Good afternoon!!
I hope the resume read out to you did not make me too old in your mind. With 19 years of professional involvement with the Deaf as a counselor, then Dean of a School and now a Director of new Center, believe me the work involved can be a major threat and can make anyone look old.
But age and capabilities can add or reduce in value as perceptions can play tricks on us. I stand here in front of you trusting that perceptions about age and capabilities will not be a barrier to you and find this late hour presentation as an exciting one worthy of your time and energy to listen and pay attention to.
I hope that by the end of my presentation, I am able to help you do the following:
1. identify who are the patients who should learn the sign language
2. know when should physicians refer to institutions who teach sign language
3. know where to refer to
4. know how physicians can explain to parents/patients what to expect in a sign language class/school
For me to answer the above, allow me to share to you the general profile of the Deaf youth who join us in De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS), and the rationale of the Deaf education we provide these students
The Deaf Students Who are the Deaf students who become members of the DLS-CSB Community? These students often have
1. Low self worth and confused identity – often there is a negative view of self, poor self-worth, and overwhelming feeling of being a 2nd class citizen.
2. Distrusts capability, and capacity to improve knowledge and competence – questions worthiness, has very weak foundational skills in reading, writing, and computation; knowledge of information, basic facts, and others are limited or are sometimes distorted. This view of weakness further compounds issues of self-worth
3. Limited aspirations and Interests – very limited options because their circle of influence revolves around similar job options in their growing up years. And there are of course, very few colleges that offer career training opportunities.
4. Poor health due to financial situation of their families. Most of our families belong to C or D classes. 99% of the deaf students receive partial or full tuition subsidy from CSB.
This is the general profile of the Deaf youth and their low self-esteem often a product of barriers, now become barrier in itself. But this can be prevented and can be overcome when they are able to take active part and learn from their family, school and community without the barriers of misunderstanding, misperceptions, negative attitudes, and basic of all, without the barriers of communication.
But such barriers exist in the lives of Deaf children growing up Deaf in a hearing world. These are often compounded by the negative attitudes and perceptions of the general mainstream about Deaf people because of their being different from the majority.
1. Medical terms that refer to OTL conditions have been used outside the clinical environment and used with ridicule to put down, criticize and pressure deaf children and adults to conform in a certain way to be worthy of respect. Deaf people have experienced the insults and ridicule for being different. To be called as “abnormal, hearing-impaired, pipi, mute” as a result of unmet expectations, mistakes and for being different. But they are not their impairment right? It’s a mere label for the localized physical condition. But to be repeated called pipi, hearing-impaired, mute everyday by significant individuals in school, family and neighborhood can really be a source of pain, confusion, isolation and inferior feelings.
2. Deaf people have varied skills in speaking and hearing capabilities as a result of the levels of their hearing/speaking conditions and the extent of training support they received. No matter, Deaf people can communicate with or without the capability of speech and hearing, and they communicate using a language of their preference.
a. Some prefer to communicate using oral-based languages such as English, Filipino, Illonggo.
b. Others prefer to communicate signing the oral-based languages such as (please sign & voice exact English): I am very happy today. (8 words)
c. Others prefer to communicate in their natural Filipino Sign Language, not based on Oral Filipino but based on a language that evolved in the Deaf community across time and place, with its own syntax and grammar, seen and not heard, signed and not spoken. (please sign FSL way) Today? Me Happy (2 words).
2. The language of the Deaf is Filipino Sign Language. This is a language complete with syntax, grammar and vocabulary that is expressed in visual form and makes use of hand signs, facial expressions, body movement and gestures in an organized and intelligent. It is a language unique to Filipino Deaf community, but have variations found in other unique sign languages of out countries. There are ASL, JSL, CSL, VSL, etc. Like any language, FSL is used to communicate. And communication involves expression and understanding that brings about learning.
3. A great deal of communication involves understanding others, and expressing self to be understood. There is an extensive interchange of thoughts, feelings in one’s mind and heart, and with another. We do the same even when we listen to people around us who communicate to each other. We learn, grow and develop as a result of these interchanges. Through communication we are able to do problem analysis, investigation, and creative thinking. We use a language we are comfortable in, discuss a topic we are passionate about, and we learn through thoughtful process that results to greater understanding. And all these can be done in any language one learns well, spoken or signed.
Wow, that was a lot for an introduction, which in essence covers the main body of my presentation.
In summary, these points refer to the following:
1. Being different is not a basis for discrimination. It is an indication that we are diverse in views and uniqueness and gives us opportunity to learn and expand. Irregardless of differences, each one deserves respect.
2. Labels we give can be used to put down and hurt others that give lasting impact on self-esteem
3. Access to extensive communication opportunities provides opportunity for learning that impacts on all aspects of the person’s cognitive, social, physical, psychological and spiritual domains.
4. Communication is not just done through oral based languages, but can be done through visual based languages such as the Filipino Sign Language
5. Filipino Sign Language is a language at par with the Oral based languages. It is however, it is not spoken but signed and kinesthetically expressed; seen and not heard.
And so, because of barriers that make in-depth and extensive communication that respects diversity, our Deaf students come to us accepting of their inferiority as a 2nd class citizen with many unused, untapped, and undeveloped potentials. However, with sufficient support and guidance, they graduate and find jobs. [showcase the graduates]
And so, what do we do in the education of our Deaf students? I shall explain by way of introducing to you DLS-CSB and SDEAS.
School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies
SDEAS’ Center for Academics, the Center for Deaf Esteem and Formation, and the Center for Partnership and Development work in interdependently to provide an education that guides them to develop a healthy Deaf Self Esteem accepting and respectful of their diversity, competent and confident of their capacity for employment and career advancement, and with a deep moral responsibility to make a difference as leader advocates in varied opportunities and settings that will help make this world a better place for people with disabilities and for Deaf people.
We offer a pre-college program to the fresh high school graduates who pass our admissions. The focus of the pre-college serve as a development tool that helps students and the subjects are on self-esteem, Filipino Sign Language, Faith strengthening, Reading comprehension and Math computation.
Our academic degree is in Applied Deaf Studies with specialization in multimedia arts and entrepreneurship. The Deaf studies track focuses on strengthening the Deaf students’ identity, and the elective tracks focus on building competence for employment. Side by side with their academic training, the students also have access to extensive formation program involving counseling, faith development, performing arts, leadership, service and sports development.
SDEAS also takes part in the nurturance of a positive view of Deaf people in the mainstreamed environment. We actively take part in the education of hearing people through various involvements with the general CSB community, the employers and employees, people’s organizations, media, and at present with OTL department team and students. These are opportunities aimed to develop lasting partnerships that will have an impact on improving attitudes, awareness and on operation side, improve policies and procedures that will improve Deaf people’s access to education, employment and human services.
I used to handle SDEAS but I am now assigned to a newly created unit, the Center for Education Access and Development tasked to work in close collaboration with SDEAS and other CSB academic schools and external partners to prepare the way to increase the career options of Deaf people in DLS-CSB by providing access to other educational opportunities such as degree courses in design, culinary, management, and others either through a self-contained, mainstreamed or inclusive arrangement. We are also looking into getting involved through various initiatives that will help strengthen the secondary education programs for the Deaf in the Philippines.
In all these, we will make sure that the Deaf Identity is nurtured, Filipino Sign Language is used and cultivated, work on improvements and develop innovations with Deaf people. We hope to continue to trailblaze on new opportunities that will ensure Deaf people will have the necessary competence and confidence to face challenges of the mainstream without making themselves inferior or letting ignorance and rigidity of others to isolate them just because they are different.
Given this context, allow me to answer then 4 key points that I am expected to help you learn:
Who should learn sign language?Everything around us involves communication. And in each encounter, depending on the extent of listening and attention given, we learn from such interchanges. Beyond knowledge and information, we develop our values and passions as a result of our full involvement in the communication processes. Our interaction intensifies and topics become in-depth or extensive as communication goes on and on.
But a child born into an environment he cannot hear will have a different experience. The child grows up everyday learning speech and reading lip movements. What would be the content of the communication process that he will be part of? Will it be as exciting as it is between two hearing-speaking individuals? Would they be as involved in discussing in-depth and extensively the topics that they are passionate about? What happens when words cannot be expressed or understood, more so lip movements could not be read? The content of the conversations be about life, passions, and questions?
I’ve met enough Deaf adults who have grown up isolated, hurt of that isolation. Its an outcome not so much because they know how to speak and lip read, but because the point of contact for conversations were often just about practicing the terms, saying it the right way and just learning to speak their best so their words would be understood. Often times, depth of conversations will revolve around that and everyday conversations that focus on what they have done and not done during the day than about life.
But they have learned how to speak, and they attribute that success as part of their training in the oral education and speech training that they got and the support of their families. But a wish is really to have intelligent conversations that come from in depth conversations. And sign language communication allows them to do that.
Who among the deaf should learn how to sign? Everyone. If that is not possible, then young Deaf children must have access to Deaf role models in schools or at home so that communication through FSL can be done as they learn how to speak and read lips. It is a myth by the way that deaf children who learn how to sign loose their speech skills. Research have already proven that this is not so. In fact, each skill is strengthened with the support of the other as they learning words, ideas, concepts and everything about the world. Words spoken and read gain more meaning when it is signed and understood in varied context made possible through communication.
When should physicians refer children to institutions who teach sign language?This should take place at the earliest possible time. The earlier the intervention the better it would be. Early language exposure particularly exposure to natural communication helps in the cognitive, social, emotional development of the Deaf child. Aside from conceptual development, self-esteem will be nurtured. Encounters with ridicule can easily be processed because the child can freely talk about her observations, her feelings and thoughts with her parents or with Deaf adults in the community. Playing with Deaf peers also contribute to their growth.
Recently I had a chance to visit some schools for the Deaf. I met some very young Deaf children in each school. In a 5 minute conversation, I have seen the depth of thinking a child from each school had. The first, our conversation revolved around Hi and hellos, good mornings and introducing names and sign names. The second conversation I had was with a 5 or 6 yr old girl. She just learned sign language 4 months ago but was in a school with many Deaf adults and hearing teachers communicated in FSL. She initiated the conversation with a question if the 2 women with me were mothers. I replied no, and she responded back “Oh. I live here in school, and I only get to see my mother once a week and I do miss her so much”. We never got a chance to say hello or even introduce ourselves. We were so involved communicating in FSL talking about her life all in 5 minutes. Imagine what such communication can do to the deaf children’s self esteem and aspirations, skills and confidence if they live in an environment where they can freely communicate just about anything and everything, from information to feelings, questions and answers, observations and conclusions…Imagine…
know where to refer toSeek out organizations for the Deaf that will provide you access to learning the language, Deaf peer support and support from Deaf Adults, and support for parents and family. Some of these organizations are:
Catholic Ministry to Deaf People , Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Philippine Federation of the Deaf, Schools for the Deaf
know how physicians can explain to parents/patients what to expect in a sign language class/schoolThat learning sign language does not impede learning speech. Learning and being fluent in sign language will help Deaf children develop faster their cognitive and emotional development as a result of extensive interaction and being fully involved in communication.
But all these are individual efforts to be made. I suggest that this OTL seriously consider creating a multidisciplinary team composed of your experts (Audiologist, OTL) a teacher of the Deaf, an advocate and a counselor. This shall be the team that will develop the steps and programs that all members can actually follow in the process of helping the parents and the deaf child. Beyond learning skills, crucial to success is really transforming negative attitudes and correcting misperceptions that often becomes the basis for many barriers to the growth and development of Deaf children.
Thank you very much
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Paper presented in the OTL Post-Graduate Conference held in UP PGH Taft Avenue, Manila August 27, 2009
