STARS

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Language Acquisition is Crucial to Development

The Importance of Early Literacy Development in the Deaf Community

At the time of birth, our brains immediately begin to develop. We begin to make neural connections at a rapid rate (700 new neural connections are made every second from birth to five years old). By five years old, 90% of our brain capacity is already developed (Nyle Demaraco Foundation).

However, without the introduction of language, the brain will not develop naturally. Too often we see a lack of language introduction in children who are born deaf or hard of hearing. In fact, even children who are born deaf, who have cochlear devices implanted may never develop language. This is due to the regular brain plasticity changes in early childhood. When a child has not acquired a first language in the early years (0-5), that child may never be completely fluent in any language. Subsequently, missing this critical period of exposure to natural language results in a lack of development in cognitive activities that rely on a solid first language. These areas include:

  • Literacy
  • Memory Organization
  • Number Manipulation

This language deprivation will impact a child for the rest of his or her life.

A great method of language acquisition for a child who is deaf or hard of hearing is sign language or American Sign Language (ASL). ASL provides the same time constraints of spoken language development and acts as the perfect language for a child who is born deaf or hard of hearing.

Learning language is a critical component of the growth and health of every child, without it long-term effects carry into adulthood:

  • Cognitive activities are stunted or highly underdeveloped (i.e mathematics)
  • Organization of memory is disordered
  • Diminishes one’s educational and career possibilities
  • Psychosocial problems due to isolation and frustration
  • Self-expression is diminished
  • Ability to understand others is compromised

Source

How Can You Ensure Children Receive Language

Parents:

  1. Early intervention is key. Begin signing with your child as early as possible (preferably as infants).
  2. Take sign language classes. Parents should not be the only members of the family who can communicate with the child. It is important for each member of the family to learn sign language.
    1. Classes in Nashville:
      1. Bridges for the Deaf and HOH– classes are free for parents who have a deaf child.
      2. Gate Communications
      3. STARS In Home Services-teaches sign language to families whose students are enrolled in the STARS program
    2. On-line learning tools
      1. STARS “Deaf Teaching Hearing” Video Series
      2. ASL Pro
      3. Library Services for the deaf and hoh
        1. Books and videos to check out
  3. Enroll in After-School Programs and Camps
    1. Enlist your child into programs and/or camps where he or she will have exposure to peers who sign and other adults
      1. After-School Programs in Nashville:
        1. Bridges –After School Program and camps
        2. Brentwood Baptist Deaf Church Camp 
  4. Community
    1. Become immersed in the Deaf community
    2. Educate yourself about the Deaf community and Parenting a Child who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing
    3. Resources:
      1. NAD
      2. American Society for Deaf Children
      3. Milestone Tracker 

Educators and Adults:

  • Push Policy Makers/Schools to provide after-school programs for Deaf or Hard of Hearing students
  • Advocate for sign language (ASL) as part of early education in schools
  • Provide accessible spaces for students, coworkers, individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

 

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Andrew Maraniss on Race

The other day I was scanning Twitter and ran across a provocative thread of posts from an attorney, librarian and writer named April Hathcock.

“Ok, friends,” she wrote, “We’re going to stop talking about “diversity & inclusion” when what we’re really talking about is race, racism, and whiteness … We’re going to stop talking about “diversity & inclusion” when what we’re really talking about is queer hate, trans hate, heteronormativity…We’re going to be intentional about the oppression and violence about which we speak. We’re going to be intersectional but also specific … We’ve been using intersectionality as an excuse to use feel good euphemisms. We’re going to stop doing that.”

I was intrigued by April’s reframing of the subject because not only does it appeal to the activists among us, in its specificity it can be used to disarm the cynic who dismisses diversity and inclusion efforts as unnecessary, liberal, PC mumbo jumbo. Let’s get real, April is saying.

In 2014, I published a book called STRONG INSIDE, a biography of Perry Wallace, the first African-American basketball player in the Southeastern Conference. Wallace played at Vanderbilt University in the late 1960s, and as he made history on the basketball courts of the Deep South, Wallace feared for his life. He’d ask himself what’s the worst that could happen, and in his mind, he imagined being shot and killed somewhere like Starkville, Mississippi or Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he was routinely harassed by fans with threats with lynching or castration. Back on his own campus in Nashville, Wallace was kicked out of a white church, his best friend was addressed by the N-word on his first day of English class.

A few months ago, I converted STRONG INSIDE into a young readers’ edition, aimed at kids 10 and older. With concern over the sensitivities of some readers (or more accurately, their parents), I debated how much of the derogatory language to keep in this condensed version of the book. In the end, I opted to keep all of it. The truly offensive thing, I decided, would be to whitewash history and let the racists off the hook by sanitizing their words, and in so doing minimizing the hostility and discrimination Wallace encountered and so courageously overcame.

So, I appreciate that this isn’t international diversity day. It’s the International Day for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination. And this year’s theme isn’t “Celebrate (Insert Diverse Name Here) Culture Day.” Rather, the theme is “Racial profiling and incitement to hatred, including in the context of migration.”
This is the kind of real language April Hathcock was calling for. And a reminder that sometimes being careful about the language we use means telling it like it is, not cleaning it up.

About the Author

Andrew Maraniss Headshot Andrew Maraniss is the New York Times-bestselling author of STRONG INSIDE. The original, adult version of the book received the Lillian Smith Book Award for civil rights and the RFK Book Awards’ Special Recognition Prize for social justice. The Young Readers edition has been named one of the Top 10 Biographies for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist.

Follow Andrew on Twitter @trublu24, and visit his website at www.andrewmaraniss.com

Strong Inside Cover
Order his book!

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Being Deaf Does Not Mean We’re Broken

DHH & KOB

Webster’s dictionary defines deaf as: “lacking or deficient in the sense of hearing.”

We’re not broken.
What people may not know is, behind the meaning of the word “deaf,” is a beautiful and rich culture, complete with its own traditions, language and people. “Deaf” may be seen as a negative occurrence because hearing loss, or hearing impairment, is often seen as disabled.

As a community, we believe the complete opposite. People who are deaf do not see themselves as broken or as a disability. We believe we do not need to be fixed because we are immersed in an amazing culture that has shaped our identities and given us a way to express ourselves. We do need to be respected.

Being deaf is part of our identity.

Just as the hearing community is made up of unique individuals, the Deaf community is, as well. Not all people who are deaf use sign language, there are people who are deaf who can speak or can use both voice and sign. Some people who are deaf go to deaf institutions while others go to public schools with an interpreter. People who are deaf might use hearing aids, have cochlear implants or not have any hearing assistance at all. Each person is an individual and unique in their own way, just like a person in the hearing community.

The definition of deaf is much more appropriate to use when describing someone who is older and who is losing their hearing. These people usually are not involved with the Deaf community and do not know Deaf culture or the language. One of our goals is to expand hearing people’s perspective of people who are deaf. Being deaf does not mean you are broken. Deaf individuals are just as capable as hearing individuals.

Being deaf is an identity.

Communication is just as essential for someone who is deaf. Remember communication is not dependent on one’s ability to hear; it’s on one’s ability to receive information and express oneself.

The majority of communication is nonverbal, nonverbal communication involves actions, body language, gestures and facial expressions. Deaf culture depends fully on visuals and gestures, better known as American Sign Language.

American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, grammatically complex language; it is NOT the same as the English language. Just like someone who is hearing would not say, Chinese is the same as English. As mentioned earlier, methods of communications for the deaf can include either speech, sign language, or both. When a person tells you they are deaf, do not panic or run away. If they speak to you, speak normally and face to face. If they use paper and pen or a phone to communicate, write back. If you know some sign language, do not be afraid to use it. People who are deaf can be patient and willing to help you learn sign language. Deaf people will appreciate your efforts to communicate with them in a way that is not normal for hearing people. Lastly, please ask questions, no matter how silly it may seem. It’s better to educate yourself then to assume.

Here’s a much better definition of deaf, provided by Gallaudet

If you feel so inclined to learn some sign, check out our Deaf Teaching Hearing Series on YouTube.

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Not Enough Parents Are Learning Sign

Not Enough Parents Are Learning How To Communicate With Their Kids

Not enough families are learning how to communicate with their kids.

According to Gallaudet research, 90% of children who are deaf are born into hearing families and of those 90% of hearing parents only 23% of them learn American Sign Language. This leaves 77% of children who are deaf in isolation within their home. Imagine spending every day in your home in silence. Looking around the room and seeing everyone smiling, laughing, crying, angry, but having no understand of why. Imagine not having a way to tell your mom you are hungry or hurting or if you have to use the restroom. Imagine not being able to bond with your siblings because you can’t talk to them.  Children in this situation can feel isolated, frustrated, and often depressed.

This will also result in an academic delay. When a child who has never been exposed to language arrives in the school system it is the first time they are exposed to any language. They have to start with the basics; the alphabet, colors, numbers and just understanding that everything around them has a name, even they do!  It takes them years to catch up on basic language skills so these children spend most of their time academically behind and often have to repeat early grade levels for their basic language skills to develop.

So why do many parents not learn sign language? Often it is a matter of resources, time, money, or parents feeling overwhelmed with learning a new language. It’s not that they don’t want to learn, it’s just difficult to figure out where to begin.

However, these days there are plenty of resources that are available and free.  There are organization that teach sign language classes to parents, computer classes, and even phone apps. Here is a list of wonderful resources to help parents not only learn sign language but connect with the deaf community!

Organizations:

STARS- In-home sign language classes for parents.

Bridges-Free sign classes for parents of deaf children, interpreting services, case management for deaf, youth program for deaf and hard of hearing children, events.

Hands and Voices– Support group for parents who have a child who is deaf or hard of hearing

Gate Communications– Sign language classes, interpreting services, events, workshops

Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing-Sign language books, videos and other resources. Click on “connect’ for a full list of resources.

Online resources:

STARS Deaf Teaching Hearing Series

Lifeprint.com

ASLPRO.com

Phone APPS for Iphone and Droid-

MarleeSigns

Sign Language dictionary ($4.99)

The ASL App

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STARS Literacy Programs 2016

Research shows when an activity is fun, we tend to perform better. At STARS, we believe, we can make reading a fun activity and impact the community by improving reading proficiency!

Services for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) – Literacy Program

Thanks to funding provided by Community Enhancement Fund, STARS was able to develop a program focused on Literacy for the deaf and hard of hearing students we serve. STARS DHH – Literacy program works individually and in small groups with students who are deaf or hard of hearing to improve their reading comprehension, writing skills and sign language proficiency. Additionally, we work with teachers and parents on best practices to assess and support the students in these areas.

The program currently provides services to 12 deaf and hard of hearing students in three different schools: Hillsboro High School, West End Middle and Eakin Elementary School. Using the Fairview Literacy program, we meet with each student weekly, either individually or in a small group.  The program focuses on improving reading comprehension, writing skills, sign language proficiency, bridging multiple meaning words and conceptual signing of topics and items translating from English to American Sign Language.

One unique aspect of this program is the lessons are specifically customized to meet the students at their level of learning, as well as incorporate their individual interests.

Kids on the Block – Literacy Program

Kids on the Block (KOB) is excited to partner with Shwab Elementary in piloting a six-week literacy program focusing on reading as a fun activity. Based on over 30 years of experience in classrooms, we believe this new literacy program will help bridge the gap for many young people who feel intimidated by reading.

During the six-week pilot program, KOB will take groups of Tier 2 students and work with them to help increase their reading scores. We will begin with an educational puppetry presentation for the entire group of students. The Kids on the Block presentation helps children understand choice in the reading process as well as the social and emotional aspects of the difficulties of being a reader that is behind their peers. The students will work in small groups, as well as pair up, to read with each other. At the end of the program, the students will walk away with two books chosen for them, and a third book of their choosing, as research shows when a child chooses a book in which they are interested, it increases their chances of being a better reader.

So, with the use of puppets, educators, hardworking kids and a lot of compassion and enthusiasm, Kids on the Block is working to help students in Middle Tennessee to have bigger and brighter futures!

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Our Supporters:

  • Giving Matters
  • Olweus
  • UW
  • NREPP
  • UW Rutherford
  • UW Sumner
  • UW Williamson
  • UW Nashville
  • UW Wilson


STARS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, culture, religion or creed, socioeconomic status, language, age, sexual orientation, or national origin. No one shall be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any of STARS’ programs or activities. STARS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This agency is funded, in part, by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Tennessee Department of Education and by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. This project is funded under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.