The purpose of specifically teaching Deaf children to think critically in all subject matters is to improve the thinking skills of Deaf children and thus better prepare them for the next level of cognitive development.
While we the deaf mutes have the ability ourselves to think critically, many Deaf children today never develop critical thinking skills. Why? There are a number of reasons. The first goal of Deaf education is so traditionally obvious that instructors may focus all their energies and efforts on the task of teaching Deaf children according to the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) contract, emphasizing often on teaching them "how to hear and talk" with amplification and cochlear implants. Indeed, many Deaf children find that this goal alone is so overwhelmed that they feel oppressed. The second goal of Deaf education is to accommodate needs of most parents of Deaf children who are generally ignorant of American Sign Language (ASL). Teaching Deaf children how to think is so subtle that both parents and instructors fail to recognize ASL and Deaf children are unable to study the language and culture of the Deaf in depth.
Deaf children are not born with the power to think critically. Thinking critically is a learned behavior that must be taught as early at a stage as possible. It is an ability to think for one's self as a Deaf individual. Critical thinking is an active process involving the use of ASL.
Monday, February 26, 2007
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2 comments:
Too many teachers for the Deaf do not have good ASL skills or understand proper ways of communicating in ASL. That hurts our children.
Also at some public schools there are so few deaf students they all are lumped into one multi-grade classroom which also hurts the teacher's ability to teach them in an effective manner.
I personally feel that multi-grade classrooms should be illegal - it's cruel to force students to be in a classroom where the size is too small they cannot benefit from each other and cannot receive full instruction appropriate to their grade level.
Hi Carl,
It is an interesting discussion about children not being born with the power to think critically. Some children are expert in using ASL while some of them are not expert in using ASL. My question is to ask you what about a baby being born naturally gifted? Why can't all children be gifted in the same way? Other baby is not born gifted. Can you explain me???
For example, A deaf baby is naturally gifted because of enivorment or background or just born with it? It is God's gift.. How??
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