I have a few questions for those that have some degree of hearing loss (either from birth/early childhood or aquired later) but have residual hearing.
Do you use ASL? Why or why not?
If you do not, would it change your position if you had been given the opportunity to learn ASL as a child?
I have adult onset hearing loss that is sloping into the profound range in higher frequencies. I do okay with hearing aids, but daily life is a constant challenge and struggle. From all indications it is progressive. I began learning ASL though classes at my church but I really wish I could devote the time to a more intesive training.
Since making my decision to learn ASL, we have learned that my 4 YO and my 1 YO also have moderate to severe losses. They are both now aided and doing well with them, but I really want to give them ASL in addition to oral training. I am meeting *HUGE* resistance from the 'professionals' and they keep telling me not to sign with my girls. I am in the process of trying to get ASL instruction added to my 4 YO education plan. I don't know if it is truly that they think they shouldn't sign or if they just don't want to have to spen the $$ to provide the services (which is the feeling I get with everything I ask for, ASL related or not).
My reasons are these:
1. Immediate educational need to help fill the gaps in my 4 YO's learning. Since ASL is a visual picture and literally 'displays' the concept of so many of the signs, it will help fill the holes in my DD's language (the example I use when explaining this are the signs for "give" and "take"). My DD has amazing expressive language considering her level of loss and not being aided until recently, but if you listen to her closely, you realize, while she may know the words, she may not understand the concepts completely accurately.
2. Immediate social need. We attended a conference on our on this summer dealing with the education of D/HOH children so she was around other kids who signed for the very first time. Even though she didn't sign, it was like she found her place to fit! She really enjoyed it, while my 7 YO hearing son said he felt like he was in a foreign country (I thought it was a really good lesson for him). My DD is drawn to sign and constantly asks me, "Mommy, what the sign for ____?" or if we see something that she knows the sign for she will show me.
3. Long term social need. I have meet several HOH adults (raised oral) who have choosen to learn sign as teenager/adults b/c they said they felt like they never fit in the hearing world. They found they weren't 'deaf enough' for the deaf world, but they were more welcome if they signed. I guess that's the way I feel, I no longer belong to the hearing world, but I don't fit in the deaf world either. I feel like if I give my girls ASL, then they will have more power to make the choice that is right for them when they get to that point.
4. Progressive loss. Since my loss in progress, we are assuming the girls' losses will be also (althogh we don't know that). I would much rather give the girls the time to develop fluency in ASL before the absolutely have to have it. Even if they are some day CI canidates, there are always times when the processors are off (just as now, there are situations where the aids have to come out, like the pool, beach, etc.) so ASL would give them access to communication at all times, not just when their technology is on.
5. Family needs. My perfect world would be where everyone voiced to me but used sign support. I am not yet fluent enough in sign to depend soley on ASL, but I can use it to 'fill in the blanks' when I miss a word or misunderstand. As my own fluency increases, I will use it more, especially if the trend of my own hearing loss continues.
Despite all these reasons, they make me feel like I am crazy. I guess I am looking for people who have lived it to tell me if these reasons are really valid or if I should throw in the towel and just plug along teaching the girls myself (which will be *very slow*). I will teach them ASL, I just wish we could get some real instructional support. Our church classes are great and are taught by certified interpreters, they just are short sessions with long breaks and I can't always make every class b/c of activites with the kids. My hubby wants to learn but the church classes are on 7 YO's football night (which hubby coaches).
Anyway, I would love to hear thoughts on teaching ASL to primarily oral HOH kids.
Do you use ASL? Why or why not?
If you do not, would it change your position if you had been given the opportunity to learn ASL as a child?
I have adult onset hearing loss that is sloping into the profound range in higher frequencies. I do okay with hearing aids, but daily life is a constant challenge and struggle. From all indications it is progressive. I began learning ASL though classes at my church but I really wish I could devote the time to a more intesive training.
Since making my decision to learn ASL, we have learned that my 4 YO and my 1 YO also have moderate to severe losses. They are both now aided and doing well with them, but I really want to give them ASL in addition to oral training. I am meeting *HUGE* resistance from the 'professionals' and they keep telling me not to sign with my girls. I am in the process of trying to get ASL instruction added to my 4 YO education plan. I don't know if it is truly that they think they shouldn't sign or if they just don't want to have to spen the $$ to provide the services (which is the feeling I get with everything I ask for, ASL related or not).
My reasons are these:
1. Immediate educational need to help fill the gaps in my 4 YO's learning. Since ASL is a visual picture and literally 'displays' the concept of so many of the signs, it will help fill the holes in my DD's language (the example I use when explaining this are the signs for "give" and "take"). My DD has amazing expressive language considering her level of loss and not being aided until recently, but if you listen to her closely, you realize, while she may know the words, she may not understand the concepts completely accurately.
2. Immediate social need. We attended a conference on our on this summer dealing with the education of D/HOH children so she was around other kids who signed for the very first time. Even though she didn't sign, it was like she found her place to fit! She really enjoyed it, while my 7 YO hearing son said he felt like he was in a foreign country (I thought it was a really good lesson for him). My DD is drawn to sign and constantly asks me, "Mommy, what the sign for ____?" or if we see something that she knows the sign for she will show me.
3. Long term social need. I have meet several HOH adults (raised oral) who have choosen to learn sign as teenager/adults b/c they said they felt like they never fit in the hearing world. They found they weren't 'deaf enough' for the deaf world, but they were more welcome if they signed. I guess that's the way I feel, I no longer belong to the hearing world, but I don't fit in the deaf world either. I feel like if I give my girls ASL, then they will have more power to make the choice that is right for them when they get to that point.
4. Progressive loss. Since my loss in progress, we are assuming the girls' losses will be also (althogh we don't know that). I would much rather give the girls the time to develop fluency in ASL before the absolutely have to have it. Even if they are some day CI canidates, there are always times when the processors are off (just as now, there are situations where the aids have to come out, like the pool, beach, etc.) so ASL would give them access to communication at all times, not just when their technology is on.
5. Family needs. My perfect world would be where everyone voiced to me but used sign support. I am not yet fluent enough in sign to depend soley on ASL, but I can use it to 'fill in the blanks' when I miss a word or misunderstand. As my own fluency increases, I will use it more, especially if the trend of my own hearing loss continues.
Despite all these reasons, they make me feel like I am crazy. I guess I am looking for people who have lived it to tell me if these reasons are really valid or if I should throw in the towel and just plug along teaching the girls myself (which will be *very slow*). I will teach them ASL, I just wish we could get some real instructional support. Our church classes are great and are taught by certified interpreters, they just are short sessions with long breaks and I can't always make every class b/c of activites with the kids. My hubby wants to learn but the church classes are on 7 YO's football night (which hubby coaches).
Anyway, I would love to hear thoughts on teaching ASL to primarily oral HOH kids.
