Words Alive! Literacy and the Deaf Child

I am proud to be an advocate for literacy and the deaf child, helping to raise awareness in association with Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services in Calgary.

Did you know that ...

Approximately half the deaf and hard-of-hearing students leaving high school - whether in special education programs or not – did so with a reading level of grade 4. (Allen, 1986; Holt, 1993).
Although these students have the intellectual potential to achieve higher levels, (Martin, 1994; Moore 2001), low literacy levels are the norm.
Access to higher education and employment is largely determined by one's literacy level.
Illiteracy is a handicap, not deafness itself.
Deafness in NOT a barrier to literacy.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing children can be as literate as other children.
Speech and hearing are not necessary for attaining literacy.
Print English is a more reliable model of the English language than is spoken or signed methods. It is accessible to persons who have learned to read, whether they are deaf, hard of hearing or have hearing within normal ranges.
American Sign Language is a visual-spatial language and has no written form. It has its own rules for grammar, punctuation, and sentence order. It should not be considered merely a manual code for English or in any way to be a mimed or gestural form of English or any other verbal language.
There is no one universal sign language used by Deaf people around the world. Deaf people, just as do hearing people in different countries, use different languages. Most sign languages develop independently and each country (and in some cases, each city) has its own sign language.
Positive self-esteem is crucial to attaining literacy.
A deaf or hard-of-hearing child need not delay his/her reading development until a later age in order to develop oral or sign communication skills. 'Talking' does not have to come before reading.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing children can greatly improve their reading by watching closed-captioned TV.
Children begin their literacy development from the first month of their lives.
Parents are the best teachers for their deaf children, and literacy starts at home. Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults, by virtue of their life experiences, often prove to be invaluable resources to families with deaf or hard-of-hearing children, and their advice is often respected and accepted by professionals.
Literacy is THE key to a successful life in a hearing world for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. Literacy is an important factor in its own right, and closely related to practically all the major determinants of heath. (Health Canada 2003)

"What matters deafness of the ear, when the mind hears. The one true deafness, the incurable deafness, is that of the mind." - Victor Hugo 1845

"Only through the constant reading of books could deaf people acquire a true mastery of the English language." - G. Davidson 1893

"Literacy, being embedded in all that we do, is a necessary condition for personal growth. Literate people are those who are able to understand and participate in communities in which they find themselves and are able to communicate effectively with others using the language of those communities." - Author Unknown

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services in Calgary

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) is a non-profit, community centered organization that has been providing services in the Calgary metropolitan area since 1961. Their mission is to empower their clients, as well as their families, to overcome the many barriers facing individuals experiencing deafness and hearing loss. DHHS is constantly striving to provide deaf and hard-of-hearing people with full access to opportunities that are readily available to persons who hear.

The 2003 Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) survey reported that 23% of adult Canadians have hearing loss. In Calgary, that means a potential of over 200,000 people. It is a very real and relevant issue affecting each family member, friend, neighbour or colleague. DHHS advocates on behalf of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and supports legislation that seeks to improve conditions for them.

Children's Programs at DHHS

Children’s and Youth Clubs

Each club meets monthly and participants get together for an activity, outing or event. Providing communication access, in each child or youth’s preferred communication mode (American Sign Language or English) is the fundamental element of these clubs. The clubs provide a safe, inclusive environment for children and youth to develop social skills, reduce isolation and experience mentor relationships with club leaders, who are themselves either deaf or hard-of-hearing. The goal of these clubs is to give deaf and hard-of-hearing children and youth an opportunity to become "Leaders of Tomorrow" by allowing access to developmental, social and educational activities/opportunities presented in their required mode of communication.

Hearing Loss Prevention Classes

Classes are presented in Calgary and area elementary schools throughout the school year. Each year, our audience, consisting of hundreds of elementary students, learn from trained hard-of-hearing presenters about both the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, and the importance of hearing protection. Early intervention has been of critical importance over the years, but the popularity of new technology coupled with recent research results makes it all the more urgent.

One in seven children aged 5 to 19 has already suffered hearing loss. Hearing loss is a function, not only of how loud noise is, but also how long the noise lasts. (Marshall Chasin, Director of Audiology Research at the Musicians' Clinic of Canada, 2006)
iPods can play for up to 20 hours. The rule of thumb suggested by researchers at Boston Children's Hospital is to hold the volume of a music player no higher than 60 percent of maximum and to use it for only about an hour a day. After School Literacy Program

For deaf or hard-of-hearing children aged 6 to 12, DHHS offers in-home weekly tutoring through the After School Literacy Program. The tutors are deaf or hard-of-hearing and thus are role models to the children. Early interactions with these tutors can provide parents with valuable support as they learn to read and communicate with their deaf or hard-of-hearing child. The crucial component of the program involves weekly home visits of the assigned tutor with the deaf or hard-of-hearing child and the family. The visits are scheduled at a time convenient for each family, either evenings or weekends.

During the week in between visits, the tutor leaves behind a 'family book bag', a bookmark with tips for reading to their child and a guide containing activities to do with the child after reading the story. Both the children and their families are learning literacy skill-building strategies. Practicing these strategies in between tutor sessions develops skills and increases confidence for both the child and their family.

The After School Literacy Program can only run if sufficient funding is available. A donation of $2500 will cover the cost of one child for the 10-month school year, from September to June. Charitable donation tax receipts are issued for all donations to DHHS.

For further information in Calgary, contact:

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services
63 Cornell Road NW
Calgary AB
T2L 0L4
Canada

Phone: (403) 284-6200
TTY: (403) 284-6201
Fax: (403) 282-7006
Email: reception@dhhs.org
Website: http://www.dhhs.org/