I am soon traveling to speak out for Deaf Language Rights.
We, the United States, have signed the UN Charter for the Rights of Disabled People. Now we need to integrate those rights and principles into our policies. The charter states that EVERY deaf person has the right to a signed language. This seemingly sane and sensible idea - visual language for visual babies - is foreign to most of the "experts" advising new parents of deaf babies. They are often told "Do not sign to your baby" while we are told in many books and articles to sign to our hearing babies. This ludicrous irony must stop.
Please help me in encouraging all parents to sign to all babies. Babies love signing. Why? Because all babies are visual, if born with working eyes.
The promise of some electonic connection to the auditory part of the brain via cochlear implant surgery does not have to come at the expense of no or little linguistic input while testing, discussing, cutting, healing and training (1-2 years of precious-essential- language learning time).
Idea: BILINGUALISM Give the baby a visual language for an equal chance to language from the crib, while discussing additional (not alternative) avenues for language or language reception/expression. Many Deaf people would not be against cochlear implants if they were offered in the spirit of bilingualism instead of an alternative to deafness, as if the baby could be "cured."
Idea #2: Let us learn from each other by letting people be fully who they are. For example, we could learn how to see better from our deaf babies, and celebrate a beautiful visual language.
For vision and an amazing visual world,
susan schaller at www.susanschaller.com
Monday
A new year, a New Chance to Celebrate Diversity
Happy New Year!
Tomorrow, I am looking forward to speaking to some High School students in Richmond, California, about community and environmental activism. Embracing the entire community and all of nature is a first step toward sustaining and supporting life. We don't know what we need to learn from whom, even to know ourselves, so we need to be open minded and tolerant of every person, regardless of how different from us they appear to be. Likewise, the environmental web is intricate and complicated. If we kill off some fungus somewhere, it may lead to completely unpredicted consequences some place else. I personally dislike the term activism as it has been used in specific political ways, as if it belongs to one group.
We all are active all the time, in both the community and the environment. The question is how conscious are we of our actions and how they affect others. The more we have our eyes open as we act and live, the more we will automatically improve community and all of life around us.
Let's begin with eye-opening exercises. Learn how to see better while expanding our mind: study signing and Deaf Culture and your vision will improve. You will begin to see how much you cannot see.
Or, learn from another group: how to hear better from the blind, argue better from the French, tell stories better form an oral tradition. Please write me and tell me what you discover - help me expand my horizons. And have a great start to the new decade. susan from www.susanschaller.com
Tomorrow, I am looking forward to speaking to some High School students in Richmond, California, about community and environmental activism. Embracing the entire community and all of nature is a first step toward sustaining and supporting life. We don't know what we need to learn from whom, even to know ourselves, so we need to be open minded and tolerant of every person, regardless of how different from us they appear to be. Likewise, the environmental web is intricate and complicated. If we kill off some fungus somewhere, it may lead to completely unpredicted consequences some place else. I personally dislike the term activism as it has been used in specific political ways, as if it belongs to one group.
We all are active all the time, in both the community and the environment. The question is how conscious are we of our actions and how they affect others. The more we have our eyes open as we act and live, the more we will automatically improve community and all of life around us.
Let's begin with eye-opening exercises. Learn how to see better while expanding our mind: study signing and Deaf Culture and your vision will improve. You will begin to see how much you cannot see.
Or, learn from another group: how to hear better from the blind, argue better from the French, tell stories better form an oral tradition. Please write me and tell me what you discover - help me expand my horizons. And have a great start to the new decade. susan from www.susanschaller.com
Thursday
December Craziness
As we enter the crazy season of commercialized holidays, too much traffic, too many commitments, I wish everyone some serentiy. Pause and enjoy what is, especially your children or the people close to you. Every child and every person is just another packaged bit of life. See and appreciate what is special in them.
For example, if a deaf child has eyes, learn how to see better from him or her. Expose visual children to visual language. Learn from a difference rather than shun it. Pausing, listening, observing and appreciating are the ways to slow down the craziness of this busy season.
If you are a parent or relative of a deaf child or student, books and DVDs are 1/2 price. Find and print the order form at www.susanschaller.com and just send a check for 1/2 of what is stated. I will send you a book and/or DVD (signed if you would like - tell me) the day I receive it.
Yours for all children,
susan schaller (more about me at conversations.org - Spring issue)
For example, if a deaf child has eyes, learn how to see better from him or her. Expose visual children to visual language. Learn from a difference rather than shun it. Pausing, listening, observing and appreciating are the ways to slow down the craziness of this busy season.
If you are a parent or relative of a deaf child or student, books and DVDs are 1/2 price. Find and print the order form at www.susanschaller.com and just send a check for 1/2 of what is stated. I will send you a book and/or DVD (signed if you would like - tell me) the day I receive it.
Yours for all children,
susan schaller (more about me at conversations.org - Spring issue)
Deaf parents/students - Free DVDs/ Books-$10
Warning - not the usual BLOG - please check back, for a less practical entry, soon.
I just read a book review and at the end it sent you - parents of Deaf children to my blog to order books for only $10 - whoooops!
So, if you landed here after following that advice - go to www.susanschaller.com and find the right page for ordering books.
[or, send $10 to me at 1442A Walnut St. #139, Berkeley, CA. 94709]
If you are a parent of a D/deaf child, tell me on the order form, and send in only $10, and, of course, your address.
If you would like to help me continue to buy and give away the book, and are able to pay more, please feel free ot pay anything above 10 dollars.
Students of education, medicine or _____ (make a good case), write me at susan@susanschaller.com and request a discount.
DVDs for those who will use and share it with others, and parents or families of D/deaf children are free, plus $5 for shipping and handling. Write me for more information, if you want them for a class or a workshop.
I just read a book review and at the end it sent you - parents of Deaf children to my blog to order books for only $10 - whoooops!
So, if you landed here after following that advice - go to www.susanschaller.com and find the right page for ordering books.
[or, send $10 to me at 1442A Walnut St. #139, Berkeley, CA. 94709]
If you are a parent of a D/deaf child, tell me on the order form, and send in only $10, and, of course, your address.
If you would like to help me continue to buy and give away the book, and are able to pay more, please feel free ot pay anything above 10 dollars.
Students of education, medicine or _____ (make a good case), write me at susan@susanschaller.com and request a discount.
DVDs for those who will use and share it with others, and parents or families of D/deaf children are free, plus $5 for shipping and handling. Write me for more information, if you want them for a class or a workshop.
Friday
Panning for Gold in Murphys
Dear Faithful Readers,
Murphys' friendly residents welcomed me, warmed me and launched me into new creative spheres. My Little Yellow Cottage writing retreat helped me to incubate and hatch lively new creatures for the book in progress.
By the by, for those who have read the interview of my work (/conversations.org/) wherein it was announced my book would be published by the University of Gallaudet Press, I have an update:
I couldn't sign the contract they sent me. It came with censorship: I was told I could not write anything strongly against oralism.
Hmmmm? If oralism includes forbidding signing, and not being exposed to signing is the leading cause of raising children without language, how do I not say something negative about oralism?
The good news is that the censorship led me to review my manuscript with new eyes and heart. I have, once again, begun to rewrite my book. I do not want to argue with oralism or against oralists, and continue a war. I want to encourage parents to love their deaf babies, recognizing what tremendous visual creatures they are; to sign with them and learn how to see from these experts on seeing.
Any and all opinions, comments and suggestions are welcome. We need to be the change we want to see: Happy Birthday Gandhi.
Yours for non-violence and ending wars,
susan of www.susanschaller.com
Murphys' friendly residents welcomed me, warmed me and launched me into new creative spheres. My Little Yellow Cottage writing retreat helped me to incubate and hatch lively new creatures for the book in progress.
By the by, for those who have read the interview of my work (/conversations.org/) wherein it was announced my book would be published by the University of Gallaudet Press, I have an update:
I couldn't sign the contract they sent me. It came with censorship: I was told I could not write anything strongly against oralism.
Hmmmm? If oralism includes forbidding signing, and not being exposed to signing is the leading cause of raising children without language, how do I not say something negative about oralism?
The good news is that the censorship led me to review my manuscript with new eyes and heart. I have, once again, begun to rewrite my book. I do not want to argue with oralism or against oralists, and continue a war. I want to encourage parents to love their deaf babies, recognizing what tremendous visual creatures they are; to sign with them and learn how to see from these experts on seeing.
Any and all opinions, comments and suggestions are welcome. We need to be the change we want to see: Happy Birthday Gandhi.
Yours for non-violence and ending wars,
susan of www.susanschaller.com
We are the Change We Wish to See- SIGN!
Signing in as September signs out.
The message for the month is SIGN, SIGN, SIGN. Write me after you read: (susan@susanschaller.com)
If Deaf babies signed from the crib, they would be equal to all other babies, learning language, relating and communicating to their families, accessing education and cognitive stimulation (bed time stories, counting games, linguistic play,...) and community.
Please help me spread the word to your local doctor, PTA, EVERYONE: "visual language for visual babies" regardless of what else the parents and doctors are deciding. Sign and mime and visually communicate to that little baby while it is being tested and prodded by the medical experts.
All babies need and want language. [To all of you who have nothing to do with serving the Deaf community, I know this seems obvious, but were you to consider a career in deafness, your common sense would be washed out of your brain. Please tell your neighbors, friends and doctors that the medical world usually tells new parents of deaf babies NOT to sign to the baby as it interferes with speech learning (WRONG/error - please correct when opportunity arises)].
Keep on telling good stories about bilingual Deaf kids (who have a signed and spoken language).
Thank you, ahead of time, for any help, suggestions, and comraderie that you can send me;
susan schaller at susanschaller.com
The message for the month is SIGN, SIGN, SIGN. Write me after you read: (susan@susanschaller.com)
If Deaf babies signed from the crib, they would be equal to all other babies, learning language, relating and communicating to their families, accessing education and cognitive stimulation (bed time stories, counting games, linguistic play,...) and community.
Please help me spread the word to your local doctor, PTA, EVERYONE: "visual language for visual babies" regardless of what else the parents and doctors are deciding. Sign and mime and visually communicate to that little baby while it is being tested and prodded by the medical experts.
All babies need and want language. [To all of you who have nothing to do with serving the Deaf community, I know this seems obvious, but were you to consider a career in deafness, your common sense would be washed out of your brain. Please tell your neighbors, friends and doctors that the medical world usually tells new parents of deaf babies NOT to sign to the baby as it interferes with speech learning (WRONG/error - please correct when opportunity arises)].
Keep on telling good stories about bilingual Deaf kids (who have a signed and spoken language).
Thank you, ahead of time, for any help, suggestions, and comraderie that you can send me;
susan schaller at susanschaller.com
Thursday
June Rose
As June roses bloomed larger than ever in Berkeley, I planted new chapter ideas for my new book.
A publisher continues to negotiate a new contract, and the old (second) book is evolving into a new (third) book.
I will tell you all the news and events as they unfold, in detail, another time.
Today, I must write a book.
Yours for language rights, bilingualism, visual language for visual babies, and smelling the roses,
susan schaller of www.susanschaller.com
A publisher continues to negotiate a new contract, and the old (second) book is evolving into a new (third) book.
I will tell you all the news and events as they unfold, in detail, another time.
Today, I must write a book.
Yours for language rights, bilingualism, visual language for visual babies, and smelling the roses,
susan schaller of www.susanschaller.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
