Tuesday

Language Rights Globally

I finally made it back to California time after my trip to England where I presented to the National Deaf Children's Society, and met with Bencie Woll, director of a cognitive and language research center in London. England has certainly been progressing. British Sign Language is on television everyday, employment for the deaf has increased and diversified and Deaf leaders continue to emerge and assert their rights. Oralism and mainstreaming, however, still influence far too many hearing parents and many deaf babies are not exposed to signing. We need to roll up our sleeves and keep working.

The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Conference has invited me to give a paper on language rights, so I am off to New Orleans February 23-27. I am meeting with some good Texan workers who will update me on what is happening in that big state. I will be encouraging everyone to view and use Vital-Signs, the DVD, to present a positive picture of the Deaf community and their wonderful visual language, especially to new parents and health professionals Check it out at www.susanschaller.com

Yours for bilingualism, multiculturalism and a more tolerant world,

susan schaller

happy new year

2008: Day One: As I am preparing for a presentation in England related to the Every Child Matters legislation, a theme for the new year weaves through my thoughts: every day matters.

So, today I continued to think of ways we can promote human rights for all people every day. Just as each one of us can promote peace by being more peaceful, we can each promote ideas of basic human dignity, equal access to health care, education and community through our daily attitude and actions. The easiest way is to be present, look each person you meet in the eye as an equal and celebrate whatever we can together, starting with the first day of the year. Today, let's help each other share this full life.

Happy New Year
susanschaller.com