How can one help deaf children?
We can mention them as CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT instead of using the word DEAF. Because, we see the children first and then the disability.If the child is below six years of age, COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION can be done and with intensive AUDITORY VERBAL THERAPY, they can trained to communicate through speech.SOME SIMPLE STEPS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED bY THE PARENTSAlways speak to your child in sentences, stop using single word utterancesDon't show your lip movements while talking to your child. At the same time do not cover your mouth and talk. This will reduce the intelligibility of your voiceAlways sit behind your child while teaching so that your child will start using the auditory system to listenDo not exaggerate your voice and speech movements with the child as it will not help them in understanding your speech
How to give a spelling test to Deaf children?
If you want to give a spelling test to deaf children, the best way is to establish signs for the words. As you probably already know, ASL doesn't always have a corresponding sign to a lot of English words, sometimes you have to make them up. For example, if the spelling word is "wheel barrel" then use a classifier to show the wheels then another classifier to show either the handles or the "barrel". Tell your students that you are making up signs so that they can take the spelling tests. It is best to involve them in making up the signs as you are introducing the words. However, it is very important that you explain to them that these are made up signs and they may not see them in the real world, these are just signs that they will use for the spelling tests and that typically a lot of these words would be fingerspelled in the Deaf World. If you are looking for ways to teach spelling, I would look at visual/kinestic methods such as block spelling (students draw blocks around the letters and learn the words via the shape of the word) rainbow spelling (students write the words over and over with different color crayons creating a rainbow) or if you are adventurous I would try using shaving cream. Have students spray shaving cream on their desks and write their words. This also cleans their desks. Although learning how to spell words is important, the most important thing is understanding the meaning of the word and how to use them in their writing. Spelling lessons and spelling tests are meaningless unless the children can generalize them to other parts of the curriculum.
What should the government do to improve sign language in education?
Meaning improve the state of deaf education?They could start by requiring that teachers of the deaf actually are fluent in ASL, as measured by the SLCPI test at a level 4 or 5.They could also require that all interpreters are certified by RID and also have an EIPA score of 4.0 or above for the grade level and language preference of the students they are working with.That would be a good start, but what really needs to happen in Deaf Ed is that the kids need to be able to talk to their parents. Most parents and families of signing deaf kids never learn sign language. It really hurts their kids' feelings. I don't think the government has much power over requiring that parents learn to communicate effectively with their children, but maybe some funding to give them a stipend to replace lost income while they work with a sign language mentor would be a good start. Subsidized sign language classes, promotional materials, something like that.Kids really want to know their parents as people and have their parents know them. That right there builds a good foundation for education, and in my opinion would fix a lot that is currently not going so well.Deaf kids are precious and deserve to feel loved.
What grants available for the deaf?
This depends on where you are and a whole number of other factors. If you are an elite deaf athlete looking to compete at national and international events representing your region or Spain, you should be eligible for Plan Apoyo al Deporte Objetivo Paralímpico grants through the community government or through the national government. I'd get in touch with Federación Española de Deportes para Sordos and your local branch to get assistance with this.A number of other countries treat Deaflympians as being equal to Paralympic and Olympic athletes when it comes to getting access to grants for elite sportspeople. Kazakhstan is another one that I can think of. You'll again want to get in touch with the national governing body for sport or their regional affiliates to get more details on how to qualify for these.A number of countries have grant programs for deaf people to get access to TDD and TTY. In Spain, the grants for access to these is spelled out by the Ley de Tecnología de Asistencia. These are generally applied for by the local government. Similar programs exist in other countries.
How is being blind or deaf a developmental disability?
based on this definition from the US government http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/Factsheet.html What is Developmental Disability? There are approximately 4.5 million individuals with developmental disabilities in the United States. Developmental disabilities (DD) are severe, life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical impairments, manifested before age 22. Developmental disabilities result in substantial limitations in three or more areas of major life activities: capacity for independent living economic self-sufficiency learning mobility receptive and expressive language self-care self-direction Without appropriate services and supports, the choices open to people with developmental disabilities including where they live, work, and play are minimal. They are isolated rather than fully integrated and included in the mainstream of society. Persons with developmental disabilities require individually planned and coordinated services and supports (e.g., housing, employment, education, civil and human rights protection, health care) from many providers in order to live in the community. This refers to people who are blind OR deaf--and do not have any other health/intellectual/physical impairment. By this definition is seems that mild CP and spina bifida would not be considered to be a developmental disability either....they do need mobility and learning accommodations--but are still independen.t in those areas---and that is only 2 of the areas--not the 3 needed to meet the definition..are these 2 areas of limitation 'substantial' People who are blind can support themselves financially, take care of all their personal needs (independent living), have normal communication ability--is it 'severe' as mentioned in the definition? People who are deaf do need communication and learning accommodations...but again--that is only 2 areas--and is it 'severe' as mentioned in the definition? are these 2 areas of needed accommodation 'substantial'?
If a person is born deaf, which language do they think in?
They don't and neither do you.It is incorrect to say you think in a language. The thoughts that you hear in your head are the thoughts you think you think. You think in symbols and then translate to a language, it simply goes on at a speed that is tens of thousands times faster than your awareness. You perceive in a language, which is to say, the conscious awareness of your thinking is in a language, the one you are using the most. Hearing people are probably more aural than visual and are hearing their thoughts as if spoken. People born deaf are visual and perceive their conscious thoughts in visual form, perhaps in their signed language, but both are actually thinking (the step prior to conscious awareness) sybolically.I have spoken to accountants who have spent several 20 hour days working on a new spreadsheet say that they “think” in “electronic spreadsheet.” the same is true of programmers who might temporarily be aware of their thoughts or dreams in a program language , the same is true of composers who might temporarily think in musical notes substituting for thoughts. Meditators and mathematicians frequently discuss their awareness of “thought” being symbolic, one thing substituting for another and conclusions made as if it were in a formula. The actual thinking is occurring in one's own personal symbology, and the awareness is expressed in a language.There are those few people who claim that they are aware of their thoughts but no language is used in thst awareness. And, there are synesthetes, that 4% of the population that hears colors or sees sounds. They most assuredly have the ability to do a very quick translation in order to communicate, because clearly their memory is fioed away in their personal language.So, persons who are born with absolutely no hearing, think no differently than the rest, they use a personal symbology just as everyone else, they merely use a different language overlay for their awareness of their thoughts than those who hear.
Do deaf kids have to go to special schools or can they go to public?
Children who are four years old and hearing impaired should be receiving education in the public schools already. They are usually working on sign language, etc. so that they can enter a regular kindergarten classroom with the assistance of an interpreter and assistive technology (computers that help people with disabilities). To receive this in the states, just call your local school system and ask for the special education department. If you get a bunch of dead ends, write a letter to the superintendent and send it certified. I'm sure you'll get a phone call ASAP. It's the law and you have a lot of rights.