbusters

Now for the fun part. Mythbusters. There are so many myths out there. There are myths that are so blatantly absurd, it's almost comical. Let's bust them.

Myth Number 1: You need to keep your deaf child separate from other deaf people.

Hard to believe, but this myth is still out there and people still believe it. We live in an age where schools celebrate Diversity Day, yet deaf kids with different backgrounds are often not allowed to interact with each other. Usually it's the kids who use sign language and those who don't (especially if they have cochlear implants). They're kept apart as if they're going to cross-contaminate each other or something.

It needs to be said that deaf children benefit immensely when they have the opportunity to meet other deaf people with different backgrounds. It helps them find their place in this world. It shows them there’s more than one way to succeed. It instills confidence. If you see another deaf person succeeding with a different approach than yours, that's good information to have. It's reassuring information. It's reassuring because in the back of your mind, you'll know that if what you're doing doesn't work, you'll find something else that does.

I could go on forever about the value of role models. The best role model for a deaf person is another deaf person. It's a support system. I'm sorry, but if you're a mainstreamed deaf student, it doesn't matter what kind of supplementary aids and services you get; you're always going to be That Deaf Kid. You could be That Deaf Kid with the Interpreter, That Deaf Kid with the Cochlear Implant, or That Deaf Kid with the Captioning Machine. You're still That Deaf Kid. The best way to overcome this is to have access to other deaf kids. You're no longer That Deaf Kid when you have a healthy dose of interaction time with your actual peers.

Myth Number 2: Sign language will hurt your English.

No. Let me clarify: Lack of language will hurt your English. As mentioned earlier, the brain does not care how you acquire language. It just wants language, period. As early as possible. Brain food.

The deaf kids who are reading and writing below age-appropriate levels are the ones who were language-deprived during the most critical early years of their lives.

Remember the movie Meet the Fockers? Robert DeNiro played an obsessed grandfather hellbent on teaching sign language to his infant grandson. DeNiro was spot-on. Sign language offers a head start for early language acquisition. Babies can learn and use sign language long before their vocal cords are fully developed.

The irony is that while there are countless babies learning sign language worldwide, most of them are hearing. If the benefits are so obvious, and the research shows they are, why are we withholding this from the deaf kids who need it the most? The brain is starved for language. Again, brain food.

Myth Number 3: Deaf children with cochlear implants should not be exposed to sign language.

Keep in mind that the cochlear implant is not perfect.

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