thanx2gezus

How do you (Deafies) feel about Hearing students attending schools for the Deaf (especially Gallaudet)?

Deafness

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faire_jour

I'm not Deaf but my DD is. We have 2 heaing kids in my daughter's bi-bi preschool. One is a CODA and the other has a older brother at the school and her mother is the aide in the Kindergarten class. All that being said...I don't like it. The girls talk and the other kids can't understand it. That is the reason I have her in a Deaf school, to AVOID her being left out of conversations! Plus, I went on several field trips with them and when hearing people interacted with the class, they ALWAYS treated the hearing girls *special*, they would talk to them or give them treats. It was disgusting.

As for higher level school, that wouln't bother me as long as all classes were held in ASL and all interaction was done that way. Hopefully, adults understand and are more respectful than 4 year olds.

thanx2gezus

It seems like the parents of the 4 year olds need to teach them respect and to be considerate. Does anyone else care?

I feel mostly invisible here. Can you see me now?

faire_jour

Tell us your opinion and why.

shel90

I have mixed feelings about it. I am concerned that the hearing students will forget to sign and converse using their voice leaving many deaf people out which is unfair since no matter what, hearing people who are fluent in ASL will have full access to every conversation happening around them. If they respect their Deaf counterparts and sign at all times, then I see no problem with it.

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~Shel~

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana

thanx2gezus

I would love to attend a school for the deaf (Gallaudet for instance). I believe it would be a great opportunity to meet new people, learn about Deaf culture from a closer perspective, and have the opportunity to learn how to be accessible within my profession (Speech-Language Pathology) and my life.
I'm wondering if any of you believe that hearing people shouldn't be allowed to attend a school for the deaf and why. Any thoughts?

faire_jour

Can I ask your perspective on the field of SLP? I have found it exceedingly difficult to find people who are comfortable with ASL above the "Signing Time" level, and even fewer who are willing to accept that Deaf people who don't speak are perfectly fine.

Mizzou

I dont know how to say this but i know some of my friends who are hearing and deaf were kid and go together in Dallas called CALLIER.

I just learned that Gallaudet School in St Louis offers hearing and deaf kids to go together, too.

thanx2gezus

I know what you mean. I have come across people like that and I try to share what I know, but some people are stubborn. I see nothing wrong with not being able to use speech. I don't know what "Signing Time" is, but I'm doing my best to become fluent in ASL and I would love to go to Gallaudet to be able to learn how to use ASL and other forms of communication to assist everyone as they choose. I don't think speech or CI's should be demanded of anyone, but I think communication is unique to each individual and should be treated that way. I want to be able to offer communication assistance to the deaf and hard of hearing as they decide. Does that make sense?

faire_jour

But you know that the VAST majority of your clients will be young children being sent to therapy by parents who wish to make them "normal"

(Oh, and Signing Time is a series of videos teaching ASL to children)

thanx2gezus

Yeah, I know...it's too bad. But if I can change their opinion of what "normal" is, maybe.... I'd love to make an impact, and at least the children will have a teacher who understands, can give them more options, and knows ASL! All I can do is hope and pray.

faire_jour

See, now that is a speech therapist I could work with!

thanx2gezus

Good.

thanx2gezus

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

-Curious

deafdyke

Well what about kids with secondary disabilties such as apraxia or tracheostomies who use Sign? I honestly think that's a population that could REALLY increase the numbers of ASL users!

paperclip

I think you are bound to meet all different kinds of people with different opinion at any school being different. Deaf students go to mainstream school - people on this forum has clearly shown mixed opinions on this practice. I think like Shel said, you might have to be careful with some "hearing" behavior and just being sensitive and respectful of others, you would be fine.

I am not speaking from experience though. My contact with the Deaf has been extremely limited and I did not have the courage to try something as different as leaving my mainstream education.

Are you thinking about going there for summer classes or 4 years of college? I'm HOH but my fluency is ASL is not beyond basic conversational level.

jillio

Couldn't we all, faire jour!

CrzyMeg

I work with speech therapist but i still do it with my family.

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jillio

My opinion would just be a re-statement of what faire jour and shel have already said.

CrzyMeg

Same here.

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deafbajagal

According to a reliable source, the underlying reason for hearing students at Gally - enrollment numbers. Gally is decreasing in enrollment and needs to have the numbers. I have two wonderful friends who are currently enrolled at Gally (both whom are hearing) and they do a great job of respecting deaf culture (always signing in presence of deaf people, etc.). Both are interpreter majors, and both say that the BEST way to learn ASL is total immersion. Tell me- where's the best place for total immersion? Most of us would say Gally.

thanx2gezus

Thanks paperclip. I'm actually considering going to Gally next year for Graduate school. I would do my best to be sensitive and respectful, but I'm sure there are some little things that I don't know.... I just hope my classmates would be helpful and realize that I don't mean be disrespectful if I do something unintentionally....

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web730

Yeah, it's the best place for the total immersion for anybody to learn ASL anywhere, definitely! (24/7)

Etoile

The grad school is mostly hearing. Most classes are taught in English. My friend who is a deaf grad student gets frustrated with how little the professors sign.

Last year a grad student did a presentation about "is there hearing privilege at Gallaudet" - her answer was yes, but unfortunately she gave it to the whole school. All of my HUG friends (hearing undergraduates) found it very biased toward the grad school. The undergrad experience is very different! If you contact H. Dirksen Bauman he can give you more info on her presentation...I can't remember the student's name.