Sign Language Manualism

From the time Sign Language was initially adopted in America as early as the late 1700’s to the present, deaf individuals have had to face more and more decisions that have the potential to change the course of their entire lives. Both people in the deaf community and people in the hearing world have deliberated on the nature of the most effective method of educating deaf and hard of hearing children. Since education is the fundamental building-block of an individual’s mind, the approach to developing deaf children should be viewed as a high priority and as an essential aspect of their growth, future, and interactions with the world around them. This concept is reinforced by Belinda J. Hardin, who insists in her article that a family dealing
with deafness faces colossal decisions that have the potential to shape every aspect of the individual’s life (Hardin 107). The debate centers mainly around two methods of education: Manualism, which is the process of teaching deaf and hard of hearing children to learn and use sign language in order to communicate, and Oralism, which is the system of teaching deaf and hard of hearing children how to efficiently use their voice and read lips in order to understand and communicate with other people. In an effort to increase successful social and intellectual development in deaf and hard of hearing students, deaf educators and members of the deaf community should adopt, embrace, and advocate Manualism as the primary method of education because it supports and represents the deeper issue of civil rights for the disabled, helps connect the students to deaf culture, and promotes positive personality changes such as higher self esteem, confidence and happiness in the individuals.
However, the proponents of Oralism have a foundation of their argument opposing Manualism that underlies some merit and reason. First, Oralists believe that teaching deaf and hard of hearing students how to use their voice and read lips should be the primary mode of education over teaching them to utilize sign language. There are several reasons that surround this position. Oralists assert that research has not been able to definitively conclude that the students perform negatively as a result of their method of education. Instead, Oralists typically argue that any developmental and mental challenges that deaf and hard of hearing students have are due to their disability rather than the educational environment they are surrounded in. Also, historically, Oralism is less expensive and easier to implement than Manualism, seeing as how it does not require additional training to learn an entirely different language. More radical, traditional Oralists often pose the idea that deafness and sign language are “animalistic” and inferior in nature, because deaf people lack the ability of speech that sets human beings apart from animals (Drenth 378). While these points definitely contribute to the argument for Oralism, the most significant and foundational reason that represents and embodies the advocation for the Oralism method of education is the common concern and priority of assimilating the deaf and hard of hearing into the hearing world. An Oralist’s primary concern is finding a way to help the deaf seem less deaf and more hearing. They firmly believe that Oralism would greatly influence the deaf for the better by integrating them into a “normal life” and avoiding any further segregation as a result of their condition (Drenth 378). While these beliefs are strong and based on reasonable and intellectual thought, the Oralism approach carries a detrimental fallacy- the thought that all deaf people always want to or should be assimilated into the hearing world as much as possible, rather than embracing their individualities and becoming involved in the deaf community and culture. This issue is essential in distinguishing the different perspectives that polarize both arguments of the Manualism versus Oralism debate. An important reason that Manualism should be embraced and adopted is its connection to the issue of civil rights for the disabled.
Legally, deaf and hard of hearing individuals are considered disabled, to an extent. They, like other groups of people with special needs, maintain special laws and considerations that ensure that they have the same rights and opportunities to thrive as other people do. Every person has the right to speak their own language, life their own life, and think their own thoughts. In her scholarly column published from the University of California, Jacquelyn H. Flaskerud says “The use of ASL is based on a historical foundation of natural laws (seeking peace and preserving one’s own nature), and the Constitution and Civil Rights that guarantee citizens of America the right to be individuals with the ability to make choices about lifestyles, religions, languages, and more” (Flaskerud 318). These ideas support the fundamental assertion that deaf and hard of hearing individuals maintain the right to exercise their individuality and embrace their own language. The use of the language itself, as Flaskerud pointed out, is rooted in the advocation for guaranteed rights for the disabled. Deaf and hard of hearing people have the freedom to embrace their deafness and to make the lifestyle choice to learn sign language as opposed to learning to speak along with the hearing world. Choosing Manualism over Oralism is essentially an exercise of natural civil rights
as a human being. Additionally, Manualism can be seen as taking action against the social stigma that everyone should conform and assimilate to normality by a group of people who have a unique distinction. For deaf people to decide to utilize their freedom to choose and to live by learning an entirely different language is remarkably brave and admirable, and is a choice that should be encouraged in both the deaf community and the hearing world. Another essential reason that Manualism should be adopted and encouraged as the primary method of educating the deaf and hard of hearing is its ability to connect the individual to deaf culture.
First, it is crucial to understand what deaf culture really means. As Jacquelyn H. Flaskerud eloquently and effectively describes in her column, Deaf Culture can be defined as “cultural membership within a group that is composed mainly of people who are clinically deaf and who form a social community with an identity that revolves around deafness and the use of sign language to communicate” (Flaskerud 317). There are some aspects of deaf culture that are essential to understand in order for one to be able to fully comprehend the importance of entering it and the benefits that accompany its membership. Members of the deaf community consider themselves as one communal, united identity just as any racial or ethnic culture that has its own traditions and characteristics. These people celebrate their similarities by embracing similar attitudes, perspectives, behaviors, and most importantly a single language utilized uniquely for their shared trait. When asked why it is important for deaf individuals to embrace their deaf culture, Tiffany Broda, a deaf educator in the state of Georgia who has had extensive firsthand experience with deaf individuals, explained that while she believes that it is important to be productive in the hearing world, it is also important to enjoy one’s own culture
and community and also enjoy a sense of pride in who they are naturally (Broda). When deaf and hard of hearing students make the decision to learn American Sign Language as a mode of communication, they are essentially choosing to enter a community of support, encouragement, and companionship that they could not get in the hearing world with Oralism. Imagine an African American student attending an all-Caucasian school and having all-Caucasian friends; of course they would lead a life with an equal potential for success and happiness, but a crucial part of their being would be left unfulfilled- the opportunity to connect, appreciate, and celebrate who they really are and where they came from. The situation would be the same with a deaf individual who was neglected involvement with their deaf culture in an attempt to assimilate completely to the hearing world. In her article concerning family centered practices of ASL users, Belinda J. Hardin provides a portion of an interview with a deaf individual who chose to learn American Sign Language. She stated “I have my own language, and I have my own history, I have my own stories about the deaf schools and different things… but ASL’s my primary language. And it’s beautiful to me, the culture itself” (Hardin 114). This personal experience provides insight to the strength and beauty of life that an individual can experience through involvement with their deaf culture. By supporting Manualism as the primary method of educating deaf and hard of hearing students, the deaf community and deaf educators would be encouraging membership in a strengthening, fulfilling cultural experience that would benefit the individual for years to come. Through this involvement with Deaf Culture, the use of Manualism as the primary method of education for deaf and hard of hearing children promotes positive personality characteristics such as a higher self esteem, confidence, and happiness in the individuals as well. In their article publishing the group’s research and experimentation, a team of scholars from the South China Normal University described recent research showing that “many individuals who are deaf express a desire to have social relationships, but describe themselves as being lonely and depressed because they have established few close peer relationships” (Lu 552). This pattern of social behavior demonstrates the importance that involvement in the deaf culture has in deaf individuals and their personalities. Many deaf individuals experience isolation and loneliness because they are unable to or have trouble communicating with those around them, potential friends, and even their own family members who do not learn American Sign Language. By adopting Manualism, deaf individuals immerse themselves in the deaf culture, which surrounds them with peers and companions that also communicate through ASL. This type of environment fosters positive, beneficial social interactions and relationships and provides a sense of belonging that can combat the loneliness and sadness that can often accompany deafness. Tiffany Broda, a deaf educator, also commented on the personality characteristics that she has personally seen in deaf individuals who decided to learn sign language and be a part of their deaf culture. She described instances where individuals who used sign language lit up with excitement upon seeing a fellow signer, because it was easy to communicate and feel accepted (Broda). To encourage more moments like these, the deaf community and deaf educators should instill pride and confidence in deaf individuals, and reassure them that they do not need to learn to communicate the way hearing individuals do in order to live a happy, successful life. It is essential for them to understand that embracing their differences and finding their place in a unique culture that will support, encourage, and fill them with pride can be just as rewarding as hiding their disability and blending in to the hearing world. By embracing deaf culture and taking the opportunity to learn American Sign Language, deaf individuals have the ability to be rewarded with a unique sense of confidence, happiness, belonging, and pride based on their individuality.