AG Bell's Right to Advocate Oralism Only?

morbid-mongoose said:
That's free speech.

But I agree with that guy. Are we going to be taking away guide dogs from the blind next? :pissed:




I wear black every day. :giggle:
Click to expand...

Nah, we'll let 'em keep their dogs, but we are going to surgically implant ear plugs so they can't supplement with their hearing and make them use their residual sight. And while we're at it, maybe it would be a good idea to take braille away fromthem and teach them to read using their residual sight.

JK, people! But it makes as much sense as denying sign to the deaf.
 
jillio said:
Nah, we'll let 'em keep their dogs, but we are going to surgically implant ear plugs so they can't supplement with their hearing and make them use their residual sight. And while we're at it, maybe it would be a good idea to take braille away fromthem and teach them to read using their residual sight.
Click to expand...

:rofl: Nice.
 
And while we're at it, maybe it would be a good idea to take braille away fromthem and teach them to read using their residual sight.
Click to expand...
That DOES happen believe it or not. The focus in blind ed is teaching kids how to use their residual vision. My best friend went to Perkins School for the Blind and he didn't even get to learn Braille! LOL.......speaking of which he just signed on!
It's basicly the hyperfocus on making them seem *not disabled* "Oh if they don't have to use "speshal" methods, they're not going to really be disabled."
I have no beef whatsoever with teaching kids with disablities how to use their residual hearing/vision whatever. But I DO have a beef when its the SOLE focus/sole tool they have in their toolbox.
 
deafdyke said:
That DOES happen believe it or not. The focus in blind ed is teaching kids how to use their residual vision. My best friend went to Perkins School for the Blind and he didn't even get to learn Braille! LOL.......speaking of which he just signed on!
It's basicly the hyperfocus on making them seem *not disabled* "Oh if they don't have to use "speshal" methods, they're not going to really be disabled."
I have no beef whatsoever with teaching kids with disablities how to use their residual hearing/vision whatever. But I DO have a beef when its the SOLE focus/sole tool they have in their toolbox.
Click to expand...

I didn't even know that is being done to some blind kids too? Talk about making us work twice as hard when it wasn't necessary!!!! No wonder many of these kids lose motivation for learning....it becomes NO FUN anymore! Come on...use the children's strongest sense RATHER than their weakest sense for leaning and making learning a MUCH more positve experience for them. *sighs*
 
shel90 said:
I didn't even know that is being done to some blind kids too? Talk about making us work twice as hard when it wasn't necessary!!!! No wonder many of these kids lose motivation for learning....it becomes NO FUN anymore! Come on...use the children's strongest sense RATHER than their weakest sense for leaning and making learning a MUCH more positve experience for them. *sighs*
Click to expand...

I know, shel. It just does not make sense. I guess it all depends on what your priority is. Educating the child, or trying to make the disability less apparent. And in the process of trying to make the disability less apparent, creating obstacles for them that would not have been there otherwise.
 
jillio said:
I know, shel. It just does not make sense. I guess it all depends on what your priority is. Educating the child, or trying to make the disability less apparent. And in the process of trying to make the disability less apparent, creating obstacles for them that would not have been there otherwise.
Click to expand...

Doesn't this also make the argument for what I think why the maturation rate gets slowed down/delayed? mentioned elsewhere...
 
Tousi said:
Doesn't this also make the argument for what I think why the maturation rate gets slowed down/delayed? mentioned elsewhere...
Click to expand...

Absolutely. It creates a dependent personality type, and restricts responsibility and coping skills.
 
jillio said:
I know, shel. It just does not make sense. I guess it all depends on what your priority is. Educating the child, or trying to make the disability less apparent. And in the process of trying to make the disability less apparent, creating obstacles for them that would not have been there otherwise.
Click to expand...

Many people choose the latter of the two. Instead of letting me go to another school where I'd have a better chance at having friends and interacting socially with other deaf/hoh kids, my parents and my school want to try and make me blend in as much as possible. I'm f*cking miserable.
 
jillio said:
And while we're at it, maybe it would be a good idea to take braille away fromthem and teach them to read using their residual sight.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid something like that is already happening. :pissed: When I first started losing my sight I was taught Braille by this blind guy at the local library. I was told by many people that I did not need braille. The guy was also teaching Braille to a fully sighted girl guide. I wonder if anyone told her she didn't need braille either.

But it's true, on both sides of the atlantic blind children are being denied braille in favor of print on computers with speech synthesisers or large print if they've got any residual sight. I signed a petition recently by a mother of a blind son who's school was refusing to provide any braille. From what I've read similar things are happening in USA. I think it's because more blind children are being intergrated into regular schools instead of schools for the blind. I think all Blind and partially sighted children should learn braille. Even if they can see enough to read print. I mean what's wrong with learning both.
 
morbid-mongoose said:
Many people choose the latter of the two. Instead of letting me go to another school where I'd have a better chance at having friends and interacting socially with other deaf/hoh kids, my parents and my school want to try and make me blend in as much as possible. I'm f*cking miserable.
Click to expand...

I know how you feel. I've been there too. I suppose you could always try finding out where your local deaf school is and order a brocure from them. Then leave it round so your parents can see it. Along with information about the benifits of learning ASL.
 
Tousi said:
Doesn't this also make the argument for what I think why the maturation rate gets slowed down/delayed? mentioned elsewhere...
Click to expand...

Oh I got plenty to tell u about what happens to the maturation level when children are deprived of a language...also the co-dependency issues are also rampant too. I am trying to teach my "oral" students to do things for themselves instead of relying on me all the time for everything. That's one of my biggest goals for them this year. *crossing my fingers*
 
morbid-mongoose said:
Many people choose the latter of the two. Instead of letting me go to another school where I'd have a better chance at having friends and interacting socially with other deaf/hoh kids, my parents and my school want to try and make me blend in as much as possible. I'm f*cking miserable.
Click to expand...

I know how you feel. When I expressed my interests in attending the deaf school when I was in middle school, I was told that I was "too" smart for the school and kids. I was miserable in school too. Do u have an IEP (Individual Education Plan)? If u are past the age of 14, you have rights to refuse to sign it if u feel that it is not meeting your needs and request a transfer to MSSD?
 
morbid-mongoose said:
Many people choose the latter of the two. Instead of letting me go to another school where I'd have a better chance at having friends and interacting socially with other deaf/hoh kids, my parents and my school want to try and make me blend in as much as possible. I'm f*cking miserable.
Click to expand...

I am so sorry for your situation. I'm sure that you have already tried to communicate this to your parents and your teachers, and they simply are not listening because they are seeing your needs through the lense of their own needs. Perhaps showing them some of the posts from other deaf/hoh people from the forum would help to increase their awareness.
 
dreama said:
I'm afraid something like that is already happening. :pissed: When I first started losing my sight I was taught Braille by this blind guy at the local library. I was told by many people that I did not need braille. The guy was also teaching Braille to a fully sighted girl guide. I wonder if anyone told her she didn't need braille either.

But it's true, on both sides of the atlantic blind children are being denied braille in favor of print on computers with speech synthesisers or large print if they've got any residual sight. I signed a petition recently by a mother of a blind son who's school was refusing to provide any braille. From what I've read similar things are happening in USA. I think it's because more blind children are being intergrated into regular schools instead of schools for the blind. I think all Blind and partially sighted children should learn braille. Even if they can see enough to read print. I mean what's wrong with learning both.
Click to expand...

The trend is frightening, dreama. Integration was never intended to create more obstacles, or to make those with a disability APPEAR to have less of a disability. The intent was to allow for integration by the provision of accommodations allowing for equal access. Intent and purpose has been horribly distorted in practice, and created more obstacles than it has knocked down.
 
shel90 said:
Oh I got plenty to tell u about what happens to the maturation level when children are deprived of a language...also the co-dependency issues are also rampant too. I am trying to teach my "oral" students to do things for themselves instead of relying on me all the time for everything. That's one of my biggest goals for them this year. *crossing my fingers*
Click to expand...

Kind of makes you wonder about the hidden motives of parents who insist on oral only, doesn't it?
 
dreama said:
I'm afraid something like that is already happening. :pissed: When I first started losing my sight I was taught Braille by this blind guy at the local library. I was told by many people that I did not need braille. The guy was also teaching Braille to a fully sighted girl guide. I wonder if anyone told her she didn't need braille either.

But it's true, on both sides of the atlantic blind children are being denied braille in favor of print on computers with speech synthesisers or large print if they've got any residual sight. I signed a petition recently by a mother of a blind son who's school was refusing to provide any braille. From what I've read similar things are happening in USA. I think it's because more blind children are being intergrated into regular schools instead of schools for the blind. I think all Blind and partially sighted children should learn braille. Even if they can see enough to read print. I mean what's wrong with learning both.
Click to expand...


Man! I didnt realize that. Thanks for educating me about this trend with blind kids. :pissed:
 
jillio said:
The trend is frightening, dreama. Integration was never intended to create more obstacles, or to make those with a disability APPEAR to have less of a disability. The intent was to allow for integration by the provision of accommodations allowing for equal access. Intent and purpose has been horribly distorted in practice, and created more obstacles than it has knocked down.
Click to expand...

I know. When will they realise that it just isn't working. At least with the old system the kids were being taught something. Even though the old system of segregation had it's faults too.

This intergration system is like trying to teach kids to swim just by throwing them in the deep end. A good way of making them frightened of water.
 
dreama said:
I know. When will they realise that it just isn't working. At least with the old system the kids were being taught something. Even though the old system of segregation had it's faults too.

This intergration system is like trying to teach kids to swim just by throwing them in the deep end. A good way of making them frightened of water.
Click to expand...

I oculdn't agree with you more. And the system of defining success seems to be that if 5 of the ten suffered brain damage from near drowning, and 3 died from drowning, it is acceptable because two actually managed to save themselves!
 
Back
Top