Some parents have said that they felt under a lot of pressure to make choices about communication. It is important to remember that you do not have to make a choice for life. You may want to change your approach as you learn more about your child's needs and preferences. The right choice is the one that works best for you and your child. If your child has other disabilities or health problems, check that the communication approach you choose will be fully accessible to them. The right approach to communication will be the one that works best for you, your family and your child. The three main options are:
These approaches are discussed in more detail below. Some questions that may help you to think about communication choices are as follows.
Building blocks of communicationCommunication is made up of different things, which we can describe as 'building blocks'. Everyone uses a combination of different building blocks to make themselves understood. For instance, a conversation between two hearing people can involve speech, tone of voice, gestures and facial expressions. A conversation between two deaf people who use sign language can include sign language, gestures, facial expressions, finger-spelling and lip-reading. The different communication approaches on the following pages use these building blocks in different combinations. This diagram, provided by the Colorado Home Intervention Programme (CHIP), USA shows the different building blocks of communication and the different ways they can be put together. Different communication approachesThis section gives more detail about the most common types of communication approaches used with deaf children. All the approaches have advantages and disadvantages - these will vary depending on the needs of your child and your family. The diagram below shows you some of the communication approaches available, and the building blocks of communication used with them. Before choosing an approach to try, it is important to get more information and discuss your thoughts with different professionals and other parents. Remember that some people hold strong views on the best way to communicate with deaf children, so don't be afraid to ask questions. What are they? Auditory-oral approaches do not use sign language or finger-spelling to support the understanding of spoken language. What are the aims? What are the family's responsibilities? You will normally learn how to use this approach with support from a speech pathologist or teacher of the deaf. This means that you will need to be highly involved with the professionals working with your child. This will allow you to learn the methods and use them at home. The list below gives more detail about the approaches that are called auditory-oral.
There are many things that can make lip-reading difficult, for example:
When children are still building up an understanding of the language they may find it difficult to lip-read words they are not familiar with. It also relies on a speaker having a clear lip pattern. An adult, who has a good understanding of the language being spoken, may understand more. Your child will need a good understanding of the English language to get the most out of lip-reading. This means that they will need to know about grammar and how sentences are constructed. Your child will also need to know what the conversation is about. For example, explaining a trip to the dentist will help your child to follow the lip patterns used there more accurately. So explain that the dentist will say 'say ahh'...'open wide'...'does this hurt?'...'you will need some fillings'. Lip-reading can be used with other communication approaches such as finger-spelling and gestures. Your child will also watch the facial expression and body language of the speaker to get more clues. The combination of these things makes it possible to understand most of the conversation. Sign bilingualismWhat is it? Sign bilingualism uses sign language as the child's first language. The spoken language of the family is learned as a second language. This can be taught through speech, writing or a sign-support system.
Australian Sign Language (Auslan) is the natural language of Australian deaf people. It is estimated that around 6,000 people use Auslan as their first or preferred language. Auslan is a visual language that uses handshapes, facial expressions, gestures and body language to communicate. It has a structure and grammar different from that of written and spoken English. It is an independent and complete language with a unique vocabulary. Like other languages, it has developed over time and has also developed regional dialects. Australian Sign Language (Auslan) is recognised in the Australian Government Language Policy as a community language. What are the aims? What are the family's responsibilities? If most of your family members can hear, or are deaf but do not use Auslan, they will need Auslan training and education. Total communicationWhat is it? The child and their family are encouraged to use:
They may also use other methods of communication within this approach. More details are given later in this section. What are the aims? What are the family responsibilities? Learning the sign system and the vocabulary is a long-term, ongoing process. As your child's sign language skills develop and become more complex, your family's skills will need to keep pace to provide a stimulating language-learning environment for your child. You will also have to encourage your child to consistently use hearing aids, cochlear implants or FM system. You must consistently sign while you speak to your child. Sign language courses are usually offered through the deaf societies or TAFE system. Many books and videos are also widely available. Auslan Signbank is an interactive dictionary of Auslan and available on the Internet. To become fluent, signing must be used consistently and become a routine part of communication with your child. Finger-spelling Other common communication methods and sign systems usedSign Supported English Signed English Signed English (SE) uses signs to represent English exactly by using a sign for every spoken word. It uses Auslan signs, finger-spelling, and specifically developed signs to represent important grammatical information. Signed English is not a language like Auslan, but it has been designed as a teaching tool to be used at the same time as spoken English. Its aim is to develop reading and writing skills. Cued Speech
Information supplied by The National Deaf Children's Society. Reproduced with permission. Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is not intended as a substitute for independent professional advice. Last Updated: 15-Aug-2022 1:43 PM (AEST) |