Hi everyone,
I introduced myself yesterday as a hearing person who is trying to inform herself a little better as I prepare to write a paper about deaf children, language acquisition, and identity. I have gotten some great responses--thank you!--and would love to know a little more about how people feel early language experiences affect their identity (another very broad topic, I know!). (I would also like to be able to quote answers for my paper--please let me know if that's not okay!) Does anyone have thoughts to share--personal or otherwise--on the topic? For example, for a person with hearing parents who was intitially offered only oral communication as an option, how did that shape how you thought about yourself as a deaf person? Or for people with deaf parents learning ASL from the start? Any other experiences? I would love any and all input people would be willing to offer. Or feel free to tell me I'm asking the wrong questions, and to redirect me! Thanks so much.
I introduced myself yesterday as a hearing person who is trying to inform herself a little better as I prepare to write a paper about deaf children, language acquisition, and identity. I have gotten some great responses--thank you!--and would love to know a little more about how people feel early language experiences affect their identity (another very broad topic, I know!). (I would also like to be able to quote answers for my paper--please let me know if that's not okay!) Does anyone have thoughts to share--personal or otherwise--on the topic? For example, for a person with hearing parents who was intitially offered only oral communication as an option, how did that shape how you thought about yourself as a deaf person? Or for people with deaf parents learning ASL from the start? Any other experiences? I would love any and all input people would be willing to offer. Or feel free to tell me I'm asking the wrong questions, and to redirect me! Thanks so much.