Hello! I'm Heidi. Teacher of the Deaf from KY. I'm sick w the flu but have scheduled all the tweets to guide you all. Tonight our guest host @wyattehall is who'll lead our #DeafEd discussion about Working Together to Eradicate #LanguageDeprivation Have a great chat!
Hi #DeafEd. New to the chat. My name is Rebecca, I'm a teacher of hearing students in the Dominican Republic and a linguist just starting SL development work here :)
A1: Trying this: #LanguageDeprivation is a condition where language is actively or passively withheld from #Deaf children, which can result in academic and cognitive delays. #DeafEd
A1 I see the connection of "deprivation" as in sleep deprivation, light deprivation... withholding something that is needed for healthy development and functioning #DeafEd
hi #deafed, i'm a hearing university professor in mainstream class settings with classes of students who are hearing, DDDDBHHLD, and/or have other disabilities. looking forward to learning.
A1: struggling to define this in a way I'm satisfied but I guess Language Deprivation is inaccessibility to language that can severely limit social, emotional, and academic success. #Deafed
A1: Trying this: #LanguageDeprivation is a condition where language is actively or passively withheld from #Deaf children, which can result in academic and cognitive delays. #DeafEd
Q2: #DeafEd is a bifurcated system that perpetuates either/or thinking. I think there's a shift happening here (LEAD-K), but we need to do better moving forward more quickly. There shouldn't be an either/or. It should be ASL AND __ (choose your other languages).
A2: Current DDDDBHHLD LRE starts with gen ed and ENDS with residential schools for the deaf. So they end up in oral programs where they are deprived of language until 4th or 5th grade where they move them to a TC program. #deafed
It's not only an issue within mainstream programs, but Deaf Schools as well, even the more "priviledged" deaf schools one can find deficit thinking when it comes to balancing English/ASL #deafed
Many things differentiate active and passive withholding. In many cases parents do it unintentionally without realizing the consequences. Or, parents intentionally withhold, but still may not realize the consequence until it's "too late." Then there are professionals...#DeafEd
A2: We also focus deaf education around speech acquisition. Our LAS doesn't know sign so she is only working on articulation with the students, not language. We have Total Communication programs to not scare parents by only using ASL w/o considering child's needs. #deafed
Suppose parents see their child becoming increasingly delayed, are told sign language is needed at that point and still don't pursue that option - does it become an active decision at that point? #DeafEd
@wyattehall Trying out an idea: Could it be parallel to, say, personal vs. systemic racism? There's a current, a system, that works against the interests of marginalized groups, and if we don't actively work against it, we're "passively" allowing it to happen. #DeafEd
A2. Some practices I noticed contributing to #LanguageDeprivation included insisting 1 commnction mode for all, not providing additional support for ppl w/ ci’s (cuesd speech, asl, etc) , refusing to pay for accommodations (terps, technology) #DeafEd
Q2: #DeafEd is a bifurcated system that perpetuates either/or thinking. I think there's a shift happening here (LEAD-K), but we need to do better moving forward more quickly. There shouldn't be an either/or. It should be ASL AND __ (choose your other languages).
How do we address organizations such as the American Cochlear Implant Alliance and American Sign-Language-Hearing Association now trying to lobby against LEAD-K efforts? #DeafEd
A1: #LanguageDeprivation is also refusal to recognize signed, tactile, manual, other nonverbal lnguages as valid, real, meaningful language+communication by hearing+neurotypical+abled people #DeafEd
Suppose parents see their child becoming increasingly delayed, are told sign language is needed at that point and still don't pursue that option - does it become an active decision at that point? #DeafEd
This is a great point. These schools where student end up need to be tracking at what age students arrive and their progress in education. Poor outcomes at graduation can be used against the schools that took on these delayed students when accountability lies elsewhere! #DeafEd
How do we address organizations such as the American Cochlear Implant Alliance and American Sign-Language-Hearing Association now trying to lobby against LEAD-K efforts? #DeafEd
I mean, my A3 is that the whole country has two schools for the Deaf, which only just expanded to cover high school, and no residential option... #DeafEd
A3: full Ed access need appropriate accommodations, high language exposure, use code switch languages, understanding how to balance Bibi approach #DeafEd
A3: Policies from K-12 and in higher ed that literally demean ASL (let alone other signed languages) as not a real language compared to oral ones. Deprives DDBDDHH children AND hearing children of opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, language immersion, etc. Deepens gap.
A3.
•Finances: low-income school districts and burnt out teachers, no insurance coverage for language therapists, parents working several jobs so no time for at-home comm.
•Social: family members unwilling to adapt, community shunning, pressure to “fix” child. #DeafEd
Do professionals or parents hold more accountability? Is the "parents' choice" paradigm just a way for professionals to both maintain control of the system and avoid accountability in the end? #DeafEd
Are you excited for tomorrow night? Guest host @wyattehall will be leading the #DeafEd chat to discuss "Working Together to Eradicate #LanguageDeprivation". Take a break from your Valentine's celebrations and join us at 4:30pmPT/7:30pmET! #DeafEducation
That is to say, the government schools as well as the private schools here decided/are still deciding that students with any kind of disability are a lower priority. #DeafEd
I believe so, yes. Professionals know better. Parents are following advice given by professionals. You state this perfectly..a way to maintain control of the system. #DeafEd
Do professionals or parents hold more accountability? Is the "parents' choice" paradigm just a way for professionals to both maintain control of the system and avoid accountability in the end? #DeafEd
Focusing on speech is a tremendous problem, I agree. It has a place but does not deserve priority over cognitive and socioemotional development, general education classes, and many other things that deaf children miss out on by being pulled out and away from their peers! #DeafEd
A3 organizations that refuse to comply with ADA and IDEA. Some DO know better and don't care /don't want to spend $ because don't value the kid(s) #DeafEd
A3: we need more Deaf Schools to share resources with each other and mainstream programs so that isolated programs aren't relying on outdated or inappropriate practices--some of them literally don't know any better. #deafed
A4: One thing we can work on is helping our future educators learn to talk about #LanguageDeprivation in productive (meaningful, tactful) ways with parents, administrators, other educators. Empowerment through education. #DeafEd
A1: #LanguageDeprivation is also refusal to recognize signed, tactile, manual, other nonverbal lnguages as valid, real, meaningful language+communication by hearing+neurotypical+abled people #DeafEd
@wyattehall Trying out an idea: Could it be parallel to, say, personal vs. systemic racism? There's a current, a system, that works against the interests of marginalized groups, and if we don't actively work against it, we're "passively" allowing it to happen. #DeafEd
A2: Pulling newly implanted Ss out of TC programs & putting them in Oral only programs is a HUGE gamble. What happens if the S is unsuccessful gaining access through his/her CIs. Years of lang access are wasted. #deafed
A4: All DETP should be required to include language deprivation in their research. It seems like oral-focused DETP are pretending it doesn't apply to their work which is perpetuating the cycle. #languagedeprivation#deafed
I'm a Deaf STEM Educator; I firmly hold those professionals accountability for insistently demanding "parents' choice." They never carry on DTA on deaf child's language acquisition milestone. By the time Deaf child arrive at K grade. Parents get upset once they find out #DeafEd
I wrote a rebuttal against the ACIA position statement, and I was really struck by how blatant the misinformation and outright lies were written throughout. Fundamentally, how can you be against data-tracking efforts unless you are terrified of what the data will show? #DeafEd
A4:One thing I think needs to be addressed is that Oral progs cannot offer any other lang access other than aural/oral as the Ts do not have skills (generally) in ASL. The S struggling w access in their programs wastes valuable time until appropriate placement is made. #DeafEd
Those of us in related fields (i.e. Audiology) need to hold our national, state, and local organizations accountable for their role in perpetuating practices that contribute significantly to language deprivation. Call out these destructive practices.
#DeafEd
Active is telling a Deaf child sign lang isn’t allowed at school. Passive is not knowing any sign in order to be able to communicate w the Deaf child. #DeafEd
My research group went to the DR this past summer partnering with ANSORDO. We found that deaf children were usually not getting language exposure until 7 or 8! Super late. #DeafEd
I believe so, yes. Professionals know better. Parents are following advice given by professionals. You state this perfectly..a way to maintain control of the system. #DeafEd
Do professionals or parents hold more accountability? Is the "parents' choice" paradigm just a way for professionals to both maintain control of the system and avoid accountability in the end? #DeafEd
A5. Anger & Resentment, for one. Many folx cut off from families because members STILL don’t try to adapt/accommodate. Anger “issues” because meltdowns were the only surefire way to communicate needs.
Isolation from communities.
Mental health needs. #DeafEd
A5: the consequence that I see most is the lack of range of emotion. The ability to express nuanced feelings isn't there. Emotional development is severely impacted, which can lead to mental health issues later in life. #deafed
A5:children going into middle school w/out fluency in ASL &/or Eng; Aggressive behavior resulting in disciplinary actions; inability to read or write. #DeafEd
I don't know. I'm guessing each situation will look differently. I understand the outcomes will be similar (kids experiencing #LanguageDeprivation), but I'm not sure there will be "A" line that can be defined universally. I don't know. #DeafEd
Absolutely. I have been criticized for helping to popularize the term because its "too negative" - but what's happening to deaf children IS negative. I think we need some generational changes in leadership because current leaders would have to admit culpability. #DeafEd
A6: Google images is my best friend when I'm playing charades with a 4th grade student who is trying to describe some obscure product they encountered over the weekend. "Are you talking about this? No? Okay ...what about this??" #deafed#languagedeprivation
Right! There needs to be a distinction between sound access and language uptake. People assume sound access = language uptake when that is not the case for most implanted children. #DeafEd
A2: Pulling newly implanted Ss out of TC programs & putting them in Oral only programs is a HUGE gamble. What happens if the S is unsuccessful gaining access through his/her CIs. Years of lang access are wasted. #deafed
Hey there! I'm a little late, but would love to share some of my thoughts! I am a 2nd year teacher at Texas School for the Deaf and got my masters in #deafed from Boston University in 2017 (:
Hello joining late- Dana here from la! I think all the tools I learned in mod/severe credential should be used with language deprivation too! So many visuals to boost communication #deafed
A6. Have several language-deprived ADULTS at my job. Biggest thing is learning their systems of communication (SEE, haptic, specific sign cues for behaviors, etc) & *consistency.* For some, we‘re in their lives the longest compared to revolving door of professionals #DeafEd
A6: one of the most effective tools is having a Deaf Native ASL user in our classroom. For that child the goal is always exposure to ASL, everything else submits to that goal. #DeafEd
Precisely! It always "cherry-pick" for those who are postlingual deaf that is entirely different than prelingual deaf. We Deaf Educator know this very clear and eliminate language deprivation by having DTA in Language Acquisition with the milestone. ACIA want to avoid it. #DeafEd
The vast majority of research evidence supporting the #LanguageDeprivation hypothesis comes from oral-based work, especially cochlear implant research. #DeafEd
A2:Using language arts curriculum designed for hearing children. Those curriculums are great to use as practice for skills children gain incidentally or at home. Deaf students often don't have these same opportunities. #deafed#langaugedeprivation
Hearing adult parents have enormous power over their young deaf children, which means that their interests and needs will always be given precedence at the direct expense of their child health and mental well-being. #Ageism#Audism#DeafEd#LanguageDeprivation
#DeafEd it will take extremely brave parents who are themselves proficient language users. My two deaf sons were in different deaf Ed programs across five states (thanks US army) regional variations were incredible
A7: DHH educators must be informed and vocal about #LanguageDeprivation. People are usually shocked when I explain what is entailed w a child not having access to lang. There needs to be more stories in the culture (movies, etc). That’s often how things change. #DeafEd
I don't think it's that the child has to wait to gain rights. It's that the other adults with a duty to intervene- the entire social safety net- choose to wait too long. #DeafEd
A5 Our school makes signed resources available to students and parents. Books, personal stories, famous speeches and explanations of historical events. #deafed
Many of the same strategies+supports we use in developmental disabilities self-advocacy to communicate with each other also help language-deprived DDBDDHH children, youth, adults. #DeafEd#LanguageDeprivation
A6. Have several language-deprived ADULTS at my job. Biggest thing is learning their systems of communication (SEE, haptic, specific sign cues for behaviors, etc) & *consistency.* For some, we‘re in their lives the longest compared to revolving door of professionals #DeafEd
It seems like the placement for newly implanted kids needs to be more of a TC approach. That way the Ss are still getting both modalities. I’ve met several kids w CIs who were “failures” & sent back to the TC program. #DeafEd
The other frustration is parents SIGN with their children birth-3, but then at school age are "forced" to pick one (language). There is no "ideal" setting for a child who can/ should/ might be able to move between languages during a school day. #DeafEd
Right. They don't have the specific sign for the item, they don't have the ASL classifiers to describe it accurately nor do they have the signs to give context for the item. #deafed#languagedeprivation
