Cute, Toddlers chatting in car ASL

They were adopted back in either June or July. According to the parents, they had absolutely no language at first. It's remarkable what a difference ASL has made in their life now.
 
deafdyke said:
Why is it something of note that a HOH kid is getting ASL? ALL HOH kids should get ASL! In fact I think he'll have an advantage over those who aren't fluent in ASL.
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I agree that all HOH kids should learn ASL. I think all their parents should learn ASL. I regret that I didn't teach my hearing kids more ASL than I did (fifty or so signs was not nearly enough. I don't know what I was thinking)


I thought two things were interesting- mainly just as a 'hmm, that's something unigue:" for both boys- being Chinese by birth and origin and original home, but their first language will be *American* sign language.

Maybe I am wrong, but my impression from reading the blog is that if he had had any oral language, his parents would have done both spoken English and ASL with him. But since he has *no* language, the focus is on ASL. I thought that was a good choice, and what I think is really cool is that during the day the boys are home all day with a hearing mom, three hearing siblings and all of them are speaking ASL.

I think that's awesome. I am glad that the mother made that choice and is sharing it with others.

Also, in reading the blog, she's talked to other moms who have adopted deaf kids, and they are not making the same choices. One of the goals she seems to have for her blog is make it clear to other parents that teaching ASL to deaf and HOH kids is the best way to give them a language.
 
deafdyke said:
and I think it's audism of the first order to assume that HOH kids don't "need" ASL.
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Confused? (edited to clarify that I mean I'm confused). Who made that assumption?
 
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Grayma said:
Confused? (edited to clarify that I mean I'm confused). Who made that assumption?
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As it turns out, one of them is probably HOH, but since neither boy really had a language at all when they came, the family is totally immersing them in ASL
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Actually the whole sentence about one being probably HOH looks like the conclusion would be he only gets ASL because of not having a language yet.

DD is a little sensitive on the subject of HOH kids being less than Deaf kids.
 
deafdyke said:
and I think it's audism of the first order to assume that HOH kids don't "need" ASL.
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Is it englishdism to assume that Asian kids don't need to learn their native language? ;)

Hah, just pulling some strings with you. :wave:

Give it some thought though, it's not far off from an interesting discussion. There are a lot of asians who do not know their native culture, nor are their families interested in teaching them it. I wouldn't be as far as to say they're outright being "english-dist" to them, but in a world where there's ethnic/racial discrimination, it helps against it.
 
naisho said:
Is it englishdism to assume that Asian kids don't need to learn their native language? ;)

Hah, just pulling some strings with you. :wave:

Give it some thought though, it's not far off from an interesting discussion. There are a lot of asians who do not know their native culture, nor are their families interested in teaching them it. I wouldn't be as far as to say they're outright being "english-dist" to them, but in a world where there's ethnic/racial discrimination, it helps against it.
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There is also an issue with 'poverty orphans.' Many of the so-called orphans adopted from third world countries aren't orphans at all. They are poor children whose parents want them to have food and safe shelter. I have a problem with 'orphanages' and adoptions under these circumstances. I'd rather see their parents helped. I know of a cool project in Haiti where instead of running an orphanage, the couple running the agency offer some job training, opportunities for small crafting businesses and help the moms sell their crafts back in the states.
 
I have read some things about practices by some people in some countries - specifically India - actually taking kids who are just un-supervised and not actually homeless or without parents -and selling them through a "underground market" deal. They often end up in orphanages but they were never actually orphans.
 
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