Deaf children benefit from learning sign language, says research

By: Carola Finch source: http://www.examiner.com/article/deaf-children-benefit-from-learning-sign-language-says-research Recent research into the language acquisition of deaf children has challenged some long-held beliefs by some medical personnel, educators, and professionals providing speech/language and other services for deaf people. When parents first hear that their child has hearing loss, a doctor or audiologist may say, ”If you allow your child to sign, they won’t learn to speak” or “Teaching your child to sign and speak English the same time will confuse the child.” What the experts say Leading researchers and educators of the deaf such as Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), a college at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York State say that there is no evidence for these claims and that sign language can actually enhance a deaf child’s acquisition of spoken language. Recent research results Researchers at La Trobe University in Australia studied deaf adults who learned to sign either at birth, between the ages of 2 to 8, or as a second language later in life. Their findings reported that children who learned sign at birth were more accurate in British Sign Language (BSL) and more successful in learning language than children who were exposed to sign later on. “The advantages of early sign language exposure remain clear even with rapid advances in hearing aids and cochlear implants,” researcher Dr Adam Schembri, Director of the National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language at La Trobe University said in a press release. “Bilingual education is the best way of ensuring that deaf children have early exposure to both a signed language and a spoken/written language, which will provide the deaf child with the best chance for successful language acquisition, in either or both languages, Says Schembri. “We know that bilingualism comes with a range of cognitive benefits, so we would advocate early bilingualism in both signed and spoken language for all deaf children.”

Moving Up and Transition Ceremony 2013

The School for the Deaf of La Salle University Ozamiz City joined in the moving up and transition ceremony of the Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School (BMSLS), 22 March 2013 at LSU Covered Court Heritage Campus. Two deaf students were candidates for moving up, Icy Baura (Achiever and Excellence in Mathematics) and Joshua Tasil. Four candidates for transition, Kirkleivale Jaictin, Elvic Villahermosa (Excellence in Deaf Poetry), Ronie Ronson (Service Awardee) and Dianne Therese Padillo (Integrity Awardee). Br. Jaime Dalumpines, FSC was the keynote speaker of the said event. The parents, benefactors, teachers and friends of the School for the Deaf and BMSLS were in attendance.

Retreat for the Deaf 2013 held

Thirty-six (36) Deaf students of La Salle University (LSU), School for the Deaf, Ozamiz City gathered for a Deaf Retreat March 1-5, 2013. The Retreat for the Deaf is one of the yearly activities of the School for the Deaf. It was held at the Our Lady of the Star Chapel, La Salle University with the theme: “Journeying together in Christ" had Rev. Fr. Hozo Sato OFM as the retreat master. The ministry of Fr. Sato is to help the spiritual formation of Deaf individuals. He used sign language during the retreat. The highlight of the retreat was the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation of the individual Deaf participant. The Deaf participants received the absolution from the priest and prayed in sign language their penance. After the confession was the Mass of Reconciliation. There was Personal reflection made by each participant. The retreat for the Deaf was culminated with a little salo-salo shared by the School for the Deaf family.