Room for the hoh?

[jasin]

I think deaf education is fundamentally flawed because it doesn't have room for the hoh. The hoh are are not integrated into environments where they can learn asl and deaf culture. As a result, many hoh students just do not do well academically.

 

[shel90]

I totally agree with u 100%

That's why I strongly believe that ALL deaf and hoh children should be exposed to ASL as well as spoken English in the educational settings.

Unfortunately, many parents of children seem to not take our input into consideration cuz whenever I try to give my input, I always get this kind of response back about if any child has any residual hearing, they should be taught via orally and/or speech/listening skills come first. I think many of them would rather listen and follow the oralists' (which are all hearing people as far as I know) beliefs.

What about listening to deaf or hoh people's experiences being raised in the oral-only approach? I am profoundly deaf and was raised in the oral-only approach and struggled with so many issues that is not even funny but yet it seems whenever I share my experiences to most hearing parents or the specialist in the oral-only program, they , ironically, turn a deaf ear.

Sometimes, I don't feel like my personal and professional experiences and input aren't as valued as they should be because I am deaf???? It is the same old BS whenever I try to give my suggestions or input in the hearing world. I get a "pat on the head" for trying but no, I am the "poor deaf" girl who doesn't know any better.

I can understand how u feel. It is ridiculous.

 

[deafdyke]

Well, There is room for the hoh in Deaf Ed. But, yeah I know what you mean.........it does seem like everyone thinks "Oh hoh people can do fine orally......they don't "need" Sign. They are more "hearing thern deaf" .....Whatever..........It's about being VISUAL, rather then a specific reading on an audiogram. Things might be changing slowly but surely..........I know a lot of girls who are hoh who are in Deaf programs! I'm wicked hardcore about encouraging hearing parents of hoh kids to take advantage of ASL and Deaf culture, as a cool "enrichment" thing.

 

[jillio]

Well, There is room for the hoh in Deaf Ed. But, yeah I know what you mean.........it does seem like everyone thinks "Oh hoh people can do fine orally......they don't "need" Sign. They are more "hearing thern deaf" .....Whatever..........It's about being VISUAL, rather then a specific reading on an audiogram. Things might be changing slowly but surely..........I know a lot of girls who are hoh who are in Deaf programs! I'm wicked hardcore about encouraging hearing parents of hoh kids to take advantage of ASL and Deaf culture, as a cool "enrichment" thing.

Exactly. As long a a hoh child can give the appearance of getting by, the assumption is that they are doing just fine. SAD SAD SAD!

 

[shel90]

Exactly. As long a a hoh child can give the appearance of getting by, the assumption is that they are doing just fine. SAD SAD SAD!

I have been profoundly deaf since birth and I must have done a good job of fooling my teachers and my family that I was thriving as the only deaf child in an oral-only program without any visual cues or visual language. Everyone said that I scored on my age appropriate level on the standardized tests. I am like HOW??? LOL! Makes me wonder if I would have done a lot better if I had a visual language or cues growing up?

 

[Raykat]

I have been profoundly deaf since birth and I must have done a good job of fooling my teachers and my family that I was thriving as the only deaf child in an oral-only program without any visual cues or visual language. Everyone said that I scored on my age appropriate level on the standardized tests. I am like HOW??? LOL! Makes me wonder if I would have done a lot better if I had a visual language or cues growing up?

Well that reply rings a lot of bells, being the only hoh child in a hearing classroom and fooling all of them into believing you are coping....NOT...fortunately mine was a private church school with very small classes so I did manage to get thru.

off topic......is anyone on here from New Zealand, I'm looking to meet some online friends a bit closer to home

 

[VamPyroX]

There are some hard-of-hearing students who consider themselves "hearing" and don't associate themselves with the deaf students. They don't use interpreters. They are best left alone. If they fail in school, then that's their own problem. They should learn to accept the fact that they are deaf and that it's okay to learn other sources of communication... sign language.

 

[christlovedeaf]

I know how that goes. I was raised in speech and hearing school as oral school. While I get older, I was outcast by the deaf world, bec I was "oral". My desire is participate. Most deaf using the attitude as,not want to wast my time to slow my sign and that hurt big time. Friend of mine taught me ASL and many other deaf was shocked how much I changed the way I sign. Truthfully, deaf who doesn't want to "waste their time" to slow and try to let "oralist" participate, is the one is wasting time.

 

[lexi.says.hi]

well this poses the question if hoh students dont do well in mainstream schools and dont do so well in the deaf schools... what would be better for them despite the negative points?

 

[jasin]

There are some hard-of-hearing students who consider themselves "hearing" and don't associate themselves with the deaf students. They don't use interpreters. They are best left alone. If they fail in school, then that's their own problem. They should learn to accept the fact that they are deaf and that it's okay to learn other sources of communication... sign language.

Do you realize that most deaf people are actually not deaf? I did a report on this for an asl class once. Its verrrrry rare for anyone to have 100% hearing loss from 20hz to 20,000 hz. An estimated less then 5% of all deaf people in the world have 100% hearing loss in everyone of those frequencies.

 

[Tousi]

And, inversely, most hearing people are not 100% hearing. Nothing new there....

 

[jillio]

There are some hard-of-hearing students who consider themselves "hearing" and don't associate themselves with the deaf students. They don't use interpreters. They are best left alone. If they fail in school, then that's their own problem. They should learn to accept the fact that they are deaf and that it's okay to learn other sources of communication... sign language.

I agree with you there Vampy. Unfortunately, I've seen alot of these kids that try to hide their hh status and just get by without attracting attention tothemselves becasue their parents have focused so much on making them more like hearing that they were never given the tools they needed to understand that deaf is not less than hearing--its just different. I feel very sorry for these kids.

 

[jillio]

Do you realize that most deaf people are actually not deaf? I did a report on this for an asl class once. Its verrrrry rare for anyone to have 100% hearing loss from 20hz to 20,000 hz. An estimated less then 5% of all deaf people in the world have 100% hearing loss in everyone of those frequencies.

The diagnosis ogf deaf is not dependent upon not being able to hear anything.

 

[jillio]

And, inversely, most hearing people are not 100% hearing. Nothing new there....

And there is even a larger gap between what is heard, and what is comprehended. You'll sometimes get a 50% loss in the processing phase with some people!

 

[Tousi]

Hahaha, Jillio!

I once knew a gal, a music major with a PHd. The unusual thing about her is that she has perfect pitch hearing! Why she could tune her university dept's osilloscope! I remember her husband telling me that when they first got married, she would do things like.....wake him up in the middle of the night, asking him if he could tell her what pitch was being made by their dripping showerhead! Lol!

 

[jillio]

Hahaha, Jillio!

I once knew a gal, a music major with a PHd. The unusual thing about her is that she has perfect pitch hearing! Why she could tune her university dept's osilloscope! I remember her husband telling me that when they first got married, she would do things like.....wake him up in the middle of the night, asking him if he could tell her what pitch was being made by their dripping showerhead! Lol!

LOL! Did the marraige last?

 

[flip]

I think deaf education is fundamentally flawed because it doesn't have room for the hoh. The hoh are are not integrated into environments where they can learn asl and deaf culture. As a result, many hoh students just do not do well academically.

I know of deaf schools in the 50's where HOH and deaf played togheter outside, but stayed in different classes. Later, HOH was seperated into own schools, and also going more and more mainstream. If we look at the history of deaf education, I think we can find many solutions to the problems we are facing today. Almost everything has been done in the past, bi-bi, deaf teachers, sign language an so on was done in the 18th century. Even speech programs and new wonder technology that was going to cure deafness is really old news. The one that does not read history, is doomed to make all the mistakes again.

 

[shel90]

Huh? Deaf schools don't accept HOH kids? Wow..another misconception about deaf schools.

 

[jasin]

And, inversely, most hearing people are not 100% hearing. Nothing new there....

Untrue, anyone with an audiogram of 10 to about 30 db of loss is still technically in the hearing range, so not all people who are hearing fall into the deaf or hard of hearing categories.

People with that kind of hearing loss typically have it as a result of listening to music, tv, car stereos, etc.. whatever, to loud.

 

[jasin]

Huh? Deaf schools don't accept HOH kids? Wow..another misconception about deaf schools.

I remember back in the 80's when hoh kids were stuck in special ed classes, there were no hybrid schools, at least, not here where I live.