A Journey Into the Deaf World Read Online
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A Journey into the Deaf-World past Harlan Lane, Robert Hoffmeister, and Ben Bahan (DawnSignPress, San Diego, CA 1996, 512 pages, hardcover) The authors intend this book as an introduction to deafness, Deaf culture, and signed languages for use past hearing professionals who work with children , youth, and adults who are deaf, particularly those who are culturally Deaf. All three authors are passionate advocates for Deafened culture and readers who approach the volume agreement this will discover much to similar. Dr. Lane, a celebrated historian on deafness, is well known for his strong views in back up of Deaf culture. His When the Mind Hears is a major contribution to the literature on deafness. Dr. Hoffmeister is manager of the Boston University Deaf Studies program, and an active leader of Children of Deaf Adults (CODA). Dr. Bahan is an banana professor of Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University, and is a vice president of DawnSignPress, the publisher of this book. The one-time two are hearing, the latter is culturally Deaf. Journey offers an excellent overview of linguistic features of American Sign Language, expresses a deep appreciation for Deaf culture and its history , and offers a stiff review of the state-of-the-fine art in deafness education today. These features brand Journeying a solid selection for supplemental reading by students in ASL classes and a suitable candidate for supplemental reading in university teacher-training programs and for inservice training for teachers and teacher aides in public school programs. Ironically, Journeying's weaknesses keep pace with its strengths. Although intended for hearing professionals, Journey contains a lot of anger, about of which is directed toward hearing Americans, ostensibly the book'south master audition. Of greater concern to me is that the authors make fiddling pretense at academic objectivity. Rather, Journey presents an impassioned argument on behalf of Deaf civilization, and an as passionate denunciation of the dominant hearing civilization. The authors state, for example, that the American Deaf community did non cover Gallaudet University until later the Deaf President At present movement — a claim I discover surprising, given the deep affection I and others of my generation have long felt for Gallaudet. They add together that the dominant hearing culture's aims include eradicating Deaf civilization, which also strikes me as a stretch. Most hearing people I know are genuinely interested in understanding deafness, and in being more sensitive to people like me. How else could one explicate loftier enrollments in ASL classes nationwide , yr subsequently twelvemonth? Although the statements in Journey about Gallaudet and about the full general public's attitudes toward deafness do incorporate germs of truth, a more than balanced articulation of those core concepts would be more than effective in sensitizing Journey's primary audience. To further illustrate how passion overwhelms scholarship, consider Journey's handling of bilingual approaches in education. According to the authors, the research evidence on bilingualism is unequivocal in showing its effectiveness. They urge that the Bilingual Teaching Act (BEA) be used to finance ASL/English bilingualism in schools and programs serving deafened students. I chaired the Commission on Educational activity of the Deafened (COED), which explored bilingual approaches in the education of the deaf. While seeking implementation of the 52 recommendations in the Commission'south report I learned that bilingualism, in fact, is a hotly controversial arroyo on which the inquiry evidence is sharply divided. I also learned that the BEA was far less promising as a vehicle for promoting ASL than the COED outset idea (and than the volume'southward authors assume it to be). Only very small sums of money would be available to finance ASL/ English bilingualism in schools and programs serving deaf students, even if ASL were added to the list of languages canonical for BEA funding — itself an unlikely event. Also, in 1992, I helped join some of the nation's superlative scholars and educators to contend this prove as information technology applies to bilingual/ bicultural (bi/bi) approaches in deafness education (see Walworth, Moores, & O'Rourke, 1992). Our conclusion , equally summarized in my closing affiliate to that volume, was that we had a great many unanswered questions and unquestioned answers. We still do. Journey's authors are unaware of, or choose to overlook, evidence on bilingual...
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A Journey Into the Deaf World Read Online
Source: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/385022