Deaf People - Assignment Example

Question 1

If I were in the hospital with sherry drolsbaugh while in hospital, I would really treat her with a lot of care like I would treat my own mother without any disability. I would show her a lot of love and respect. Above all, I would guide her through and explain to her the laid-down procedures of the hospital in the most ethical and friendly way possible. Secondly, I would be her guide to speak out for her and feel all relevant data required by the hospital for her. Thirdly, I would enlighten the available nurses about her condition so that they can treat her in the most humane way without any form of discrimination against her. Last but not least, I would make it my business to contact her family members and tell them of her whereabouts ( question 1 does not require any citing since it is a personal statement but the insight of the questions is based on p. 1-3)

Question 2

The view of Mark’s argument was laid on the foundation that education in the mainstream would enhance good interaction with both the hearing and deaf communities. Mark learned the critical age for a deaf child's development that sign language should be taught as early as possible to enable the child to have a strong foundation in the art of communication. He supports ASL teaching to deaf children because as soon as he learned this language, he chose to mix with deaf people, and learned to perceive deafness as something special, his horizons expanded. He came to value communication and relationships above the things that seemed so important to many people, such as image, income, status, skills, religious background, or race. His persuasive book sounds like a clear warning to all who would circumscribe their lives with prejudicial barriers.   

Question 3

Mark’s experience with his deaf grandparents was different from his hearing grandparents. His deaf grandparents encouraged the use of sign language for they knew it was vital for him as a means of communication. On the contrary, his hearing grandparents forced him to live like a hearing child which was traumatizing to him. There were distinct differences portrayed by the text. Firstly, his hearing parents never advocated his signing for they thought it would ruin his speech while his deaf parents were for signing as a member of the deaf culture. Secondly, his deaf grandparents appreciated his efforts in school while his hearing grandparents always argued that his academic performance was not good enough. Lastly, his deaf grandparents saw potential in the boy and encouraged him to aim at the sky while his hearing grandparents saw him as a losing boy to the deaf culture instead of acknowledging his disability. Mark’s experience with his deaf grandparents made him feel part of the deaf culture and he felt proud of who he was. (p.38-76)

Question 4

Mark made reference to “the dinner table syndrome”. This saying means the act of speaking or communicating before a deaf person who cannot hear or understand the conversation and hence ends up lost during a table conversation. He was trying to figure out the importance of a deaf family where every conversation is understood by all the members for instance during dinner around a table. The dinner table syndrome affects the deaf in that they are lost in the conversation and end up feeling out of place. They feel worthless and lose their esteem. The deaf feel affected by the fact that they cannot contribute anything therefore they lack a sense of belonging and view themselves as black sheep in the vicinity.

Since the dinner table syndrome has a negative impact on the deaf, it should be addressed without hesitation. This issue is of concern and measures should be put in place to solve the issue. The hearing members of the family should use the accepted sign language so that they involve the deaf in the conversation. They should also avoid using a form of conversation that the deaf cannot understand. The government ought to implement rules and regulations on how to treat the deaf community and how they should be taken care of in society. The language used ought to respect the dead and make them feel appreciated just like any other normal individual. (“The dinner table syndrome” is found on page 79 paragraph 2)

Question five

Mark felt like he never fit in the deaf society. He responded to this by learning the art of American sign language though it took a while before he developed a good understanding of the same. He also learned the art of lip reading enabled him to fit in society because communication became easier for him and for the first time he enjoyed a long healthy conversation. The two decisions I would make as an ASL student are to learn the use of sign language in detail and perfect my art of communication so as to become a successful deaf person. (Answer based on p. 51-56)

Question six

Based on this book, there is a lot I can offer advice to a parent with a deaf child. One is to avoid the dinner table syndrome that makes the deaf place feel out of place and never respected. It lowers the child’s self-esteem and can have a mental impact throughout his life. The other thing I would do, is help the mother teach the child the use of sign language in early child development so as to enforce the cognitive behavior of the child in understanding the surroundings and above all learn to communicate with people in the society. This would eliminate the feeling of worthlessness experienced by Mark. (Answer based on p. 6 and p. 79)