Ch 26

    This chapter focused on the question, "Why don't some Deaf people like to read?" First of all I kind of thought this was a strange question. As I continue reading this book I have realized that I have gained a lot of respect for the Deaf community and some of the theories and concepts that people have toward or about the Deaf community are a little bit ridiculous, after all they are people too. When I saw the title my first response was, "Not all hearing people like music."  People and their personalities along with likes and dislike vary. The Deaf community like most other communities and cultures are stereotyped.
     English and ASL are two completely different languages. "ASL is the native language of many Deaf citizens here, and has no traditional written form" (157). The way I saw myself comparing it was me trying to sit down and read a novel in Spanish. I had a couple of years of Spanish in high school and learned a little, but did not become fluent by no means. The same concept goes for Deaf people trying to read English. "The average literacy skills of deaf adults, according to that oft-cited and endlessly repeated pseudo statistic generally remain at a third to fifth grade level" (162). Most people here in America speak one language fluently. I honestly do not find it fair that we expect the Deaf to be able to know ASL and understand English. English is a spoken language and ASL is visual. The old fashioned teaching method where "it was not uncommon for therapist to strike young Deaf children" (160). If the child mispronounced the word they were punished, but they couldnt even hear! The whole concept was frustrating for me to read because I found the it was ridiculous. This chapter did help me to understand and I empathize with the deaf community. However, nothing is impossible. If a Deaf person wanted to master English they could. Just lie myself trying to learn ASL, nothing is impossible with hard work and determination.


Works Cited

Morre, S. Matthew, and Linda Levitan. For Hearing People Only. 3rd Ed. Rochester, New York: MSM Productions, Ltd.,2003.Print.