language skills

[Mary Arliskas]

Wow! I have read so much of your research, Dr. Wilbur! I am honored that
you answered my email. I will surely heed your advice about comparing
schools (I knew there was something I was missing!). There must be a way to
frame the research so my curiosities and queries may be answered.

The thing that scares me, as a practiving teacher, is the increase in
oral/cued speech programs in my district. I have attended workshops in cued
speech/oral training and have asked about "early intervention in the most
natural language possibile" as per commission on ed of Deaf, and presenters
have actually told me the most natural language for even a profoundly deaf
child is the spoken language of the child's parents!

I teach high school, and it is sad to see some of my kids with little to no
language, probably because they were in an environment where they could not
meaningfully communicate. This may have caused the psychological disorders
which are ever present in my students.

Again, that you so much for the reply. I love your work.



At 07:35 AM 10/30/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Chapter 11 of my 1987 book American Sign Language: Linguistic and Applied
>Dimensions provides an overview of the research conducted.  YOu ask why
>there are few studies comparing the 2 deaf populations of students -- one
>very clear reason is that the schools do NOT wish to be compared with other
>methods because of possible negative consequences if their claims are not
>substantiated.  The large study reported in the Quigley et al papers did
>include one oral deaf school with the agreement that the results would not
>be reported school by school.  One the basis of working with that huge
>sample, I know that if it were my kid, he/she would get ASL as early as
>possible, no questions asked.  There is no evidence that it results in any
>deficiency in speech skills compared to orally trained students, and the
>overall educational prognosis in every other area, including general
>academic success, reading and writing, is much much better.
>
>The book is out of print, but you should be able to find a copy in a
>university library.  Permission granted to copy.
>
>
>
>
>At 07:11 PM 10/29/98 -0600, you wrote:
>>At 05:39 PM 10/29/98 -0500, you wrote:
>>>One would assume that the "signing" kids would ultimately be the
>>>superior group.
>>
>>Why do you say that? I have read that strict oral kids with highly
>>motivated parents and high ses are better (I'd provide a citation, but I
>>can't quite recall if it was anecdotal or not) what is interesting to me is
>>the trends in writing correlated with communication strategy.
>>
>>Of course, what age children are we  talking about?
>>
>>Well...I was thinking older kids but that makes it harder to control
>>extraneous variables. I need as "pure" a sample as I can get. (and I am
>>open for suggestions :)
>>
>>>How is the program constructed? These would seem to be the meaningful
>>>variables.
>>
>>Yes, yes, you are so right. You sound like my thesis chairperson :).
>>I have some "kinks" to work out. I am still searching for the meat of the
>>report. thanks for the reply!!
>>
>>>
>>>
>>peace n love,
>>
>>mary
>>
>>
>>                                once in a while
>>                          you can get shown the light
>>                          in the strangest of places
>>                           if you look at it right
>>
>>
>Ronnie Wilbur, Ph.D., Professor of Linguistics
wilbur at omni.cc.purdue.edu
>ASL Linguistics Research Laboratory                             (765)
494-3822
>Interdepartmental Program in Linguistics and                    fax (765)
494-0771
>        Department of Audiology and Speech Sciences
>Purdue University
>West Lafayette, IN 47907-1353
>
>
Mary E. Arliskas
Teacher for Deaf/EBD Students
Chicago Public Schools