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FOR PARENTS CONSIDERING A BILINGUAL/BICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR DEAF STUDENTS: A GUIDELINE FOR A MODEL PROGRAM

BY J. FREEMAN KING, ED.D.

Communication of a deep and meaningful nature that easily and naturally promotes shared meanings is vitally important to the growth and development of the deaf child. The National Deaf Education Project's Statement of Principle asserts that communication is at the heart of human and academic growth, that the right to language is necessary for any educational progress, and that language is central to the human experience.

For deaf children, this means they must have the opportunity to develop age-appropriate language skills, be in an environment where there is a critical mass of communication peers, and be in a classroom where professionals can communicate effectively and directly with them. Regardless of the level of hearing loss, the one commonality of all deaf students is that their ability to learn relies heavily on a communication-rich educational, social, and home environment.

It is important for parents to understand that the foundation upon which a bilingual/bicultural education program is built is deep, consistent, and meaningful communication. For the deaf child who is naturally and primarily a visual learner, this must be a visual language. The program embraces the child's strength (vision), not his/her weakness (hearing).

That being said, the visual language recommended is American Sign Language (ASL), a naturally-acquired language that is viewed as the deaf child's first language of acquisition. Written English is viewed as a second language that is learned. A solid foundation in ASL can lead to the development of English literacy which is necessary to the development of success in academics and careers in a hearing society.

Development of fluency in both American Sign Language and English literacy is essential for academic, intellectual, emotional, and social growth and must begin as early as possible. Language growth and conceptual learning are facilitated when communication is clear, consistent, meaningful, and accessible.

American Sign Language and English coexist in complex and mutually enriching ways. Students are best served by professionals who are capable users of both American Sign Language and written English and parents who understand the basics of ASL communication and expose their child to the printed form of English in its various ways of expression.

It is important for parents to partner with professionals to determine what is the child's most accessible language, and are encouraged to follow the lead of the child relative to how he/she best accesses communication: is it through the visual or auditory channel? Once this is determined, play to the child's strength for all communicative purposes.

The model program should also address incidental learning. Incidental learning, unintentional and unmotivated learning that occurs naturally without any structure or apparent reinforcement, is limited without an individual's ability to communicate. Students begin to learn through observation of adults interacting with one another and reflecting on requisite appropriate interaction and social skills.

Without deep and meaningful communication in the home, students grow up in a learning vacuum that can negatively impact their lives educationally, socially, and emotionally. Therefore, it is essential that parents sign with their deaf child as best as they can. Certainly, proficiency in ASL would be a bonus, but it is not required. What is important is that the parents communicate visually in the best possible manner.

An example of a model bilingual/bicultural program is the California School for the Deaf-Riverside. It has created and adopted for its students a school-wide concept known as total access and/or open communication. This means that on-campus, the use of sign language (ASL) is promoted and encouraged everywhere and by everyone. The school provides classes for staff during work hours on a weekly basis, giving them the opportunity to learn sign language. The ASL classes are held frequently during the week in small groups and are customized to specific staff assignments.

The program's staff, as well as parents, are encouraged to sign at whatever level they are capable at all times. This allows students to have a barrier-free environment for incidental learning to occur.

The model bilingual-bicultural program believes that positive academic, intellectual, social-emotional, and physical development be the goal for every deaf child, and that the responsibility for the achievement of this goal is shared by the student, the family, and the school.

A bilingual-bicultural approach to learning and development with equal emphasis on American Sign Language (ASL) and written English, along with acculturation into both cultures, hearing and Deaf, should be provided. Individualized and structured group learning experiences, that will lead each student toward his/her maximum levels of intellectual capability, should be a primary consideration.

These beliefs and educational philosophy, outlined below, adhered to by the California School for the Deaf-Riverside and other model programs nation-wide, provide a foundation for an excellent model.

The most important element to the establishment of a model bilingual/bicultural program, is parents who proactively advocate for and support a communication driven system that will effectively meet the educational, social, and emotional needs of the deaf child. Without parental support and involvement, such a program cannot exist.•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Freeman King, Ed.D. is Professor, Deaf Education at Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

MODEL BILINGUAL/BICULTURAL PROGRAMS : BELIEFS AND PHILOSOPHY

The core of the model bilingual/bicultural program is centered around beliefs and educational philosophy. These beliefs are as follows:

The educational philosophy of such a model program are encompassed in the following: