The History of Deaf Education Essay - 1417 Words

Long before Thomas Gallaudet founded the first permanent school for the deaf in America, controversy as to the educability and best method of communicating with the deaf have existed. In fact, in the Biblical Times section of the book The Deaf Community in America Socrates, in conversation with Hermogenes is quoted saying, â€Å"Suppose that we have no voice or tongue, and wanted to indicate objects to one another, should we not, like the deaf and dumb, make signs with the hands, head and the rest of the body? Hermogenes replied, â€Å"How could it be otherwise, Socrates?† (M.Nomeland and R.Nomeland 7). However, Aristotle in apparent disagreement with Socrates believed that hearing contributed the most to intelligence and that thought could be†¦show more content†¦Gallaudet, â€Å"impressed by the use of signs in addition to the speech and lipreading methods used to educate French deaf children† (Lane 34) at the National Institution for the deaf Mutes in Paris , â€Å"was invited to the National Institutions teachers preparation program at no charge† (Lane 34). While there, Gallaudet studied Sicard’s methods which allowed, â€Å"the deaf to comprehend and formulate sentences in manual French and [studied] the composite meaning of †¦ separate words† (Lane 8). After spending several months studying at the institute, Clerc accompanied Gallaudet back to America. On the fifty-two day return trip Gallaudet taught Clerc English, and Clerc helped Gallaudet with his signing skills. On April 15, 1817, seven months after returning from Paris, Gallaudet and Clerc opened â€Å"Americas first successful school for deaf children †¦ in Hartford† (Nomeland 35) bringing enthusiasm to education; somewhat of a â€Å"golden period in deaf history† (Sacks 21) that led to the opening of schools and the expansion of American Sign Language wherever â€Å"there was a sufficient density of [deaf] population† (Sack s 23). Much like the evolution of spoken English, the indigenous and regional sign languages that were brought to the school by the students influenced the vocabulary and grammar of the French method brought by Clerc, and together they formed the American SignShow MoreRelatedChloe Ziff . Professor Gary Rosenblatt. April 13, 2017.991 Words   |  4 PagesSeeing Voices is a book that delves into the history of Sign Language and expresses a genuine meaning behind what language truly is.   Oliver Sacks is an engaging and fascinating writer. Being able to explore outside what he is used to, he can expand his knowledge about language. Being knowledgeable on psychiatry can help him get a better understanding of cognitive ability in the deaf community and the importance of why keeping  Sign Language away from Deaf children is not beneficial for them in theRead MoreOral And The Oral Manual Controversy831 Words   |  4 PagesThe Oral-Manual Controversy in Deaf Education History tells us that the oral-manual controversy in deaf education emerged during the Age of Reason. The Age of Reason chronicles the so-called War of Methods when the manualists, followers of Abbà © Charles Michel de l’Épà ©e’s manualism, and the oralists, followers of Samuel Heinicke’s oralism, competed each other in the deaf education arena (Lang, 2011). Needless to say, no winner was declared; hence, the controversy has continued for centuries. DescriptionRead MoreDeaf Blindness1452 Words   |  6 PagesDeaf Blindness Most people assume that a deaf blind child is someone who is not able to hear or see. â€Å"Our countrys special educational law defines deaf-blindness as the combination of the visual and hearing impairment† (â€Å"Deaf Blindness†). These two impairments make the person lose his or her　communication skills, developmental and educational needs. The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness observes that the key feature of deaf-blindness is that the combination of losses limits access toRead MoreSummary : American Sign Language 957 Words   |  4 Pageswould you do if you were Deaf and living in America during the early 1800’s and before? Think of how hard it would be to learn when the teachers in the classroom would talk out loud and you couldn’t hear what they were saying. It was very difficult for Deaf students who lived before the 1800’s to get any education. Rich people would send their children across the ocean to Europe where they co uld attend the Braidwood Academy in Great Britain among other great schools for the Deaf. The many who couldn’tRead MoreThe Importance Of Deaf Culture1445 Words   |  6 Pagesthemselves with. As I began learning about the hallmarks of Deaf culture such as â€Å"language, heritage art and history†, I began wondering about how the historical significance of each one impacted the modern choices of Deaf individuals (Holcomb 17). Our textbook Introduction to American Deaf Culture makes references to how important American Sign Language is to define the Deaf community which leaves me wondering how strong the foundation of Deaf culture would be if based on heritage rather than on languageRead MoreSeeing Voices : A Journey Into The World Of The Deaf1075 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Seeing Voices: A Journey into the World of the Deaf†. In this book the author Oliver Sacks basically focuses on Deaf history and the community of the deaf developed toward linguistic self-su fficiency. Sacks is a Professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He became interested in the problem of how deaf children acquire language after reviewing a book by Harlan Lane. The book was titled â€Å"When the Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf†. This book was first published in 1984 and wasRead MoreHow the Deaf Communicate in a Hearing World Essay1671 Words   |  7 Pageshearing world and a deaf one. One world is capable of hearing and the other involves no incoming source of sound whatsoever. Understanding how deaf culture and how the hard of hearing work and live is important in order to comprehend the reasons behind why they do the certain things they do such as stare at others for a long period of time or the reason why they perceive situations that they are placed in. In the world of the deaf, one who has been labeled with the term â€Å"deaf† has little to no meaningRead MoreDeaf : Deaf And Deaf886 Words   |  4 Pages(2010) defines Dea f Studies as â€Å"interdisciplinary approaches to the exploration of Deaf individuals, communities, and cultures as they have evolved within a larger context of power and ideology† (p. 210). In other words, Deaf Studies refer to a specific academic field that studies deaf individuals and their unique communities and culture and may include constructs from anthropology, linguistics, bilingual education, disability, audiology, etc. Within the context of Deaf Studies, deaf individuals areRead MoreAnalysis of Mark Drolsbough ´s Deaf Again781 Words   |  4 Pagesautobiography Deaf Again, Mark Drolsbaugh writes about his life being born hearing, growing up hard of hearing, to eventually becoming deaf. By writing this book, he helps many people view from his perspective on what it is like for someone to struggle trying to fit in the hearing society. Through his early years, his eyes were closed to the deaf world, being only taught how to live in a hearing world. Not only does t he book cover his personal involvement, but it covers some important moments in deaf historyRead MoreDeaf Culture1589 Words   |  7 PagesDeaf Culture In mainstream American society, we tend to approach deafness as a defect. Helen Keller is alleged to have said, Blindness cuts people off from things; deafness cuts people off from people. (rnib.org) This seems a very accurate description of what Kellers world must have been. We as hearing people tend to pity deaf people, or, if they succeed in the hearing world, admire them for overcoming a severe handicap. We tend to look at signing as an inferior substitute for real communication